What Philly got out of the World Cup, the nation’s 250th, and the MLB All-Star Game
Tourists and fans are packing up, but from soccer pitches to park upgrades, Philadelphia will see a lasting impact from the summer's big events.
As the afterglow of the world’s largest sports tournament and the country’s formal 250th birthday party in Philadelphia fades, the city is returning to its regularly scheduled programming.
But those months of celebrations came with significant investments into the city: building up the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, hosting Grammy Award-winning stars, renovating Lemon Hill to welcome half a million people, and, of course, the cleaning and maintenance work that made Philadelphia look fresher than it has in years.
SEPTA and the city partnered to landscape and beautify major traffic intersections, sometimes with a new mural provided by Mural Arts Philadelphia. SEPTA stations also received a much-needed deep clean and graffiti removal, all before and during the summer celebrations.
PHLASH buses got an extra stop to get to Lemon Hill; fans got free rides on the Broad Street Line after World Cup games. And, just as the international fans packed up their bags to head home, it’s time for many of those features to go, too.
But Philadelphia has taken steps to keep things looking pretty for the long term, beginning with the city’s $11.5 million landscaping and anti-graffiti project focused on transportation “gateways” that it has pledged to continue and expand beyond the summer. The city also added 250 cherry blossom trees throughout Fairmount Park and elsewhere, in a project led by the Japan Society of Greater Philadelphia that honored the original 1,600 cherry blossoms Japan gifted Philly for the Sesquicentennial in 1926.
But what about all the things staying in Philly? The city is not getting just generational memories and a summer party out of the deal. Here are some of the major legacy projects remaining in Philadelphia for years to come, perhaps even until the tercentennial celebration in 2076.
New mini soccer pitches across Pennsylvania
Location: Throughout Pennsylvania.
The project: How does the United States grow the next crop of elite soccer players? By making it easier to play soccer starting at a young age. At least 13 mini soccer pitches are being installed at schools, recreation centers, and parks across Pennsylvania.
The first two of Philly’s mini pitches were installed at West Oak Lane’s Building 21 and the Swenson Arts and Technology High School in Northeast Philadelphia. According to the U.S. Soccer Foundation, which is overseeing the project, each mini pitch costs $150,000 to install.
The pitches will complement the $3.5 million from the city’s massive Rebuild program allocated to building an additional 15 mini pitches and two soccer fields across the city.
Find a mini soccer pitch near you at ussoccerfoundation.org/map.
Who is behind it: The city and several nonprofits and private companies are backing this initiative, mostly through a $2 million investment from Philadelphia Soccer 2026, the city’s host committee for the 2026 men’s World Cup. Additional backers include the Philadelphia School District, Independence Blue Cross, and Comcast, among others. The U.S. Soccer Foundation is administering the funds and overseeing the installation of the pitches.
Bank of America Visa Street Soccer Park
Location: 1036 N. Front St.
The project: The transformation of Fishtown’s TipTop Playground into two mini, enclosed turf soccer pitches, with additional event space and field lighting for night play. The pitches are now open for kids and adults.
Fishtown’s street soccer park will host leagues, free training clinics, and youth soccer programs. Casual pickup soccer is available outside of scheduled programming, led by Street Soccer USA, the organization that helps run such soccer parks across the country.
Keep up to date on programming at instagram.com/streetsoccerphila.
Who is behind it: You guessed it: Bank of America and Visa. Street Soccer USA will run programming at the park in collaboration with local groups.
Lemon Hill Park
Location: Sedgley Drive and North Lemon Hill Drive.
The project: Lemon Hill Park received some updates ahead of hosting the official FIFA Fan Festival, and is now getting a much-needed makeover after 39 days of World Cup festivities. The restoration of the grass is underway, with more permanent amenities soon to be constructed.
Some upgrades are complete:
New ADA curb ramps and accessible walkways.
Repaired sidewalks along Sedgley Drive.
Rebuilt walkway connecting Poplar Drive and Sedgley Drive, with added benches.
Roadway striping, signage, and crosswalk improvements for pedestrian safety.
Historic gazebo restoration, including handrail repair and invasive species clearing.
Invasive plant and dead tree removal.
Other upgrades are coming soon:
New 43,500-square-foot playground.
New picnic pavilions.
Renovated basketball court and baseball field.
53 new lighting poles.
Lemon Hill Mansion HVAC improvement.
Who is behind it: Philadelphia Soccer 2026 is committing $4 million to park upgrades, with help from the city, to repair the grass fields, bring new modern amenities to parts of the park, and outfit the space with new electrical service, provided by Peco, to prepare for future large events.
FDR Park’s Ashburn Field
Location: 1500 Pattison Ave.
The project: Ashburn Field at FDR Park has been resurfaced with a new turf field, meant to better handle wet weather conditions. The 135,000-square-foot field was built in 1998, using funds generated from the 1996 MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia.
Who is behind it: Major League Baseball and the Phillies, as part of a combined investment of more than $5 million in various projects tied to the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, including revitalizing the Negro Leagues Memorial Park and mural at 44th Street and Parkside Avenue in West Philly.
Independence National Historical Park
Location: 599 Market St.
The project: Several improvements have already come to Independence National Historical Park and Independence Mall to commemorate the nation’s Semiquincentennial, and more are on the way. They include:
A $3.9 million “Join or Die” sculpture on Independence Mall, inspired by the truncated snake in Benjamin Franklin’s cartoon of the same name. The 46-foot-long granite work is expected to be unveiled this fall.
Beautification and horticultural work. This includes work at the Benjamin Rush Garden at Third and Walnut Streets, which showcases the 1976 Bicentennial Bell, a 10-ton Liberty Bell replica gifted by Queen Elizabeth II.
The reopening of the First Bank of the United States, on Third Street between Walnut and Chestnut Streets. The bank had been closed for 50 years but is now open for visitors thanks to a $43 million renovation.
Who is behind it: Independence Historical Trust, the city, the state, private foundations, philanthropists, and legacy groups.
Germantown Historical Society Visitor Center
Location: 5501 Germantown Ave.
The project: The Germantown Historical Society has its first visitors center, thanks to a $100,000 renovation of a section of its headquarters. It is modest but will host rotating exhibits, maps and pamphlets, and a gift shop.
Historic Germantown consists of various landmarks and attractions in Northwest Philly, including the Aces Veterans Museum, Awbury Arboretum, and the Germantown White House, where George Washington once lived.
Who is behind it: The Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial, a philanthropic group organized by the Connelly Foundation that donated to many initiatives and projects related to the 250th anniversary celebration.
