Despite the distance and the costs of his airfare, his weekend stay at a Center City hotel, and his lower-level ticket to the match, there was no way he was going to miss the opportunity to see Iraq, win or lose, take on France in the World Cup on Monday.
So when he got to his seat inside Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field, as it’s known to Philadelphians), after months of planning and waiting, after repeated screen refreshes to remain in a queue to buy a ticket during one of FIFA’s early presales, it still almost felt like serendipity.
The torrential downpour that cascaded on and off over the region halted the game for 2 hours, 10 minutes. It also sent poncho-clad fans scattering into the concourses in search of shelter.
And in the aftermath, as it would appear, anything else they could get their hands on.
By the time play resumed a little after 8 p.m., concession stands on the main concourse of the stadium had little to nothing left by way of food and drink.
The popcorn and hot dog concession between Sections 104 and 105? Barren. The Philly Pretzel concession selling twists and nuggets a few sections down? A stadium worker said they sold out in about 30 minutes.
The Philly Pretzel Factory concession had only snack food following the rain delay during Monday’s World Cup match between France and Iraq.
“People just kept coming,” said one worker, who chose to stay anonymous because they weren’t supposed to speak publicly on what their tired eyes just witnessed. “We had this pretty stocked, and that rain delay just cleared everyone out. It’s much the same at every concession stand, if you want to look.”
It’s what Al-Hasani realized as he waited for only a water. Fortunately, the Philly Favorites concession between 104 and 106 was able to oblige.
“I get it,” Al-Hasani said. “There was nothing else to do. You know you’re down here, it’s hot, it’s tight [with people], you can’t go back to your seat because of the rain, so after the singing and the waiting and the singing, people got to do something, so you eat.”
Mustafa Al-Hasani, an Iraq fan who traveled to Monday’s match from Iowa, said that the whole experience in both the match and the 2-hour-plus rain delay is something he’ll never forget.
Judging by the small FIFA team store just outside the southwest corner of the stadium, in addition to eating, fans at loose ends shop. By the look of the lines during the rain and the sight of the store after, fans made it a ravenous way to pass the time.
The store, which has capacity of about 15 customers, was giving people just five minutes in-store so they could offer other people an opportunity, according to a worker. By the time the game finished, shelves were empty, odd-sized jerseys remained on display, and the high-priced World Cup collectibles in the glass behind the counter seemed the only thing in abundance for purchase.
The FIFA Store’s satellite offshoot located near the southwest terrace inside Philadelphia Stadium was mostly bare after a rain delay that lasted more than two hours during Monday’s match between France and Iraq.
“One guy came in, dropped $800 on one sale,” a worker recalled. “It was crazy. We see this kind [of frenzy] for like concert T-shirts here, like I remember people went wild for Taylor Swift stuff when she was here, but this was intense. It felt like people were buying whatever they could get their hands on.”
A request for comment from FIFA regarding the rain and fans went unreturned. Despite many of the concession workers being the same folks you’d see on an Eagles game day — or apparently, a Taylor Swift concert — through its arrangement, FIFA has both naming rights and management of all 16 match venues across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Philadelphia was the only city that experienced a rain delay of this magnitude in the World Cup. In the end, it was France that scored twice more after halftime en route to the 3-0 win, advancing to the knockout stage.
“This was incredible, the whole experience is a memory,” Al-Hasani said. “The rain, the people, the game, all of it. You have to take it all in. Everyone was so nice, [at concessions] you got what you needed if they had it, and I think we were just all trying to get through it together. Philly’s great, I’ve been here before, but this is an experience I don’t think I’ll ever forget.”
Karl Wallenda walked across Veterans Stadium on a tightrope, dazzling a nearly sold-out crowd when he stopped halfway to do a headstand and unfurl American flags from the ends of his balancing pole.
It was exactly what the more than 50,000 fans came to see between games of a Phillies doubleheader on Memorial Day 1976. And the show across the street, a soccer game featuring Pelé and other all-time greats — didn’t stand a chance against The Great Wallenda.
Philadelphia has become soccer-infused this summer with six games of the World Cup at the sports complex Center City bars were packed Monday afternoon hours before France and Iraq played, banners hung from City Hall, the Broad Street Line carried fans to Lincoln Financial Field, and even the mayor was spotted last week buying soccer jerseys.
But 50 years ago, soccer was still finding its footing in Philadelphia. And that’s why the eyes of the city were fixated above Veterans Stadium while Pelé, Italian superstar Giorgio Chinaglia, and Bobby Moore — the captain of the last English team to win the World Cup — were in a match across the street.
The soccer icons played for Team America in the Bicentennial Cup against the English National Team at JFK Stadium in front of just 16,000 fans and a lot of empty bleachers.
Play during the Bicentennial Cup between Team America and England before a sparse crowd at JFK Stadium in South Philadelphia on May 31, 1976.
Philadelphia now has a professional team with staying power, local players on the U.S. team that have people dreaming this summer, and a stadium full of crazed fans. That was hard to imagine 50 years ago, when the gods of soccer passed through without much notice.
“Jeez, 50 years,” said Bob Smith, a Trenton native and member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame who played for Team America against the British. “There’s no comparison. The game just grew, and the community grew. The spread of the game is just unbelievable.”
Gateway to soccer
Smith learned to play the game as a 9-year-old when an Irish neighbor in Trenton organized a recreation league. He played four-on-four for hours with his buddies and organized games against kids from neighboring towns. Today, the sport is played everywhere, but it was concentrated in the 1960s to neighborhoods in Trenton, just like in Philadelphia.
“We’d go to our high school field on weekends to train and see like 2,000 people in our football stadium,” Smith said. “We were freshmen in high school, and we knew exactly where we fit in the spectrum of sports. ‘Who are these guys running around with shorts on?’ But we just fell in love with it.”
Smith was plucked as a teenager by Manfred Schellscheidt, the legendary coach who assembled an All-Star team with the best players in New Jersey. Schellscheidt brought the Jersey boys to his German hometown, where they beat every team they played. It was an unbelievable experience, Smith said, and it gave him and his buddies the confidence that they could do it.
“I was like ‘Damn, I can do that,’” Smith said. “We felt like ‘we’re OK here.’”
Bob Smith (left), a Trenton native, shown with soccer star Pelé (center) and Bob Rigby on Jan. 6, 1976.
Smith played at Rider University before turning pro with the Philadelphia Atoms and helping them win the North American Soccer League championship as a rookie. The league didn’t pay the players enough for soccer to be a full-time gig, so he worked as a laborer at a construction site during the day and practiced in South Philly at night. But he was still a professional soccer player.
“A lot of guys were schoolteachers,” Smith said.
This U.S. team started nine players in their World Cup opener who are on professional teams overseas. Smith, who had 18 games for the U.S. team, played overseas in 1975, with Dundalk F.C. in Ireland. Unlike today’s players, Smith and Dave D’Errico — his buddy from New Jersey — didn’t get paid much. No team was looking then for an American player, Smith said.
“When we got off the plane, a guy picked us up at the airport in Dublin,” Smith said. “We signed this five-quid-a-week contract. We stayed over top [of] this garage, and I pumped gas at night, making a quid an hour.
“But we were in Ireland playing soccer. What the heck? We didn’t care. You were broke your entire career playing soccer. I never cared about what I made because it was a thrill of a lifetime.”
‘It was just wild’
The starving artist returned to the U.S. after a year abroad and joined the New York Cosmos, which had become America’s traveling band of soccer stars. They had Pelé and Franz Beckenbauer on the field and Mick Jagger and Henry Kissinger in the dressing room after games.
“The Cosmos years were like a circus,” Smith said. “It was just wild.”
The NASL brought Pelé out of retirement in 1975 with the hope that the all-time great could spread the gospel of soccer through the country. Every Cosmos game felt like the opponent’s biggest game of the season.
“It was always a show,” Smith said. “The expression with us was always, ‘We’re with him.’ There was a lot going on in restaurants and clubs and all that. We went to Denver and they rode him on a horse. There was so much marketing stuff, and he got pulled into an awful lot of stuff.
“I felt sometimes that he was being pushed to sell the game to this country, and I think that was difficult to him. He just wanted to get on the field and play with the guys. Off the field, it was crazy with the commitments he had to fulfill. But he did it 100% with a great attitude. But it was tiring.”
Pelé playing for Team America against England in the American Bicentennial Cup in 1976, played at JFK Stadium, which is where Xfinity Mobile Arena now stands in the sports complex.
The 1976 Bicentennial Cup was another attempt to grow the game as Brazil, England, and Italy came to America for tuneups before qualification began for the 1978 World Cup. They played in Washington, New York, and Seattle before finishing in Philadelphia.
The organizers knew that the U.S. national team wouldn’t be able to keep pace with the world powers, so they filled Team America with the stars of the NASL. That’s how Smith and Delaware County’s Bobby Rigby got to play with a dream team. The stars of the soccer world came to South Philly.
Philadelphia just wasn’t yet ready in 1976 to embrace what was happening. The city was too distracted by the guy walking in the sky.
“It was such a thrill to play with those guys,” Smith said. “It was a great honor, and it was also a blur.”
Heavy rain might’ve washed out the FIFA Fan Festival a little more than an hour after its opening, but fans of Les Bleus spread out to different corners of the city to watch their side take on Iraq.
A weather delay at halftime brought on by heavy thunderstorms extended the game by a little over an hour, but French supporters were eventually treated to a 3-0 win over Iraq that secured France a trip to the knockout round and pushed them one step closer to winning Group I.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (top left), poses with volunteers at FIFA Fan Fest at Fairmount Park in Philadelphia on Monday.
Shapiro visits Fan Festival
Before extreme weather caused it to close for the day, Gov. Josh Shapiro became the latest elected official to visit the FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill Park on Monday afternoon.
Shapiro, sporting a navy blue U.S. Soccer polo, walked the festival grounds before Monday’s first match, between defending champion Argentina and Austria.
“What a unique event and historic moment for our city at this historic juncture of 250 years,” Shapiro said. “To be able to be together and just celebrate one another, celebrate this great sport and enjoy yourself … I think the world needs some more togetherness, needs some more cheer, and this is a great opportunity for that.”
In a brief news conference in front of the festival stage, Shapiro hailed Philadelphia’s Fan Festival as the best “in the country.”
The @FIFAWorldCup belongs to every Pennsylvanian. Ran into some of the awesome volunteers at Philly's Fan Fest who are making it all possible. pic.twitter.com/hGoY0Ge1xm
— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) June 22, 2026
“This is Philly, man,” Shapiro said. “We know how to do big things. It’s extraordinary to see people come out happy and joyful, cheering for their team. Unlike a typical Philly sports event, our fans aren’t cheering against others. There’s just happiness and joy. … I’m glad that Philly is a welcoming city and welcoming people from all across the world to be here.”
Shapiro stopped to chat with dozens of attendees inside Visit PA’s booth and play a large arcade-style video game with a young fan in a Paris Saint-Germain kit. He asked French fans in line if Argentina’s Lionel Messi or France’s Kylian Mbappé was the better player, and stopped with an Argentina fan to recount Messi’s performance in Argentina’s win over Algeria.
One of the people Shapiro introduced himself to was 18-year-old Esra Asfaw, who had a French flag draped over his shoulders. Asfaw, a George Mason student originally from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said he did not know who Shapiro was when the Governor introduced himself.
“I was so surprised,” Asfaw said.
Asfaw traveled up from Virginia to Philadelphia to see Les Bleus face Iraq at Lincoln Financial Field. He paid $1,089 on the resale market for his 200-level seats. Asfaw said he was not worried about the outcome of the match, instead fretting about the weather.
Gov. Josh Shapiro greets Esra Asfaw inside the Visit PA tent at the FIFA Fan Festival.
“Maybe the match might get delayed,” Asfaw said. “That’s the only thing I’m worried about. If it rains and they play, then that’s enough for me.”
Rain routinely doused Philadelphia throughout Monday. A heavy storm led the Fan Festival to turn off the broadcast of Argentina-Austria around 1:40 p.m., less than two hours after the festival opened to the public.
Festival goers were asked to evacuate the grounds as a mid-afternoon storm approached, and the area was drenched by the time Argentina and Austria reached halftime. Many of the festival attendees sought refuge in the welcome center tent set up along Kelly Drive, streaming the Argentina match from their phones.
Stormy weather shut down the World Cup Fan Festival in Lemon Hill on Monday.
The tent cleared out once the festival announced it was ceasing operations for the day at 1:53 p.m.
Locals love Les Bleus
The Fan Festival shut down for the day, but the prematch party continued on across the city.
Mahir Sanori and Gene Lazarraga staked out their spot across from the bar at Lion Sports Bar in Chinatown by 3:20 p.m., more than an hour before France and Iraq’s scheduled kick-off time.
Sanori and Lazarraga have no connection to France, aside from Lazarraga’s French classes at Delran High School in Burlington County, but the former high school classmates chose to cheer on Les Bleus.
Gene Lazarraga (right) and Mahir Sanori (right) pose for a photo at Lion Sports Bar in Chinatown.
“We were both free this day, so [we said], ‘Let’s just do it,’” Sanori said.
Lazarraga was wearing a Nike-branded navy blue French kit, while Sanori sported a white T-shirt colored in with fabric marker to make the French tricolor.
The pair also picked up some France face stickers and a French flag at Walmart, the latter of which was draped over Sanori’s shoulders.
Sanori and Lazarraga arrived just after Lion Sports Bar finished hosting a group of French supporters for prematch festivities, but both said they appreciated the influx of global culture brought to the region by the beautiful game.
“Seeing all these different groups of people come together, that’s kind of a rare sight in America,” Lazarraga said. “Especially with the sports here, people just go at each others’ throats. But, different countries [are] coming together, everyone’s just having a fun time. I just enjoy that vibe. That’s why we’re here right now.”
Later in the evening, French fans packed into The Good King Tavern in Queen Village to watch their side face Iraq.
The French bistro’s bar, which has just one TV, was at capacity by 4:15 p.m., leading the restaurant to stage an impromptu opening of its upstairs wine bar, Le Caveau.
Kim Krzaczek was one of the French fans who sat at the bar turned toward its TV as the match kicked off. The Philly native became a soccer fan through attending World Cup watch parties for previous tournaments at Bardascino Park in East Passyunk.
Kim Krzaczek sits at Le Caveau wine bar during France-Iraq.
“That was when I started getting into it, ‘cause it was a fun, neighborhoody vibe,” Krzaczek said. “It was nice to do something different, especially during the summer.”
Krzaczek spent her 37th birthday at the bar cheering on France. She described herself as a Francophile and knows the language, but has not been to France.
Krzaczek did see one of its biggest clubs, Paris Saint-Germain, play in the UEFA Champions League during a trip to Barcelona in October.
“I was just astonished when I was there,” Krzaczek said. “It was like Philly when I was there. There’s people climbing everything. So I was like, ‘Oh, I guess I could do this.’ That was pretty much it for me.”
The French bistro roared as Les Bleus took a 1-0 lead over Iraq behind a 14th minute goal from Mbappé.
A line out the door at The Good King Tavern. The French bar — with only one TV — was full up when I arrived at 4:15 and has only gotten more crowded since.
German bar Brauhaus Schmitz, on the other hand, still has plenty of room minutes before kick.
Around the corner on South Street, the larger Brauhaus Schmitz hosted a smaller contingent of French fans that were glued to the German bar’s many televisions. And back in Chinatown, supporters stood shoulder-to-shoulder in Lion Sports Bar’s narrow barroom to watch the match.
Those who stayed through the halftime rain delay were treated to two more goals from the French, including another from Mbappé that tied Miroslav Klose as the second-highest scorer in the history of the men’s World Cup. Messi, who scored both of Argentina’s goals in a 2-0 win over Austria, holds the record with 18.
Updated on June 22: Telemundo had to restate its viewership figures because of what it called “Nielsen’s revised data.” As a result, the network’s audience measurement fell to 7 million viewers.
On the same day, a Fox spokesperson confirmed to The Inquirer that the network’s viewership figures are for broadcast windows longer than just the game itself. As such, the spokesperson said the “match window” number, to use the industry term, was 19.9 million viewers.
That means the combined number in the record book is now 26,900,000 viewers. That total ranks No. 3 all-time among soccer broadcasts in the United States, behind the 2014 men’s World Cup final and the 2015 women’s World Cup final.
Our original story follows below.
—
The final viewership numbers from the U.S.-Paraguay game landed on Tuesday, and they revealed a new record for the most-watched soccer game in American broadcast history.
Fox reported an audience of 18.037 million in English and Telemundo reported 9.5 million in Spanish, with both networks counting their TV and online audiences. The combined total of 27,537,000 broke a mark that had stood since the 2014 World Cup final, which drew a reported 27,314,274 viewers across ABC, Univision, and their respective streaming platforms.
Philadelphia was Fox’s No. 9 ratings market for U.S.-Paraguay, a network spokesperson told The Inquirer.
The combined audience was bigger than that of the decisive Game 5 of the NBA Finals on ABC, 24.5 million viewers according to ESPN. The series averaged 20.6 million viewers per game.
Gio Reyna (right) scored the final goal in the U.S.’ 4-1 win over Paraguay.
The peak audience of Game 5 was 33 million viewers. Fox’s peak for U.S.-Paraguay was 21.526 million and Telemundo’s was 7.1 million, for a combined 28.626 million.
U.S.-Paraguay isn’t the only game that has drawn a big audience. The Mexico-South Africa tournament opener last Thursday had a combined 20.586 million viewers, with Fox drawing 7.186 million across all platforms and Telemundo drawing 13.4 million. The latter number is the biggest ever audience for any soccer game on a Spanish-language network.
Mexico-South Africa was the most-watched World Cup group stage game not involving the U.S. — for all of two days. Saturday’s Brazil-Morocco game in the Meadowlands beat it, drawing a combined audience of 21.219 million: 10.019 million on Fox and 11.2 million on Telemundo.
Those two contests now stand as Nos. 10 and 11 in the all-time rankings. Sunday’s Netherlands-Japan game also makes the top 20, with 17.238 million reported viewers: 8.838 million on Fox and 8.4 million on Telemundo.
Fans watching the Mexico-South Africa game on the big screen at Philadelphia’s World Cup fan fest on Lemon Hill.
Of the 12 games with publicly reported data so far, nine have reached combined audiences over 10 million viewers. One of them is Philadelphia’s first World Cup game, Ivory Coast vs. Ecuador on Sunday, which drew 13.473 million viewers across FS1 (4.273 million), Telemundo (9.2 million), and their online streams.
Based on publicly-available data, the record men’s World Cup audience on an English-language network remains the 2014 U.S.-Portugal game, which drew 18.71 million viewers on ESPN. The overall soccer record in English is the 2015 women’s World Cup final, where Fox’s primetime broadcast of the U.S. triumph drew 25.632 million viewers.
IRVINE, Calif. — Until now, the U.S. has played only one game in a World Cup that didn’t matter in the standings: in 1998, when it was eliminated from advancing before the group stage finale.
On Thursday, the total will rise to two. But this time, it will be because the Americans have already clinched first place.
That makes for a very different vibe, not just from this team’s past but from most teams at any World Cup. It also makes for a serious question: How many regulars should rest, and how many should play to stay in rhythm?
This was the question of the day as the Americans returned to practice on Monday.
Antonee Robinson (right) is one of four U.S. players at risk of a suspension for yellow card accumulation.
Common sense says players on yellow cards should sit, because if they get booked again they’ll be suspended for the round of 32 games when they’re really needed. Those are defenders Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson, midfielder Tyler Adams, and striker Folarin Balogun. All four are big-time players.
We won’t hear from manager Mauricio Pochettino until Wednesday. We might hear from Richards, Robinson, or Adams before then. We did hear from Balogun on Monday, when the U.S. returned to practice. He and Alejandro Zendejas met with the media.
“I want to play every game — it’s the sort of player I am,” Balogun said. “It’s what’s got me to where I am, being available. I think the most important thing for a professional athlete in any sport is to be available, and I’m no different.”
But he quickly turned from there to pragmatism.
Folarin Balogun (left) giving Mauricio Pochettino a hug after the U.S.-Australia game.
“So of course I want to play, but it’s also important to be smart,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to pick up a yellow card and miss the round of 32.”
Balogun also said the team’s overall focus for the game remains on winning.
“The most important thing is to go out there and win,” he said. “Regardless of whatever team the coach decides to play, the objective and the aim is to go out there and win. Three wins from three games, it’s an opportunity to create history, and to put a positive message out there — not just for ourselves, but toward other teams.”
Pulisic returns to practice
Star playmaker Christian Pulisic was back on the field in practice for the U.S. men’s soccer team on Monday, taking part for the first time since before the tournament opener against Paraguay.
Christian Pulisic (second from left) in a drill during Monday’s practice.
That was a good sign as the Hershey native finishes recovering from the calf injury that kept him out of the second group stage contest against Australia. But it’s just one step, and practice was open to the media only for the first 15 minutes. So we don’t know what happened after that.
Whether Pulisic should play against Turkey is another debate. If he’s fit, a few minutes could do him good, but it will be a risk. For now, it was a good sign to see him making progress.
The other injury news is that midfielder Cristian Roldan is day to day with a muscle strain. If he can’t play against Turkey, that will leave the U.S. shallow.
Immigrants’ success stories
The diversity of the United States means players come from a variety of backgrounds and locations. That thread links Balogun, who was born in New York to Nigerian parents and grew up in England, to Zendejas, who grew up on both sides of the Texas-Mexico border in El Paso and Juárez.
Alejandro Zendejas autographs a fan’s American flag during the U.S. team’s open practice at the start of their World Cup training camp in Irvine.
“It is truly an honor and a source of pride to be here representing the entire Latino community,” said Zendejas, who shares that honor with other players including Ricardo Pepi and Roldan. “It’s a dream come true — for [them] just as much as for me — to be here and show people that dreams can become reality.”
Balogun called himself “proud to be American and to represent America.” He knows well that, as he said, “the story has picked up a bit of attention, but I think it’s expected. We’re at the World Cup, and it’s an opportunity for the fans to get to know more about us as players.”
Zendejas, by the way, wore an eye-catching 1994 World Cup throwback hat as he spoke. His sponsorship deal with Adidas got him it for free; it costs $40 for the rest of us.
“I don’t know much about this World Cup — I should but I don’t,” he quipped, knowing that tournament was played four years before he was born.
Alejandro Zendejas did his turn with the media wearing a very sharp 1994 World Cup throwback hat.
He admitted adidas gave it to him, and it’s a modern recreation, not an original.
Alex Freeman’s fast rise with the U.S. team has no bigger fan than his father, former Eagles and Green Bay Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman. When Alex scored the game’s second goal against Australia, he achieved the rare feat of scoring a World Cup goal in a stadium where his father scored two touchdowns 30 years earlier.
Antonio stopped by Monday’s practice to talk with the media and share his joy.
“I’m sure Alex has heard enough from other people about my success and my moments,” he said. “I don’t really talk about those moments too much. But it was definitely a full-circle moment. to just have a father-and-son combination in any sport have an impact on a game in the same stadium, same state, it’s pretty amazing.”
He called it “a credit to all the work that Alex has put in, the commitment that he’s made. This is his ride, and I’m just happy to be his biggest supporter.”
Antonio Freeman stops by #USMNT practice and meets the press:
And what was the father’s message to his son after the game?
“He just continued to amaze me, and that’s all it is,” he said. “When I see him, it’s like, ‘Yeah, boy, that’s what I’m talking about!’ — that’s our little thing. But just keep working, Alex, keep being you. People love who you are, don’t change, just keep working hard.”
He also praised soccer’s growth in the United States, saying this World Cup “has really heightened the awareness in the U.S., and people from all walks of life are getting involved, rallying behind the [U.S.] team.”
Antonio Freeman with the Eagles in a 2002 game against the Jets.
Some have called Philadelphia the “Paris of America.” Really.
It might be hard for locals to wrap their heads around this title, but there is some truth to the comparison — mostly due to the cities’ similarities in architecture. France was in town on Monday to take on Iraq in the World Cup, so here’s a look at some of Philadelphia’s Parisian connections and what French fans think of the comparison.
City’s architecture
The Benjamin Franklin Parkway is a popular example of Philadelphia borrowing from the French. Finished in 1929, the Parkway was designed primarily by two Frenchmen, architect Paul Philippe Cret, and city planner Jacques Gréber. Their inspiration? Paris’s Champs-Élysées, a similarly grand avenue. They boast similar end points. The Champs-Élysées starts at Place de la Concorde and concludes with the grand Arc de Triomphe, while Philadelphians can spot the Philadelphia Museum of Art from City Hall, with Logan Circle along the way.
After World War I ended, but before the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, Gréber hoped that the construction of Benjamin Franklin Parkway would bring in tourists just as the Champs-Élysées does.
“I am glad to say that, if by this work the city of Paris may be enabled to bring its sister in America the inspiration of what makes Paris so attractive to visitors,” Gréber said in 1918. “It will be the first opportunity of Paris to pay a little of the great debt of thankfulness for what Philadelphia and its citizens have done for France during the last three years.”
Additionally, Cret was the mind behind the Benjamin Franklin Bridge and redesign of Rittenhouse Square. City Hall also looks like it could have been picked up in Paris and plopped down in Philadelphia as it was built in the French Second Empire style. At Logan Circle, the Central Library of the Free Library of Philadelphia and the former Family Court building are of similar style to structures flanking the Place de la Concorde.
Along the Parkway is the Rodin Museum, which holds one of the largest collections of Auguste Rodin’s sculptures outside Paris, including The Thinker and The Gates of Hell.
Social media influencers have traveled to Philadelphia and Paris to show off the cities’ structural similarities. One influencer, who filmed various picturesque locations under Philadelphia, wrote, “sooo you’re telling me we’re not in Paris?”
Outside of architecture, the two cities also share history. Benjamin Franklin was a noted Francophile, traveling to France on many occasions. Famously, as a diplomat during the American Revolution, a 71-year-old Franklin convinced the French to support the Continental Army’s wartime efforts.
With all of those connections, it should be no surprise that the Michelin Guide named Philadelphia the “Frenchest American city” in 2023, beating out New Orleans for the title.
“The history of Philadelphia is closer to the French history and with those architects that developed special aspects of the city, it’s introduced in a different scale that you don’t have in New Orleans,” Michelin Guide editor Philippe Orain previously told The Inquirer. “You will feel closer to France in Philadelphia than in New Orleans.”
“Frenchest city in the U.S.”
For the most part, French fans in Philadelphia for Monday’s game seemed to agree.
“The architecture looks quite French,” said French fan Tao Taumas, pointing to City Hall on Monday. “Yes, a lot, and we are living in Montreal now, and it looks exactly like the French part of Montreal.”
Vincent Magardeau, who traveled to Philadelphia with Taumas, did not fully agree with his friend’s conclusion.
“I’m pretty surprised that you say that,” Magardeau said after hearing of Philadelphia’s similarities to Paris. “But now that you say it, you can see the architecture here and there, but I wouldn’t say that this is the most French city that I could see.”
French fan Gabriel Sabinaud “never heard about anything in Philadelphia” before coming.
Gabriel Savinaud, who “never heard about anything in Philadelphia,” arrived in the city early Monday morning after staying in New York City. A local advised Savinaud to try a soft pretzel before he leaves, so he headed to the Philly Pretzel Factory near City Hall before the game. Savinaud, despite having limited time to explore, definitely saw the similarities between the two cities.
“The East side of the U.S. is definitely more European than the West side,” Savinaud said. “I’ve been to San Francisco as well, not European. No, it’s not. So [Philadelphia] is definitely more European and Parisian at some points. You’ve got tiny streets with lots of people making noise with their cars. Very similar, more similar to Paris than the West side.”
Many French fans explored Center City before taking the Broad Street Line to South Philadelphia for the game. For a moment, before it began to rain heavily, “Les Bleus” had taken over downtown.
“You can see the vibe of French people here,” Taumas said. “With the World Cup, I would say it’s a French city, because everyone is wearing French jerseys, so you might be the Frenchest city in the U.S.”
Thunderstorms are expected to make their way through the Philadelphia region later Monday evening, potentially interrupting the World Cup match between France and Iraq (5 p.m, Fox).
The strongest storms are forecast to move in beginning around 4 p.m., bringing with them heavy rain, wind gusts approaching 60 mph, and the potential for an isolated tornado.
“Storms will certainly have lightning with them,” said Zack Cooper, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Mount Holly station.
An inch or two of rain could fall in and around the city, Cooper said, but depending on the storm’s severity that could all come in an hour or less, leading to flash flooding. Philadelphia and the surrounding region are under a flood watch.
“Exactly how much would fall on a given thunderstorm is impossible to know, but we could certainly see some pretty high rain rates in these storms tonight,” Cooper said.
For those going to the game, umbrellas aren’t allowed in the stadium, but you can bring a poncho.
FIFA will pause play if there is a lightning strike within eight miles of the stadium. The match will remain paused for 30 minutes, with any subsequent lightning strikes resetting the clock.
Six Club World Cup matches were delayed by severe weather last summer. A match between Chelsea and Benfica at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., was delayed multiple times due to lightning strikes, taking four hours and 38 minutes to finish.
The FIFA Fan Fest at Lemon Hill Park in Fairmount would close if lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius. Fans would need to exit the grounds and move to a safe location, and could re-enter after 30 minutes if no additional lightning is detected.
Festivities were interrupted Thursday evening, when high winds prompted the event to close early.
Lincoln Financial Field has been renamed “Philadelphia Stadium” for the duration of the World Cup. In addition to five group stage games, the city will host a Round of 16 game on July 4.
France tops Iraq 3-0 in weather-delayed World Cup match
Kylian Mbappé scored two goals in France’s win.
Kylian Mbappé scored two goals and reigning Ballon D’or winner Ousmane Dembele fueled a 3-0 win against Iraq inside Philadelphia Stadium, with Dembele’s goal and Mbappé’s second both arriving after a near one hour, 30 minute rain delay at Philadelphia Stadium.
The goals for Mbappe were his fourth and fifth of the tournament and the 16th of his World Cup career. He trails only Lionel Messi, who has 18 World Cup goals, after scoring two earlier today in Argentina’s win against Austria in Group J.
With the win, France secured its place in the knockout round, but have yet to win Group I outright with Norway on their heels. At the time of this report, the Norwegians were up 1-0 against Senegal.
As for the Iraqis, its World Cup hasn’t yet come to a close but they’d need to win their final match against Senegal on Friday (3 p.m., FS1) and hope for the misfortune of teams in other groups to work in their favor.
France will also play its final match on Friday against Norway (3 p.m., Fox29) with a chance to win Group I outright.
Ex-Villanova star Collin Gillespie get a few seconds of airtime during Fox’s broadcast of Monday’s World Cup match between France and Iraq, though fans watching at home might have been scratching their heads.
Mbappé scores second goal, extending France’s lead
Make that two goals for Kylian Mbappé.
The French star scored his second goal of the night shortly after play resumed, but it was largely due to a terrible mistake made by Iraq’s goalkeeper.
A MASSIVE mistake at the back for Iraq and Mbappé capitalizes 🇫🇷
Mbappé is now tied for No. 2 all time in men’s World Cup goal-scoring with Germany’s Miroslav Klose. Lionel Messi, who scored two more goals today, remains No. 1.
Thunderstorm threat subsides, but more rain expected for Philly
Fans seek shelter from the rain at Lincoln Financial Field.
The severe thunderstorms storms have backed off in the immediately Philadelphia area, but soaking rains are expected to continue through the night, and perhaps Tuesday.
The National Weather Service has posted several flash-flood warnings, as near to the stadium as Center City.
IRVINE, Calif. – I am sitting in my hotel room here, where it is definitely not thunderstorming, but I’ve been waiting out the delay in France-Iraq like everyone else.
As it happens, an old friend of mine is in Philadelphia today to do one of the many radio broadcasts back to France of the game.
Julien Froment is the director of the sports department at Radio France, one of that country’s biggest broadcasters, and his team is perched in the outside media seats in the upper deck.
Or at least they’re supposed to be. When the worst of the storms hit, they had to evacuate the stands for a while along with all the fans who did. But they couldn’t take all their broadcasting equipment with them, and I can tell you from enough experience doing radio work that it’s expensive – and hard-to-find – stuff.
FIFA kindly provided plastic covers to all the TV and radio networks in the open seats. But Julien and his crew went a step further. The technician, Virginie Lorda, brought a folded tarp, some rope to tie it down with, and a roll of duct tape. When they all had to go back on air before the rain had fully stopped, they started broadcasting from under the tarp.
As Julien wrote on Instagram, MacGyver would be proud.
Alex Freeman’s fast rise with the U.S. team has no bigger fan than his father, former Eagles and Green Bay Packers wide receiver Antonio Freeman. When Alex scored the game’s second goal against Australia, he achieved the rare feat of scoring a World Cup goal in a stadium where his father scored two touchdowns 30 years earlier.
Antonio stopped by Monday’s practice to talk with the media and share his joy.
“I’m sure Alex has heard enough from other people about my success and my moments,” he said. “I don’t really talk about those moments too much. But it was definitely a full circle moment. to just have a father and son combination in any sport have an impact on a game in the same stadium, same state, it’s pretty amazing.”
He called it “a credit to all the work that Alex has put in, the commitment that he’s made. This is his ride, and I’m just happy to be his biggest supporter.”
And what was the father’s message to his son after the game?
“He just continued to amaze me, and that’s all it is,” he said. “When I see him, it’s like, ‘Yeah, boy, that’s what I’m talking about!’ — That’s our little thing. But just keep working, Alex, keep being you. People love who you are, don’t change, just keep working hard.”
He also praised soccer’s growth in the United States, saying this World Cup “has really heightened the awareness in the U.S., and people from all walks of life are getting involved, rallying behind the [U.S.] team.”
A fan services official speaks to a French fan during a weather delay at Lincoln Financial Field.
Loud cheers erupted twice from the steamy main concourse level of Philadelphia Stadium after it was announced that fans were able to return to their seats. A band of sunlight crept through and hit sections 118-121.
It looked like the game was set to return. However, public address announcer Kevin Casey notified fans that the match was still suspended, cheers changed to groans, but in true Philly fashion, people still milled to their seats.
During the downpour, a fan services official in section 106 was overheard saying, “these people paid good money for their seat, I can’t be the one to tell them to get up if they don’t want to, and if they want to get loud with me, that’s what Apex [stadium security services] is for.
France forward Kylian Mbappé walks off the field during a thunderstorm delay. The game remains suspended.
Monday’s World Cup match between France and Iraq remains delayed as severe storms linger in and around Philadelphia.
“FIFA will follow the safety protocols established by the local authorities in the region, and will resume the match as soon as it’s safe to do so,” a FIFA spokesperson said. “The safety and security of all individuals is FIFA’s priority.”
It is unclear when the game will resume. Some fans have trickled back to their seats, even as they’re being told to seek shelter. Parts of the stadium remain empty as FIFA assess the situation.
Fans try to stay dry as storms pass over Lincoln Financial Field.
Rain coming down in Philly as France and Iraq play on
Fans poncho up as rain begins to fall at Lincoln Financial Field as France plays Iraq.
It’s pouring in South Philadelphia as severe storms move through the region.
FIFA will only pause play if there is a lightning strike within eight miles of the stadium. If that happens, the match will remain paused for 30 minutes, with any subsequent lightning strikes resetting the clock.
A storm warning is in effect until 6:15 p.m. if it rains like it did out in Valley forge way, this could turn into a swim meet.
France fans cheer in the stands at the Linc during Monday night’s match against Iraq.
For the most part, French fans in Philadelphia for Monday’s game seemed to agree.
“The architecture looks quite French,” said French fan Tao Taumas, pointing to City Hall on Monday. “Yes, a lot, and we are living in Montreal now, and it looks exactly like the French part of Montreal.”
Vincent Magardeau, who traveled to Philadelphia with Taumas, did not fully agree with his friend’s conclusion.
“I’m pretty surprised that you say that,” Magardeau said after being informed of Philadelphia’s similarities to Paris. “But now that you say it, you can see the architecture here and there, but I wouldn’t say that this is the most French city that I could see.”
Gabriel Sabinaud, who “never heard about anything in Philadelphia,” arrived in the city early Monday morning after staying in New York City. A local informed Sabinaud to try a soft pretzel before he leaves, so he headed to the Philly Pretzel Factory near City Hall before the game. Sabinaud, although having limited time to explore, definitely saw the similarities between the two cities.
“The east side of the U.S. is definitely more European than the west side,” Sabinaud said. “I’ve been to San Francisco as well, not European. No, it’s not. So [Philadelphia] is definitely more European and Parisian at some points. You’ve got tiny streets with lots of people making noise with their cars. Very similar, more similar to Paris than the west side.”
Many French fans explored Center City before taking the Broad Street Line to South Philadelphia for the game. For a moment, before it began to rain heavily, “Les Bleus” had taken over downtown.
“You can see the vibe of French people here,” Taumas said. “With the World Cup, I would say it’s a French city, because everyone is wearing French jerseys, so you might be the Frenchest city in the U.S.”
Iraqi social media star serves dolma outside the Linc
Fawzi Bedaweed serves dolma from his native Iraq outside Lincoln Financial Field Monday.
Fawzi Bedaweed, an Iraqi native from Zakho, traveled to Philadelphia by way of Texas to watch his beloved “Lions of Mesopotamia” take on France.
A budding social media star, Bedaweed has built up a loyal following on social media sharing Iraqi culture during the World Cup. In Philadelphia, that took the form of handing out authentic Iraqi food like dolma to fans outside Lincoln Financial Field.
“We’re going to win! Iraq!” Bedaweed chanted, dancing on the sidewalk.
While France were clear favorites heading into the game, a strong contingent of Iraqi fans filled the southern stands behind the net at the stadium.
It could just be the time of day, or that fact that it’s a 5 p.m. match on a Monday, but the revelry, excitement, and energy that transpired on SEPTA’s Broad Street Line an hour before kickoff compared to Friday’s match between Brazil-Haiti has fallen off.
That’s not to say there won’t be a significant crowd in-stadium, but traveling the express subway down was not the method of choice at this hour.
The subway line was packed heading to the match after the City Hall stop on Friday at 8 p.m., a little less than hour before the game started. Let’s just say it was a vibe.
Fans pack the Broad Street Line ahead of the World Cup game between Brazil and Haiti on Friday, June 19, 2026.
On the way in to France-Iraq one hour before kickoff after City Hall? Not so much.
Fans ride the Broad Street Line ahead of the World Cup game between Iraq and France on Monday, June 22, 2026.
Philly will see France’s biggest stars in the starting lineup
Whenever the France-Iraq game kicks off, Philly fans will get to see some of soccer’s biggest stars on the field.
Les Bleus will have Kylian Mbappé, Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembélé, and Michael Olise as the front four in their attack, as fearsome a quarter as there is anywhere in the world’s game.
It’s a little bit of lineup rotation from the group that started France’s entertaining 3-1 win over Senegal in the Meadowlands on Tuesday, as Barcola comes in for Désiré Doué — another of the world’s brightest young talents.
Mbappé scored two brilliant goals in that game, playing his own role in the chase for the all-time World Cup scoring record. He now has 14, four behind Lionel Messi’s new record of 18. Messi scored twice in Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria Monday, after having scored a hat trick in the reigning champions’ 3-0 win over Algeria.
Germany’s Miroslav Klose was the previous men’s World Cup record holder with 16. The overall World Cup record belong to Brazilian women’s legend Marta with 17, until Messi passed that mark Monday.
Iraq’s lineup includes a player from MLS, Nashville SC’s Ahmed Qasem, on the left flank in midfield. There will also be a familiar face from the league in the center circle, as veteran Canadian referee Drew Fischer takes charge of the whistle.
At least so far, FIFA has not delayed the kickoff time from the scheduled 5 p.m.
France and Iraq's starters are out.
Mbappé, Dembélé, Barcola and Olise all line up for France.
Nashville SC's Ahmed Qasem goes for Iraq.
Another familiar face from MLS, Canada's Drew Fischer, is the referee.
Fans ready for today’s Philly match: ‘I just enjoy that vibe’
The FIFA Fan Festival is shut down for the day, but the pre-match party is rolling on across the city.
Mahir Sanori and Gene Lazarraga staked out their spot across from the bar at Lion Sports Bar in Chinatown by 3:20 p.m., more than an hour before France and Iraq’s scheduled kick-off time.
Sanori and Lazarraga have no connection to France, aside from Lazarraga’s French classes at Delran High School in Burlington County, but the former high school classmates chose to cheer on Les Bleus.
“We were both free this day, so [we said], ‘let’s just do it,’” Sanori said.
Lazarraga was wearing a Nike-branded navy blue French kit, while Sanori sported a white T-shirt colored in with fabric marker to make the French tricolor.
The pair also picked up some France face stickers and a French flag at Walmart, the latter of which was draped over Sanori’s shoulders.
Sanori and Lazarraga arrived just after Lion Sports Bar finished hosting a group of French supporters for some pre-match festivities, but both said they appreciated the influx of global culture brought to the region by the beautiful game.
“Seeing all these different groups of people come together, that’s kind of a rare sight in America,” Lazarraga said. “Especially with the sports here, people just go at each others’ throats. But, different countries [are] coming together, everyone’s just having a fun time. I just enjoy that vibe. That’s why we’re here right now.”
IRVINE, Calif. – Star playmaker Christian Pulisic was back on the field in practice for the U.S. men’s soccer team on Monday, taking part for the first time since before the tournament opener against Paraguay.
That was a good sign as the Hershey native recovers from the calf injury that kept him out of the second group stage contest against Australia. But it’s just one step, and practice was open to the media for the first 15 minutes. So we don’t know what happened after that.
Since the United States has already clinched first place, there isn’t much reason to play Pulisic in Thursday’s group finale against Turkey (10 p.m., Fox29, Telemundo 62). There also isn’t much reason to play the players on yellow cards — defenders Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson, midfielder Tyler Adams, and striker Folarin Balogun — since a booking in that game would get them suspended from the round of 32.
Still, it was a good sign to see Pulisic making progress.
The other injury news is that midfielder Cristian Roldan is day to day with a muscle strain. If he can’t play against Turkey, that will leave the United States shallow. Balogun also got a lighter day of practice, with a U.S. Soccer spokesperson saying: “Extra recovery. No issues.”
Opening gate time delayed at Philadelphia Stadium ahead of Iraq-France game
France v Iraq – June 22, 2026
Due to inclement weather in the region, gates opening will be delayed. If you are not in the area, please do not travel to Philadelphia Stadium at this time. A new gates opening time will be communicated once the weather has passed. If you are near…
— Lincoln Financial Field (@LFFStadium) June 22, 2026
// Timestamp 06/22/26 2:17pm
Philly fan festival is closed the rest of the day
Due to inclement weather, FIFA Fan Festival will close for the remainder of Monday. pic.twitter.com/BajUl4whLk
— FIFA World Cup 26 Philadelphia™ (@FWC26Philly) June 22, 2026
// Timestamp 06/22/26 2:02pm
Fan fest at Lemon Hill shuts down due to weather
Stormy weather shut down the World Cup fan festival on Lemon Hill during the afternoon on Monday, June 22, 2026.
The broadcast screens at the FIFA Fan Festival went from showing the Argentina-Austria match to an orange screen with a warning that thunderstorms were approaching the area around 1:40 p.m.
Minutes later, the orange warning switched to a red warning, indicating that “a thunderstorm with lightning is approaching the park.”
Festival organizers said the grounds could re-open if the storm passes through the area quickly. The festival asked fans to pay attention to its social media feeds for further updates on Monday’s schedule.
Organizers would not make an official commitment on whether the grounds would open again, but a member of the festival staff was informing food vendors that they were to shut down for the day as fans were exiting the grounds.
France and Iraq will have to contend with forecast thunderstorms when they kick off at Lincoln Financial Field at 5 p.m.
‘This is Philly, man’: Gov. Josh Shapiro hits Fan Fest
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro poses with volunteers at FIFA Fan Fest at Fairmount Park in Philadelphia Monday.
Gov. Josh Shapiro became the latest elected official to visit the FIFA Fan Festival when he stopped by Lemon Hill Park on Monday afternoon, ahead of France and Iraq’s meeting in Philadelphia this evening.
Shapiro, sporting a navy blue U.S. Soccer polo, walked the festival grounds before kick-off of Monday’s first match, between defending champion Argentina and Austria.
“What a unique event and historic moment for our city at this historic juncture of 250 years,” Shapiro said. “To be able to be together and just celebrate one another, celebrate this great sport and enjoy yourself… I think the world needs some more togetherness, needs some more cheer, and this is a great opportunity for that.”
He was greeted by lines of volunteers as he entered the festival, then followed in Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s footsteps by customizing a charm bracelet at the Bank of America tent — Shapiro chose charms that read 250.
In a brief news conference in front of the festival stage, Shapiro hailed Philadelphia’s Fan Festival as the best “in the country.”
“This is Philly, man,” Shapiro said. “We know how to do big things. It’s extraordinary to see people come out happy and joyful, cheering for their team. Unlike a typical Philly sports event, our fans aren’t cheering against others. There’s just happiness and joy … I’m glad that Philly is a welcoming city and welcoming people from all across the world to be here.”
Shapiro stopped to chat with dozens of attendees inside Visit PA’s booth and play a large arcade-style video game with a young fan in a Paris Saint-Germain kit. He asked French fans in line if Argentina’s Lionel Messi or France’s Kylian Mbappé was the better player, and stopped with an Argentina fan to recount Messi’s performance in Argentina’s win over Algeria.
One of the people Shapiro introduced himself to was 18-year-old Esra Asfaw, who had a French flag draped over his shoulders. Asfaw, a George Mason student originally from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, said he did not know who Shapiro was when the governor introduced himself.
“I was so surprised,” Asfaw said.
Asfaw traveled up from Virginia to Philadelphia to see Les Bleus face Iraq. He paid $1,089 on the resale market for his 200-level seats. Asfaw said he is not worried about France’s chances against Iraq, but instead about the weather, as looming thunderstorms in the evening could impact the match.
“Maybe the match might get delayed,” Asfaw said. “That’s the only thing I’m worried about. If it rains and they play, then that’s enough for me.”
France’s Kylian Mbappe will take the field in Philly tonight, even if it’s pouring.
That’s the front page headline today in L’Équipe, France’s national sports newspaper and one of the most influential sports outlets in Europe.
Whether or not they read The Inquirer (we hope they do!), the word is out that thunderstorms are on the way to South Philadelphia, and are expected to hit the stadium around the time that France and Iraq are on the field (5 p.m., Fox29, Telemundo 62).
The paper’s coverage setting the stage for the game includes some teaching of Philadelphia lore. And of course, it’s Rocky-themed, since Iraq’s challenge is a classic World Cup underdog story.
The front page of @lequipe-actu.bsky.social today:
“It’s the kind of moment that makes you want to strike up a fanfare, to sound the trumpets and the Rocky theme, to be ready to go up the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps four by four, before a run along the waterfront, a spar with a hunk of meat in a cold room, or a World Cup game at ‘the Linc,’ the Eagles’ stadium,” lead soccer reporter Vincent Duluc writes. “It’s been 50 years since visitors to Philly have raised their arms at the top of these steps, jumping in place. But it’s also a moment to remember that this piece of popular culture celebrates an unexpected hero – and that the France team that’s getting ready to face Iraq in Philadelphia feels more like Apollo Creed than Rocky Balboa.”
Elsewhere in the paper, there’s a little feature on the history of Lincoln Financial Field — Philadelphia Stadium during the World Cup — and its place in the city’s culture.
“Here, the Eagles aren’t just a NFL team, they’re a local religion,” reporter Hugo Guillemet writes. “Their logo is omnipresent on the streets, in shop windows, and in the bars of South Philly. Their hymn, ‘Fly, Eagles, Fly,’ is a popular chant on game days, and when it resonates in the stadium, the stands shake.”
As for social media, if you want a fun French perspective, check out Radio France’s sports reporter Julien Froment. He’s been posting lots of videos on his X and Instagram accounts as he travels around town. Here’s one from the France fans’ pep rally on the Art Museum steps yesterday.
Brazilian fans cheers before their country’s match against Haiti in Philadelphia Friday night.
France, a favorite by many to win the whole tournament, will take on Iraq in the second game of Group I tonight, but if it’s anything like the previous two matches, the game itself will once again not be the story.
Because for the past two games, the attraction has been that of the fans, and the unbridled passion people have for not just a team and its players, but the nation so many have bought jerseys for, the emblem they proudly wear above their heart, or in the middle of their chest.
This spectacle of what will result in 104 matches of underdogs becoming story lines, a U.S. men’s national team exercising the type of dominance very few expected, has also seen Philly lead the way on the main stage, creating lasting memories for thousands of fans who have flocked to the city, all while becoming lore, in the process.
Soccer in its purest form has provided an escape for a nation that desperately needed one. And what it’s also proved in the process is that people of different races, colors, and creeds don’t hate each other as much as their social media algorithms might suggest.
Proof was on display right here in Philly in the form of fans who packed the stands over the last two matches.
Fans like Maxence Jeanty, a 41-year-old Haitian native living in Chicago who traveled to Philly from the Windy City, dressed in a suit depicting liberator Jean-Jacques Dessalines, a key figure of the Haitian Revolution.
Maxence Jeanty, 41, a fan from Chicago.
“When I was growing up in Haiti as a kid, I watched the World Cup, and I’ll never forget watching the 1994 World Cup,” Jeanty said. “It’s been so long that my people haven’t made it to the World Cup that the choice was to choose either Brazil or Argentina [as the nation to support]. But now, we’re stepping on the field as equals, and no matter what happens, we’re stepping on the field as equals. The pride that brings to me and to every Haitian fan here, man, that’s indescribable.”
Benjamin Franklin Parkway is one example of urban planners borrowing from the French.
Some have called Philadelphia the “Paris of America.” Really.
It might be hard for locals to wrap their heads around the title, but there is some truth to the comparison — mostly due to the cities’ similarities in architecture. With France in town to take on Iraq in the World Cup Monday night, here’s a look at some of Philadelphia’s Parisian connections.
The Benjamin Franklin Parkway is the most glaring example of Philadelphia borrowing from the French. Finished in 1929, the parkway was designed primarily by two Frenchman, architect Paul Philippe Cret and city-planner Jacques Gréber. Their inspiration? Paris’ Champs-Élysées, a similarly grand avenue that stretches throughout the city. The two also both boast similar end points. The Champs-Élysées concludes with the grand Arc de Triomphe while Philadelphians can spot the Philadelphia Museum of Art from the parkway’s start at City Hall.
French fans just need to know not to dress the Rocky Statue atop of art museums steps.
Shortly after the conclusion of World War I, but before the signing of The Treaty of Versailles, Gréber displayed hope that the construction of the parkway would bring in tourists just as the Champs-Élysées does.
“I am glad to say that, if by this work the city of Paris may be enabled to bring its sister in America the inspiration of what makes Paris so attractive to visitors,” Gerbner said in 1918. “It will be the first opportunity of Paris to pay a little of the great debt of thankfulness for what Philadelphia and its citizens have done for France during the last three years.”
Meanwhile, Cret was also the mind behind the Benjamin Franklin bridge and a redesign of Rittenhouse Square, which also get Parisian comparisons. City Hall also looks like it could have been picked up in Paris and plopped down in Philadelphia as it was built in the French Second Empire style.
— Conor Smith
// Timestamp 06/22/26 10:24am
World Cup teams that have qualified for the next round and been eliminated
The U.S. is already in the Round of 32 and have won two group stage games for the first time since 1930.
Heading into Monday’s World Cup matches, three teams have already punched their ticket to the next round of the tournament.
Among them is the United States, which have won two games in the World Cup group stage for the first time since 1930. The U.S. has one more group stage match – against Turkey Thursday night – and will play in the Round of 32 on July 1 in San Francisco Stadium at 8 p.m. Philly time.
Here’s a rundown of all the World Cup teams that have qualified for the next round, and those that have already been eliminated from contention:
Thunderstorms in Philly could interrupt tonight’s World Cup match
Scattered severe thunderstorms could move through the region tonight.
Thunderstorms are expected to make their way through the Philadelphia region later this evening, potentially interrupting tonight’s World Cup match between France and Iraq.
The strongest of the storms are forecast to move in beginning around 4 p.m., bringing with them heavy rain, wind gusts approaching 60 mph, and the potential for an isolated tornado.
“Storms will certainly have lightning with them,” said Zack Cooper, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Mt. Holly station.
An inch or two of rain could fall in and around the city, Cooper said, but depending on the storm’s severity that could all come in an hour or less, leading to flash flooding. Philadelphia and the surrounding region are currently under a flood watch.
FIFA will pause play if there is a lightning strike within eight miles of the stadium. The match will remain paused for 30 minutes, with any subsequent lightning strikes resetting the clock.
The FIFA Fan Fest at Lemon Hill Park in Fairmount would also be forced to close if lightning is detected within an eight-mile radius. Fans would need to exit the grounds and move to a safe location, FIFA said in a statement, and could re-enter after 30 minutes if no additional lightning is detected.
The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., which issues severe storm watches, listed a 2% chance of tornadoes, and an “isolated” twister can’t be ruled out, said Nick Guzzo, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.
Four Frenchmen skipped work to go to the World Cup in Philly
Fans react during France’s opening match against Senegal on June 16. Some of those fans have taken up residence in Philadelphia ahead of Monday’s match against Iraq.
Eight years ago, when FIFA announced that the World Cup would be coming to the United States in 2026, a student in France felt a rush of excitement. He and his friends had been watching the international soccer tournament on television since they were kids.
They’d never seen it in person. The last time their native country hosted the competition was in 1998, before all four Frenchmen were born. In the years since, they’d tried to make it to a game, but to no avail.
Russia hosted in 2018, but the four friends were unable to get visas. Qatar hosted in 2022, but this time, they were attending different colleges, which made traveling logistically complicated. So, they looked ahead to 2026 and started saving money.
One man picked up extra work shifts at his Parisian brasserie. Another taught English lessons on the side. All four made a conscious effort to cut back on drinking and eating out.
There was one problem. The men worked in upscale restaurants, and summers were extremely busy. The Parisians knew that they wouldn’t be able to get a few days off, let alone a few weeks.
In the spirit of Ferris Bueller, the 20-something-year-olds decided to tell a white lie. And now, three years and $12,000 in savings later, they are in Philadelphia, enjoying everything it has to offer (unbeknownst to their employers).
“Momo,” the Parisian waiter who organized this trip, participated on the condition that he and his friends’ last names would be omitted (out of fear of losing their jobs).
Fans navigate the stairs in the upper concourse of Lincoln Financial Field, rebranded as Philadelphia Stadium.
Philadelphia has hosted two World Cup matches so far – Ivory Coast’s upset of Ecuador, and Brazil’s blowout of Haiti.
Philadelphia Stadium, as it’s called during the tournament, will host four more World Cup games, including a Round of 16 matchup on July 4.
Unfortunately, Philly won’t host the U.S., which clinched a first-place finish in the group stage. They needed to finish in third place to even have a chance of winding up the the Linc.
Here’s Philly’s remaining World Cup schedule:
France vs. Iraq: Monday, June 22, 5 p.m. (Fox)
Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast: Thursday, June 25, 4 p.m. (FS1)
Croatia vs. Ghana: Saturday, June 27, 5 p.m. (FS1)
IRVINE, Calif. — On any given day in Seattle, there are a lot of things in the air: the breeze off Puget Sound, the seagulls that steal your french fries, and other substances for which the city is well-known.
It wouldn’t be fair for an outsider to ask if the last of those factored into the sudden outbreak of hype around the U.S. men’s soccer team. The atmosphere at Friday’s U.S.-Australia game needed no enhancement, with that crowd showing the nation and the world why Seattle’s soccer culture is the real deal.
But something has caused people to start asking if the U.S. men can win this World Cup. So let’s answer it.
No, this team is a long way from such a … height, let’s say.
A sign from U.S. fans at the game against Australia, with two teams that call the sport “soccer” instead of England’s “football.”
Yes, the Americans have won two games in a men’s World Cup group stage for the first time since 1930. Yes, they have won their group for the first time since 2010, and clinched qualification for the knockout rounds with a game to spare for the first time in the program’s modern era, which started in 1990.
But the teams they’ve beaten so far, Paraguay and Australia, looked the part of the 41st- and 27th-ranked teams in FIFA’s global standings, which they were when the tournament kicked off. The U.S., meanwhile, has done something that should be within reach for a No. 17 team with home-field advantage on the world’s biggest stage.
When the U.S. faces Turkey in the group stage finale on Thursday in Inglewood, Calif. (10 p.m. Fox29, Telemundo 62), the hosts will again face a team ranked below them. Turkey is No. 22. How much will that actually prove, compared to a potential matchup with Belgium in the round of 16 or Spain in the quarterfinals?
Even the first knockout game in the round of 32 could be a trap. Though the U.S. is already set to head to the Bay Area for a game on July 1, the team across the field won’t be known until the group stage ends. It will be the third-place team from group B, E, F, I, or J, depending on which eight of the 12 third-place finishers in the tournamentadvance.
A U.S.-Bosnia game would be a reunion for Bosnia’s Esmir Bajraktarević (left), who grew up in Wisconsin and played for the New England Revolution.
The Athletic has a forecasting formula that projects Bosnia & Herzegovina, ranked No. 64, as the most likely candidate right now. As they’d say on “Let’s Make A Deal,” you take the offer right there. Upcoming games could put Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Japan, Sweden, Norway, or Senegal behind the other doors.
But if it is Bosnia, it would still be a measuring stick, and not just because the U.S. men have won just one knockout-round game in their history (against Mexico in 2002).
The Americans’ all-time record against European teams in World Cups is 3-14-7, and the only win of the modern era was against Portugal in 2002. The other two were against England in 1950 and Belgium in 1930. (Coincidentally, both games had heroes from Philadelphia, Walter Bahr and Bart McGhee.)
Sometimes, the insistence on measuring American soccer against Europe is just a thing in the heads of fans and media. But the results record is still long and one-sided, even compared to other continents. The U.S. is 3-2-0 against teams from South America, 2-2-0 against teams from Africa, and 2-1-1 against teams from Asia.
Weston McKennie (center) and the U.S. men recorded their third World Cup win over a South American team by beating Paraguay.
Why it’s different for the players
If reading this makes you feel like it’s spoiling the party, sometimes that’s the job of a professional cynic. So we’ll balance it by saying the warning only applies to outsiders. It’s perfectly fine for the players and coaches to believe they can go all the way, because they need that belief along with everything else to win games on the biggest stage.
“Obviously, we take it one game at a time, but every game, every tournament that we play, we want to win,” centerback Chris Richards said. “So I don’t think it’s ridiculous to say that we want to win it.”
Nor was it outrageous, even if it was certainly headline-grabbing, when manager Mauricio Pochettino told The Athletic last week that “we should dream without limits.”
“If I dream of touching the moon, of being up on the moon, maybe I can get close to the moon,” he said. “If I only dream of getting close to it, I’ll stay on Earth. It’s so powerful, isn’t it? Believing that you can do it.”
Mauricio Pochettino embracing Folarin Balogun after the U.S.’ win over Australia.
It had to help Friday. The players found out that morning, just a few hours before kickoff, that its catalyst, Christian Pulisic, wasn’t healthy enough to play.
“We were all ready to prepare for this game, and whenever we heard that the coach gave us the lineup, the next player, the next man up was ready,” said Ricardo Pepi, who was that next man.
“I think that we built the victory in our attitude,” Pochettino said after the Australia game. “I told the player: the first action when we started the game, did you see how Pepi and Balogun go to press?”
We sure did, and it set the tone that led to the game’s first goal in just 11 minutes. Australia had to boot the ball out to beat it, and one of those clearances led to the throw-in that started the scoring play. The U.S. worked the ball around the back line, Antonee Robinson sprung Balogun down the left wing, Pepi charged up the middle, and Cameron Burgess put the ball in his own net.
They didn’t let up, either, as physical as the game got. After winning the first game with style, the U.S. won the second with grit, as the teams combined for 28 called fouls and plenty more uncalled.
How the Turkey game will go is impossible to know right now, with the U.S. already group winners and Turkey already eliminated. It’s the first game without qualification stakes for the Americans since 1998, when they lost their first two games and were eliminated before the third.
Will Pochettino rotate his lineup a lot? It makes sense at first, but there are caveats. There’s a history of teams that rest players in their third game ending up rusty in their first knockout game, and this time there are six days between the second and third group contests — then another six between the round of 32.
There’s a clear case to rest Pulisic and players on yellow cards: Tyler Adams, Robinson, Richards, and Balogun. If they get another booking in this game, they’re out of the round of 32 contest. But beyond them (and it’s a lot, for sure), Pochettino might want to keep the rest in a good rhythm.
At least it’s a good problem to have. The results so far and the manner of earning them signal that the U.S. can make a run in this World Cup. But winning the title is a different question. That still feels too high of a task, and it will eventually become clear.
Eight years ago, when FIFA announced that the World Cup would be coming to the United States in 2026, a student in France felt a rush of excitement. He and his friends had been watching the international soccer tournament on television since they were kids.
They’d never seen it in person. The last time their native country hosted the competition was in 1998, before all four Frenchmen were born. In the years since, they’d tried to make it to a game, but to no avail.
Russia hosted in 2018, but the four friends were unable to get visas. Qatar hosted in 2022, but this time, they were attending different colleges, which made traveling logistically complicated. So, they looked ahead to 2026 and started saving money.
A heavy France contingent was part of an announced attendance of 68,274 at New York/New Jersey Stadium for their first game of the World Cup.
One man picked up extra work shifts at his Parisian brasserie. Another taught English lessons on the side. All four made a conscious effort to cut back on drinking and eating out.
There was one problem. The men worked in upscale restaurants, and summers were extremely busy. The Parisians knew that they wouldn’t be able to get a few days off, let alone a few weeks.
In the spirit of Ferris Bueller, the 20-something-year-olds decided to tell a white lie. And now, three years and $12,000 in savings later, they are in Philadelphia, enjoying everything it has to offer (unbeknownst to their employers).
“Momo,” the Parisian waiter who organized this trip, participated on the condition that he and his friends’ last names would be omitted (out of fear of losing their jobs).
It was a risk traveling here but one he says has been “absolutely” worth it. For more than a week, the Frenchmen have been exploring the city, rating each experience on a 1-to-3 scale.
Eating through Philadelphia
Their first stop was Pat’s. Momo and his friends — Micha, Anto, and Titi — accidentally ended up at Geno’s. They asked customers where they could find Pat’s, to which he said they responded, “What the [expletive].”
“We turned around and there’s the building,” Momo said. “And we’re like ‘Ohhhh.’”
They each bought two cheesesteaks, with a soda and fries, to compare the difference. It was negligible. Pat’s edged out Geno’s in their rating system, just because they thought the “crown on the cup was cooler.”
What did stand out were the condiments.
For these four Frenchmen, a trip to Pat’s Steaks was on the menu which they gave the edge to over Geno’s.
“We had what you call Cheez Whiz,” Momo said. “I’ve never had something like this. It was good. Interesting flavor. It’s not cheese, but it was good anyway.”
He added: “Micha wanted me to mention that we enjoy ranch sauce. It is very good. We had this brand, Hidden Valley.”
They’ve since gone to Ricci’s for hoagies. Grandma’s Pizza, Del Rossi’s, and Parc are also on the agenda (that is, if they can get a table at Parc).
“Somebody told me what the hoagie was yesterday,” Momo said. “I had never heard hoagie. So, I got the hoagie today. It was good hoagie, I think it was Italian hoagie.
“We gave Ricci’s a 3 [rating]. It was unique. There’s nothing Italian about it. But it was so good. The sandwich itself, you’d never find it in Italy, but it was so unique that we just enjoyed it. So we gave it three stars.”
This is a substantial amount of food — and the portions are much bigger than they are in France — but the Frenchmen are quickly burning off the calories. They say they are walking approximately “five miles a day” to see the sights (and save some money).
Exploring the city by foot
The four friends are partially doing this out of necessity. They are staying at an Airbnb in South Philadelphia. SEPTA isn’t as comprehensive as the train system in Paris. But exploring the city by foot has led to some enlightening experiences.
One of the first things they saw were “Philadelphia 250″ signs on buildings and billboards. After conversing among themselves, and coming up with no answers, Momo decided to ask a passerby.
“We said, ‘What is 250?’ ” he said. “‘What are these numbers?’ I asked the man on the street, ‘Sir, what is 250?’ He was like, ‘Our anniversary this year, 250.’
“And I was like, ‘Oh, OK, yes, yes, yes. I understand.’ Because then I remember the whole Revolutionary War stuff. They were telling me fireworks and baseball and all of this other American stuff that we’ve never seen before. So, we said we’ll stick around and we’ll go to it.”
Fans of France were in full force during the team’s World Cup match against Senegal. They head to Philly to face Iraq at 5 p.m. Monday.
Other areas of confusion have included Uber delivery robots (“in Paris, we just have guys on mopeds”) and knowing where you can and cannot smoke a cigarette.
The smoking alone has led to some interesting encounters. Last Sunday night, while at dinner in Fishtown, the Frenchmen tried to take a smoke break outside a restaurant.
They were promptly told to relocate, and met another local who had been told the same. They started talking about the Eagles — Momo and Micha want to buy a jersey — and he gave them some recommendations.
A few minutes later, they said goodbye, and the man signed off with a “Go Birds.”
“And I was like, ‘Go Birds?’” Momo said. “And he’s like, ‘Go Birds.’ I thought he meant pigeons or seagulls. I didn’t know he meant Eagles.
“He’s like, ‘People say Go Birds all the time here.’ I was like, ‘Even when the Eagles are not playing?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ That’s interesting. That would be like saying, ‘Allez Paris Saint-Germain’ when Paris Saint-Germain are not playing. Why would you say it now? Just say it later, when they are playing.”
A ‘devastating’ encounter with Rocky
While on another five-mile walk on Wednesday, the Frenchmen decided to see Rocky. They were very excited; Micha and Momo had both watched the film for the first time on their flight over. They weren’t expecting a statue, though.
The four friends said that they thought Rocky was a real person, and assumed they were en route to meet a world-class boxer.
Finding out he was fictional was “devastating,” in Momo’s words. But the visit still earned high marks.
“Me and Micha gave Rocky statue a 10, even though 3 is the highest rating,” he said. “Because we just watched the movie, so we think, ‘Oh this is a 10 rating.’”
Brazilian and soccer fans climb the steps of the Rocky statue, marked with a FIFA World Cup logo, on Thursday, June 18, 2026, in Philadelphia, ahead of Friday’s FIFA World Cup Group C match between Brazil and Haiti.
While they were there, the Parisians heard about the Rocky curse. Unlike Ecuador’s fans, they will not be falling victim to it.
“I said, ‘Sir, we’ve paid too many American dollars to come this far now to watch France lose to Iraq in Philadelphia, so that will not be happening,’” Momo said. “If people come here and I see it happen, I’ll take [the jersey] off myself. I’m not watching France lose here.”
The four friends, who are staying through the Fourth of July when Philly will host its final World Cup game, have a lot of sights to see until then. On Saturday, they headed to Citizens Bank Park. This week, they’ll try to visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
But the main attraction, of course, is Les Bleus, who will play Iraq at Lincoln Financial Field at 5 p.m. Monday (Fox 29). Anto found himself getting emotional about this earlier in the week.
His friend asked what was wrong; Anto said he was in disbelief that the Frenchmen were finally on the precipice of their first World Cup.
“Then I thought about it,” Momo said. “We’ve sacrificed going out with our friends to save up for this. We said on the plane ride, even if something goes wrong we’re going to try to enjoy, because we’ve been saving forever.
“Even seeing France play one game at the World Cup … I’ll be telling my kids about that for the rest of my life. It’s something that I’ll never forget.”
The four friends could’ve gone to other American cities. France has also played in New Jersey, and will play in Boston next Friday. But they chose Philadelphia, and are glad they did.
“It’s funny,” Momo said. “If New York were a little cheaper, we would have gone to New York, and never gotten any of the experiences here. But I’m happy that we picked a city that I feel like most Europeans don’t think about.
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) June 19, 2026
“They think about New York and Miami and LA. But now I can go home and tell people, ‘Yo, go to Philadelphia. It’s interesting.’”
He added: “They say that people in Philadelphia are mean and rude. They say the same thing about Paris. It’s not true; the people are very helpful. I feel like people here would help you if you need help, just in the way that people in Paris would do the same. If you need help, people would help you.
“I have not met one mean person. Super helpful and accommodating and hospitable to me and my friends.”
The Frenchmen have enjoyed it so much that they are already planning their next trip, to the Linc in the fall.
It’ll be tricky because the Eagles’ season overlaps with Paris Saint-Germain’s (and the four friends are season-ticket holders). But they’re determined to find a way to make it work.
“We’ve heard of Eagles before,” Momo said. “I’ve heard of Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley, when he jumped over that football player. We will definitely come back. And if not for Eagles, just to explore the city.”
