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Get set for a dose of American history when the World Cup hits Philadelphia this summer.
A famously cracked bell, a weathered fictional fighter and cheesesteaks are all part of the sports menu during the six matches taking place at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the two-time NFL Super Bowl champions the Philadelphia Eagles.
FIFA describes Philadelphia as one of the tournament’s key host cities, with a 39-day Fan Festival planned alongside the matches.
World Cup fixtures in Philadelphia
Five World Cup group stage games will be held at the 69,000-capacity stadium, featuring heavyweights like Brazil and France along with Ecuador, Haiti, Curaçao, Croatia, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.
The big one comes on the Fourth of July, a knockout Round of 16 match, which will be exactly 250 years after the United States’ Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia.
- 14 June – Group E: Côte d’Ivoire vs Ecuador
- 19 June – Group C: Brazil vs Haiti
- 22 June – Group I: France vs Iraq
- 25 June – Group E: Curaçao vs Côte d’Ivoire
- 27 June – Group L: Croatia vs Ghana
- 4 July: Round of 16
Philly’s sporting culture
Philadelphia has teams across all of the major sports leagues in the US: the NFL’s Eagles, MLB’s Phillies, NBA’s 76ers, NHL’s Flyers and MLS club the Philadelphia Union. Much of the action centres around the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, where Lincoln Financial Field, Citizens Bank Park and the Wells Fargo Center sit side by side.
The city has celebrated major championship victories in recent years, including the Eagles’ NFL Super Bowl triumphs and the Phillies’ return to baseball prominence. Football’s popularity has also grown significantly through the Philadelphia Union and a diverse population with strong international football connections.
Landmarks and places to see
The obvious ones are the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, Elfreth’s Alley, the Franklin Post Office & Museum and many other places you read about in history books.
Other visitors may want to see what they watched in movies, namely the “Rocky” franchise. You can run the “Rocky steps” before visiting the Rocky Balboa statue, a left-behind prop from Rocky III that has stood for decades as a popular attraction and is now inside the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
The bronze figure of Rocky Balboa – arms raised in victory, clad in boxing trunks and boots – has become a point of pilgrimage for people around the world.
According to the Philadelphia Visitor Center, about four million people visit the museum’s steps each year, rivalling the nearby Liberty Bell in annual foot traffic.
Food scene
Philadelphia is known for everything from cheesesteaks to soft pretzels to water ice, so come hungry.
The cheesesteak, which originated in Philadelphia in the early 1900s, is widely considered the city’s signature food – chopped steak, onions, cheese (often provolone) on a sturdy split roll. Pat’s King of Steaks and Geno’s Steaks are tourist favourites.
There are few hard rules for cheesesteaks, except for one: Don’t ask for Swiss cheese. Then-presidential candidate John Kerry drew criticism in Philadelphia for ordering one with Swiss in 2003.
The No.1 seeds these days – as in, always order a cheesesteak with a seeded roll – are the Bradley Cooper-approved Angelo’s and Skinny Joey’s Cheesesteaks.
Fan zones
Pennsylvania is offering fan zones in Pittsburgh, Reading, and Scranton along with Philadelphia, whose fan festival is free and open to the public for all 39 days of the World Cup. The festival will be held at Lemon Hill in East Fairmount Park and will include a vendor village and other cultural programs.
Transportation options
SEPTA is one of the largest transit systems in the US, with buses, trolleys and trains both above and below ground. Thanks to a corporate sponsor, there will be free SEPTA Broad Street Line rides after all six World Cup matches; the free post-game rides will start at half-time and stretch until two hours after the match is over.
SEPTA even received a $5.5 million grant to help cover the cost of overtime for offering the extra train lines to the stadium.
Stadium tips
Lincoln Financial Field – or Philadelphia Stadium, as it will be rechristened during the World Cup – has few entertainment options in the immediate area.
The four major sports teams – the Eagles, Flyers, 76ers and Phillies – play in three stadiums in essentially a shared parking lot. There should be plenty of (expensive) parking and tailgating will be permitted.
Except for a couple of nearby sports bars – try the famed dive bar, the Philadium – food and drink beyond cheap beer will be in short supply without leaving the area for another neighbourhood like Fishtown or Old City, where you can celebrate a win across the street from the Liberty Bell.
Keep an eye on the weather, summers in Philadelphia can be hot and often humid.
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