Philly fans are ready for the ‘once in a lifetime experience’ of hosting a World Cup in their hometown
Fans found out a little more about the teams that might be coming to town next summer — as well as who their favorite squads will play.
Friday morning at Stateside Live! felt like a fever dream for Philadelphia sports fans.
Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro stood above guests on the second floor of the entertainment venue surrounded by Phang, Gritty, Swoop, and the Phanatic as they prepared for the Philadelphia Soccer 2026 World Cup final draw watch party.
“We won this bid to host the FIFA World Cup next year because we’ve got the greatest fans on the face of the earth,” Shapiro said. “The eyes of the world are going to be on Philly next year when we celebrate USA 250. … FIFA World Cup is going to be great. And let’s pray for a USA-Mexico matchup on July 4th right here in Philly.”
Almost three hours from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where the World Cup Final Draw was hosted, Philadelphia sports fans — including Union season ticket holders Donna and Gary Brown — gathered as they waited in anticipation to learn the fates of their favorite nations.
“I’ve only been able to see the World Cup one other time and that was when we lived in Orlando and it was amazing,” Gary said. “But again, it’s our hometown now and our hometown team, so it just makes it even more special that it’s going to be here. It’s Philadelphia, it’s the birthplace of our country … and it’s our country’s 250th birthday.”
The final draw was a pivotal moment for fans, as it sets the stage for what is expected to be an unforgettable summer of soccer, with the U.S. joining Canada and Mexico as host nations, and Philly being one of 11 American cities to host games.
To witness history, Jim House, 45, and his son Maxwell, 13, made the trip from Atlantic City.
“We really wanted to check out what’s happening with the World Cup,” Jim said. “It’s a once in a lifetime experience for my son and myself to hang out together and get to see all this.”
» READ MORE: The USMNT will play Paraguay, Australia, and a European qualifier at the 2026 World Cup
Maxwell added: “I’m really excited for the World Cup. I’ll be watching a lot of the games.”
During Friday’s draw, qualified teams — with a few spots left to be decided — were placed into 12 groups of four to make up the 48-team World Cup field. The United States was placed in Group D, alongside Paraguay, Australia, and the winner of a March 2026 UEFA playoff between Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, and Kosovo.
After seeing their grouping, Chester native Jared Micklos believes the United States has a good chance to advance to the knockout rounds.
“The World Cup is a tricky tournament,” Micklos said. “It’s as much about the teams as it is the order you’re playing in. I think there’s a team we know well. We just played Paraguay and obviously that was a good result for the U.S. The play-in game, if that’s Turkey, I think it gets a lot trickier. That’s a difficult team. So, if they win the playoff, our group probably gets a little bit tougher.”
» READ MORE: Philly is one step closer to knowing the World Cup nations headed to the Linc next summer
Philadelphia will host six matches, including five Group Stage games and a round-of-16 match on the Fourth of July. Some fans, like 65-year-old Vorhees native George Flunt, don’t plan on missing a minute. Flunt already has his tickets for all six games, and spent a total of $11,000 to attend.
“It’s a splurge, a little,” Flunt said. “Well worth it. It’s a true world event. We don’t get too many of those here in Philly. To bring in all the different countries together and showcase how good this city is, it really means a lot.”