The Palestra plays host to the World Cup trophy tour: ‘It’s a central part of the city’

Only the best of the best hoist the World Cup trophy, but local soccer fans got to come close with The FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour on Thursday.

The trophy was displayed at the Palestra from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, as part of its 38-stop tour across North America.

But why was the cathedral of college basketball hosting soccer’s most famous trophy?

The plan for many years was for Coca-Cola, which presents the trophy tour, to work with its partners at the University of Pennsylvania. Originally, Penn Park was going to be the event’s host, but the rainy forecast moved it inside.

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Mike Nelson, Liberty Coca-Cola’s commercial director, said it being held inside the Palestra now adds to the building’s near 100-year history.

“We wanted to work with our local partners to ensure that we have access for more people,” Nelson said. “We had youth groups here this morning. We had many community groups. And we had over 3,000 people that signed up, to come and see the trophy, online, and this was the perfect fit. The staff here was great. The accommodations are great, and it’s a central part of the city.”

Despite the weather, there were still food trucks and a fan market selling merchandise outside the arena.

On the court inside the Palestra were a number of activities, including a shootout simulation and life-sized foosball where fans got to be the players. There were also other photo opportunities, but the trophy was the main attraction.

Valentina Hernandez, a 20-year-old from Philadelphia, has been a soccer fan her whole life, but never expected to see the World Cup trophy in person. The excitement for life-long fans like Hernandez and for the casual watchers alike is starting to build for the start of this summer’s World Cup next month.

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“I’m really telling people about it to go out there and see what’s going on, and I feel like a lot of people have been looking forward to it,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez has tickets to the Brazil vs. Haiti game in Philadelphia on June 19, but for other fans like 33-year-old Parsa Namaki Araghi, the ticket prices were a little too high.

Events like Thursday’s trophy tour allow Namaki Araghi and other fans to get in on the festivities surrounding the game. Namaki Araghi, who is originally from Arak, Iran and now works at Drexel, said getting to see the trophy up close was “a great opportunity” even though he expected it to be a replica at first.

When the first of the six matches in Philly kicks off on June 14, Namaki Araghi said he’ll be among the fans enjoying it at the local bars and fan events.

“I love sports, but football is my most favorite sport since being a kid,” Namaki Araghi said. “So, this is the biggest stage of football. … It’s beautiful. It brings everyone together.”

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The togetherness that accompanies the sport is what Coca-Cola and FIFA have begun to bring to the city as it gears up for what Nelson said will be “the largest watched event in the history of sports.”

“[The World Cup is] bringing the world to Philadelphia,” Nelson said. “We’re able to celebrate here and everything that’s happening in Philadelphia over the next couple of months, the celebration of the 250th birthday of our country, bringing the entire world here to celebrate and watch six great matches in the Philadelphia Stadium is the reason why we wanted to be here to celebrate.”