Copa do Mundo da FIFA 26 em Philly: 9 dicas do nosso especialista interno

Pick a Team

There are nine teams competing at Philadelphia Stadium (aka The Linc) from June 14 to July 4, 2026: Brazil, France, Croatia, Ecuador, Haiti, Ghana, Curaçao, Iraq and Côte d’Ivoire.

“Pick a team,” Zwarych says. “It’s more fun to have a rooting interest.”

Looking for a sleeper squad for your FIFA bracket? Watch out for Ghana.

Or, if you prefer rooting on an odds-on favorite, you can’t go wrong with Brazil or France.

If You Can Get Tickets, See a Game at Philadelphia Stadium

Going to see a World Cup match live is an unparalleled experience. It’s a bucket-list item, a memory that will forever lead the sports highlight reel in your brain.

“A lot of soccer fans measure time by World Cups,” Zwarych says. “If someone asked me about something that happened in 2006, I would be like, ‘Okay, where was I? What World Cup was it?’”

Copa do Mundo da FIFA 26 Os ingressos ainda estão à venda on a first-come, first-served basis. Fans can also look for resale options at the Marketplace link on FIFA.com/ingressos.

Pro tip: Use The Great Reviewer to track ticket prices, which can change dramatically throughout each day.

Philadelphia Stadium   - Foto de S. Hoffner para a Philadelphia Sports Nation

If You Can’t Get Tickets, Find a Block Party

For those not holding match-day tickets, there are multiple ways to experience World Cup fever. From block parties and live streams, to wandering around different cultural enclaves and immigrant communities, Philly is alive.

Finding a party won’t be hard. You just need to know where to go.

“Go one extra block and get lost in a new neighborhood,” Zwarych says. “What I like to do is look for where a specific country’s fans are hanging out and watch a game with them.”

For example, Northeast Philly is a hub for the Brazilian community. Africatown is a hotbed for fans of the Afro-Caribbean diaspora, like Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti and Curaçao. Meanwhile, Fishtown e Northern Liberties appeal to the novice fans and the general population.

Festival dos Torcedores da FIFA is a great starting point. Here are a few other suggestions on where to watch, according to Zwarych:

• Frankford Hall
• Africatown
• O Parque Ferroviário
• Avenida East Passyunk
• Brauhaus Schmitz

For more great places to soak in the vibes, check out our Onde assistir guia.

Show Brotherly Love

It doesn’t matter what you wear to the game or watch party — although anything Dallas Cowboys is frowned upon here — as long as you remember:

• Treat everyone the same way you would treat a guest in your house
• If you can’t answer a question, ask a volunteer
• Help people take photos (that’s an easy way to be nice!), and
• Make a pen pal. We want them to stay longer and come back.

Spark a Conversation

This is not the time to trash talk, but you should feel perfectly at ease yapping to the person sitting one bar stool over. Introduce yourself and welcome them.

This is the City of Brotherly Love, after all!

“If you go to a bar, sit with someone from another country,” Zwarych advises. “Start up a conversation!”

Every conversation is a cultural moment — and a chance to bond over one common enemy.

“The refs,” Zwarych jokes. “Complaining about the refs unites people.”

Take Public Transportation

Walking is your best method for getting around town, but SEPTA is also running special routes and lines for the duration of the 39-day tournament.

“Walk wherever you can or take advantage of our public transportation system,” Zwarych says. “SEPTA’s Orange Line [B subway line] is a convenient way to get to the stadium and The El [L subway line] gets you from east to west. Personally, I take the bus everywhere.”

Verificar Site da SEPTA para obter mais informações. Philly PHLASH is also offering free rides to and from the Festival dos Torcedores da FIFA.

Stay Overnight

Some matches won’t kick off until midnight, so this is a golden opportunity to enjoy an overnight stay in Philadelphia. There are approximately 14 late-cap matches (although none of them are being hosted in Philly).

“The hotel bars are going to be a scene,” Zwarych says. “You’ll have people chanting in the lobby, adorned in scarves and yelling at the TV. Spend the night and immerse yourself in the culture.”

Additionally, Visit Philadelphia’s Spirit of 76 is a great way to explore various hotels while sipping on cocktails and mocktails inspired by the city’s central role in the founding of the country.

Show Your Pride

Grab a scarf. These colorful silks are portals into different cultures.

Zwarych lists the Soccer Post (multiple locations) and Rally House as good bets to pick one up, in addition to the official merch tents at FIFA Fan Festival.

“I’m wearing my Ukrainian stuff to the game,” Zwarych says. “No one’s going to poke and prod.”

Also, study up on the best soccer chants e team nicknames:

• Ecuador: “La Tri”
• Haiti: “Les Grenadiers”
• Brazil: Seleção Canarinho (Canary Squad)
• Côte d’Ivoire: “Les Éléphants”
• France: “Les Bleus”
• Iraq: “Lions of Mesopotamia”
• Curaçao: “The Blue Wave”
• Croatia: “The Blazers”
• Ghana: “The Black Stars”

Witness a Pick-up Game

Another way to chisel your rooting chops is by basking in Philly’s street soccer scene, which dates back to the Lighthouse Boys Club in 1897, at one of these public fields:

• Newt’s Field (1800 Blair Street)
• FDR Park (1500 Pattison Avenue)
• Parque Penn (3000 Walnut Street)
• Visa Street Soccer Park (1036 N. Front Street)

“If you look hard enough, you can find soccer everywhere,” Zwarych notes. “Be open with it. Pick up a ball. I truly believe the World Cup inspires future generations.”

For more on FIFA World Cup 26 in Philadelphia, check out our complete guide.