- What you should know
- Brazil defeated Haiti 3-0 Friday night in Philadelphia’s second 2026 World Cup match. The city will host four more.
- The U.S. defeated Australia 2-0 Friday afternoon, punching a ticket to the knockout round despite Christian Pulisic not playing.
- Mayor Cherelle L. Parker shopped for kits, American fans cheered on USMNT, and other highlights from FIFA Fan Festival.
- 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.
// Timestamp 06/19/26 10:38pm
Haiti first team eliminated from World Cup after losing to Brazil
Vinícius Júnior scored and assisted on one of Matheus Cunha’s two goals as five-time champion Brazil eliminated Haiti from the World Cup with a 3-0 victory on Friday night.
Haiti, the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation that qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1974, became the first team guaranteed not to reach the knockout round. Meanwhile, the Seleção got the decisive performance they needed.
Cunha, the Manchester United standout, got the start and showed with every surf-and-slide goal celebration why he should have been in the starting lineup in Brazil’s listless 1-1 draw against Morocco. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti made the surprising decision in the opener to instead insert Cunha as a late substitute.
Cunha thrilled the Brazilian fans who made up the bulk of the 68,324 spectators at Lincoln Financial Field when he tapped in a rebound for his first career World Cup goal. He then sent a left-footed strike into the upper left corner for a 2-0 lead in the first half against the overmatched Haitians.
Brazil forward Raphinha, who was subbed out with an injury in the first half, had an early goal disallowed on an offside call that only temporarily muted the yellow-clad Seleção fans in an otherwise festive atmosphere at the home of the two-time Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles — whose cheerleaders did their part to rally the crowd.
Cunha added to the frivolity in Philadelphia, home to nearly 6,000 Brazilian immigrants, when he flashed his familiar surfing celebration.
— Associated Press
// Timestamp 06/19/26 10:14pm
A full house in South Philly
// Timestamp 06/19/26 9:55pm
Philly once again looks great in World Cup spotlight
// Timestamp 06/19/26 9:35pm
Fans doing the wave at the Linc
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Photos: Strong Brazilian vibes in South Philly
// Timestamp 06/19/26 9:21pm
Brazil in control in South Philly
Of note on Vinícius Júnior’s goal for Brazil: that is his second goal in 12 months at that same end of the stadium. He scored there for Real Madrid last summer.
And here’s how the goal sounded on Telemundo. Luis Omar Tapia’s call is superb.
// Timestamp 06/19/26 9:10pm
Brazil is flying after scoring second goal against Haiti
// Timestamp 06/19/26 8:58pm
Brazil scores first, takes lead on Haiti in South Philly
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// Timestamp 06/19/26 5:06pm
U.S. advances in World Cup after defeating Australia 2-0
SEATTLE — It turned out that the U.S. men’s soccer team didn’t need Christian Pulisic to beat Australia, and make history in doing so.
With the star playmaker unable to shake off a calf injury, the Americans used two first-half tallies and a raucous atmosphere in Seattle to earn a 2-0 win, before a packed-to-the-roof crowd of 66,925.
The win clinched qualification for the knockout rounds, and marked the first time since 1930 that the U.S. men’s program has won two games in a World Cup group stage.
The statisticians at TruMedia noted this marked the first time in World Cup history that one team benefited from own goals in consecutive games, following the opening tally of the U.S.’ win over Paraguay.
// Timestamp 06/19/26 8:46pm
Brazil nearly takes early lead on Haiti, but offside flag was up
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Brazil vs. Haiti underway in South Philly
Fans sing the national anthems of Haiti and Brazil at Philadelphia Stadium as the World Cup gets underway.
// Timestamp 06/19/26 8:33pm
Party still going on in Seattle after U.S. win
SEATTLE — I’ve just left the stadium here, three hours after the U.S. game ended, and all the sports bars across the street on Occidental Avenue are still packed.
The sun is shining, the temperature is in the 70s, there’s a breeze off the water, and it looks like the citywide party will keep going for a good while.
You can bet they’ll be watching Brazil-Haiti on the TVs here. And they’ll be watching the Mariners too, since they have a home game against the Red Sox in two hours. T-Mobile Park is a block south of Lumen Field, so there’s a mix of soccer and baseball fans around.
“2-0 today!” I heard someone shout.
// Timestamp 06/19/26 8:16pm
‘It is a dream come true’: Haiti fans seize the moment in Philly
Marie Alexis danced jubilantly in the stands at Lincoln Financial Field as team Haiti took the field for a pre-game warm up.
“We’re at the World Cup!” she kept yelling.
A native of Haiti now living in Rahway, N.J., Alexis began to cry as she talked about Haiti being in the World Cup for the first time in 50 years.
“It is a dream come true, my country is on the world stage and it’s so positive,” she said. “I am ecstatic! This is wonderful! It’s life-changing.”
// Timestamp 06/19/26 7:09pm
Welcoming fans to ‘FIFA-delphia’
Emily Vanim of Pottstown had one of the best FIFA volunteer jobs – sitting in a lifeguard chair with a megaphone welcoming fans to “FIFA-delphia” and answering all their questions.
“Never give a teacher a megaphone,” she said.
The sixth grade teacher said she’s met the best people as a FIFA volunteer.
“We’re friends for life and we’re having an awesome time,” she said. “It’s surreal and the fans are outstanding.”
// Timestamp 06/19/26 6:24pm
Brazil fans tries to use Rocky curse against Argentina
// Timestamp 06/19/26 5:13pm
Things got chippy between U.S. and Australia
Things got chippy towards the end of the U.S. men’s national team second group match against Australia, but it was forward Florian Balogun who kept composure in the face of a second yellow card.
Going in for a challenge in the 88th minute, Balogun and Australian defender Harry Souttar got tangled in the air and found Souttar with his arm wrapped around the neck of Balogun on the way down. Instead of reacting to the bait, Balogun who picked up a yellow card earlier in the match was smart to walk away.
It led commentator Stu Holden to say: “The Australians have come here to have a rugby match, but to have restraint in these moments, to not swing an arm and punch back. Souttar is trying to get under his skin.
It kicked off a string of chippy plays down the stretch, but in the end, the U.S. men picked up their second win in this World Cup, securing a berth into the knockout round of 32.
Depending on the result of tonight’s match between Turkey and Paraguay (11 p.m., FS1), should that game end in a draw, the U.S. will win Group D outright.
// Timestamp 06/19/26 4:54pm
A lot of love in Philly as Brazil and Haiti fans get together
Bob Travers, 78, of Southhampton, was among tailgaters accepting high-fives at Lot L outside Philadelphia Stadium.
Travers wore a Brasil jersey and a hat that said “Dysfunctional Veteran.” This was his second World Cup, having gone to one in 1994. This one was better already though, he said, because he was accompanied by his sons and grandson.
“I love it,” he said “The atmosphere is fantastic!”
// Timestamp 06/19/26 4:21pm
How bad was it for Australia? They made three subs at halftime.
SEATTLE – You know a first half went badly for a team when it makes three substitutions at halftime.
That’s what Australia did, with the biggest one being Nestory Irankunda replacing Mohamed Touré up front. Why Iranknunda didn’t start, as one of the Socceroos’ rising stars, was a big question among the Australian media before kickoff.
The other moves were Jason Geria replacing the yellow-carded Cameron Burgess on the back line, and Connor Metcalfe replacing Nishan Velupillay in midfield.
// Timestamp 06/19/26 3:48pm
The U.S. leads 2-0, but with controversy
Alex Freeman doubled the U.S. lead in the 43rd minute off a free kick play. But it wasn’t surprising the offside flag was up initially, and by the rules it could have stayed that way.
When Sergiño Dest took the initial shot that deflected up in the air, Folarin Balogun and Weston McKennie were clearly offside, while Freeman was not. And when the ball came down, Balogun was right next to Freeman, in close range to the goalkeeper.
Though Balogun didn’t touch the ball, his presence there could be called interfering with the goalkeeper, and that’s grounds for keeping the flag up. But the video review crew decided that Balogun didn’t interfere enough, so they let the goal stand.
// Timestamp 06/19/26 3:35pm
‘It’s such a dream’: Brazil fans take over Stateside Live!
Stateside Live! turned into Brasil Live! Friday as a sea of fans descended on the stadium bar complex prior to their team’s World Cup game against Haiti at nearby Philadelphia Stadium.
By 3 p.m., the entire complex was a sea of yellow-and-green, dotted with islands of Haiti fans (and a few team USA fans) in red, white, and blue.
Belange Pierre, 54, of Ottawa, Canada, waved a Haitian flag outside the gates. He drove to Philly with four friends to catch his team’s first World Cup game in 50 years. They were confident they’d be driving back to Canada with a win under their belts after the game.
“Allons-y!” the group shouted, which is French for “Let’s go!”
Andre Magalhaes, 47, a native of Brazil now living in Orlando, was counting down the hours until his first World Cup game at Stateside Live! Friday.
“It’s a child’s dream come true,” he said of attending his first World Cup match. “I’ve waited for this moment my entire life to be here.”
Magalhaes wore a leather cangaceiro, a traditional hat from Northeast Brazil. His wife, Kelly Bennett, 44, wore a team Brasil shirt a U.S. flag as a cape.
“We’re going to watch the game here then I’m going to fold up the flag and I’m going into the stadium and root for Brazil,” she said.
The couple, who are only in town for the three days, said they loved Philly’s sports complex.
“You have all three stadiums and public transit right here!” Bennett said. “It’s such a dream, especially coming from Orlando.”
// Timestamp 06/19/26 3:21pm
Fans celebrate in Philly as U.S. takes early lead
The U.S. has a 1-0 lead after an Australian own goal, and the pro-U.S. crowd at the Fan Festival is loving it.
The crowd erupted in cheers as Cameron Burgess knocked the ball into the back of his own net in the 11th minute.
Chants of “U-S-A” followed the manic celebration. The American supporters are riding high so far. Will it stay that way?
// Timestamp 06/19/26 3:12pm
U.S. scores first, takes early lead on Australia
SEATTLE – It didn’t take long for the United States’ shift to a two-striker front line to pay off.
Folarin Balogun’s hot form continued just 11 minutes in, as he forced an own goal off Cameron Burgess to put the Americans ahead. Antonee Robinson sprung Balogun down the left flank, and he sprinted almost all the way to the end line, then laid a pass into the middle for Ricardo Pepi and Sergiño Dest’s late runs.
But the ball hit Australian centerback Cameron Burgess near the six-yard box instead, and pinged right into the net.
The crowd was thrilled, and the hosts were off and running again.
// Timestamp 06/19/26 3:06pm
It’s amazingly loud in Seattle
SEATTLE – Like most NFL stadiums, Seattle’s press box is glass-enclosed, though it least it has some small windows that open to pick up a bit of the atmosphere.
But I wanted the real thing for a moment. So I snuck outside to the seating bowl for the players’ walkout and the national anthems.
Both sets of fans belted out their national anthems, with the Star-Spangled Banner ringing around the entire stadium. You could probably hear it up the street at the ferry terminal.
Media aren’t allowed to take videos inside the stadium unless they’re rightsholders, a FIFA rule I’ve lived with at every World Cup I’ve covered. But we can take photos, so here’s mine of what it looked like.
// Timestamp 06/19/26 2:58pm
At Fan Fest, Mayor Parker thrilled to share ‘Philly-ness with the world’
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker helped open the gates of the FIFA Fan Festival ahead of the U.S.’s clash with Australia at 3 p.m.
Parker stepped out into the crowd waiting at the festival’s main gate and posed for photos with fans waiting in line, including one with a group of traveling Scottish supporters.
Before the gates opened, Parker said she was appreciative that fans are showing up to the city and the festival “authentically, as themselves.”
“We are a global culture, and we are one people,” Parker said. “What makes America and the world so amazing, is that all of us, no matter the fabric, no matter the patchwork in our quilt, we make up a global humanity, and an American community that’s representative of everyone. I’m excited about it all.”
After greeting the line of fans waiting to get into the festival on Sedgley Drive, Parker walked into the festival to greet a few vendors. She stopped at the Bank of America tent to make a bracelet – she chose a black band with all the Philly-specific charms and a World Cup trophy charm – then stopped into the FIFA store on the festival grounds.
With the help of a few store associates, Parker picked out some kits and World Cup merch, including both Brazil jerseys, a seafoam France away jersey, a yellow Curaçao jersey, two World Cup logo shirts and a stripes U.S. jersey.
Parker said she’s enjoyed seeing soccer fans out and about in the city – especially Brazilian fans, whose team will take the field against Haiti at Lincoln Financial Field at 8:30 p.m.
“We were on the parkway, and Brazil was turning it out and up,” Parker said. “Everywhere we’ve been, they’re like, ‘Philadelphia is beautiful, the experience is great.’ You can be a visitor one time, but they’ll feel Philadelphia.
“You have to feel the energy here. We are not like any other city in the nation. There is something special about Philadelphia, and being able to share that Philly-ness with the world is something really exciting.”
// Timestamp 06/19/26 2:36pm
Check out The Inquirer’s all-new pop-up soccer show!
Ahead of today’s pivotal World Cup matches, get up to speed on all things soccer with the Inquirer’s Soccer Extra, our pop-up soccer show during the matches here in Philly, featuring writer Jonathan Tannenwald and host Lisa Carlin.
Catch the show Thursdays at 11 a.m., until the final match at Philadelphia Stadium (aka the Linc) through July 4. In their second episode, the duo take a look at this first week of World Cup action and look ahead to Philly’s upcoming matches in Brazil-Haiti tonight and France-Iraq on Monday.
— Inquirer sports staff
// Timestamp 06/19/26 2:35pm
Like Philly, Seattle putting the ‘city’ in ‘World Cup host city’
SEATTLE – You might not think that Philadelphia and Seattle have much in common, thousands of miles apart and with different cultural vibes. But during this World Cup, it feels like they have a lot in common.
It’s not just that the U.S.-Australia and Brazil-Haiti games are on the same day, which has put the two cities at the top of the World Cup’s headlines. It’s that they’re true cities, the kind where you can feel the energy of a big event just by being there.
That’s how a World Cup is supposed to be, and has been at all the other ones I’ve been to. The sights and sounds of big fan gatherings are as important as the games themselves.
Philadelphia has seen that a few times now, from the Club World Cup last summer to the masses of Ecuador and Brazil fans in recent days. Soccer brings people together from all over the place like nothing else, even in a city where other sports are more important.
Another thing you can tell out here is how different things are from the first U.S. game in suburban Los Angeles. The stadium is exceptional and the atmosphere was great, but there just wasn’t the same kind of buzz beyond the game because L.A. isn’t the same kind of city.
The downtown doesn’t matter as much, and everything else is way too sprawling – and that’s before getting to the U.S. camp being over an hour south in Orange County. You’re never going to have the same kind of buzz when everything around is highways and shopping centers.
In Philadelphia, you can walk anywhere in Center City, then take a quick subway ride to the game. Here, you can walk from the waterfront to the stadium, and there’s a light rail line across town too.
I made that walk this morning, and saw thousands of fans going in both directions. A “Men in Blazers” live show on one of the piers drew a huge crowd that filled the plaza and the sidewalks beyond it.
The big crowd here isn’t just wearing red, white, and blue. There are plenty of Australia backers too, all in their traditional green and gold. You’ll see them behind one end zone, behind the team’s bench, and in a few sections of the upper deck.
I unexpectedly walked through their fan march on the way to the stadium. Everyone was in good spirits, including the U.S. fans at bars nearby who responded with lighthearted boos and “USA!” chants.
One Socceroos fan carried the amusing sign you see above. A bunning snag is Australia’s similar culinary tradition, a grilled sausage in a folded piece of white bread topped with grilled onions, then ketchup and/or mustard.
// Timestamp 06/19/26 2:07pm
Christian Pulisic won’t play vs. Australia
SEATTLE – Christian Pulisic will not play in the U.S.-Australia game, as he hasn’t recovered enough from his calf injury to make the squad.
“Christian is not available,” U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino told Fox Sports’ broadcast moments before FIFA published the teams’ starting lineups. “Let’s hope that as soon as possible he can be ready to be selected again, and to be part of the team. Now we need to be focused on our team, and the players that are going to play. We have ahead very important game – Australia is going to be really tough.”
Pochettino said Pulisic trained Friday morning and “the feelings are good” on the star playmaker’s overall recovery.
“A little bit sad,” Pochettino admitted. “He wanted to participate today. But it’s still [too] early.”
Ricardo Pepi comes into the U.S. lineup, and that means a tactical shift with two strikers on the field. My guess is the Americans will line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation that looks like this:
Australia has all of its players healthy. The Socceroos’ starting lineup is headlined by rising star striker Nestory Irankunda and 6-foot-6 centerback Harry Souttar. There’s also a familiar face from MLS in New York City FC midfielder Aiden O’Neill.
// Timestamp 06/19/26 1:52pm
Fans from all over gather for entrance into the FIFA Fan Festival
The gates of the FIFA Fan Festival don’t open to visitors until 2 p.m., but a line has already started to form at the main gate.
Gus Sanchez said he and his family had been in line since about noon after biking over from Northeast Philly.
Sanchez said he wanted to watch the U.S. men’s team take on Australia with a crowd, leading him to come over to the Fan Festival.
“It’s something I can’t explain,” Sanchez, 53, said. “Seeing people from different countries getting together, having fun, enjoying the game.”
The crowd is full of U.S. kits, but other nations are represented, too. Kits from Haiti and Brazil, which will face off tonight at Lincoln Financial Stadium, can be spotted in the line, as well as fans from Scotland.
Alex Nelson said he traveled from Prestwick to the U.S. to soak in the environment of the World Cup.
He traveled from Boston, where the Scots played Haiti on Saturday, to Philadelphia to take in Scotland-Morocco at the Fan Festival.
Nelson, sporting a tartan kilt, said he’s loved his time in Philly so far.
“Very clean city,” Nelson said. “Everybody has been so helpful. Everybody’s mixed in —the Brazilians, the Moroccans, U.S.A., all mixed. That’s what it’s all about.”
// Timestamp 06/19/26 10:44am
Brazil fans bring the party to Philly’s Rocky steps
// Timestamp 06/19/26 9:36am
Photos: Brazil fans take over Philly
// Timestamp 06/19/26 8:09am
Everything you need to know about the World Cup in Philly
- Here’s what to know if you plan to attend FIFA Fan Fest at Lemon Hill Park in Fairmount — and what you can expect once you arrive.
- There are also plenty of other watch parties around the city — and several bars that will be open until 4 a.m.
- In other words, you don’t need a ticket to a game to be able to enjoy all the World Cup festivities taking place around the city.
- If you have a ticket for tonight’s game — or any Philly World Cup games — you’re in luck, we have a guide for that as well.
- For full breakdowns of each team playing in Philly, its national cuisine (and where to find it in Philly), and so much more, click here to read our full World Cup guide.
// Timestamp 06/19/26 8:05am
Today’s World Cup TV schedule
Here is today’s schedule of World Cup games and their Philadelphia start time:
- U.S. vs. Australia: 3 p.m., Seattle, Group D (Fox, Telemundo)
- Scotland vs. Morocco: 6 p.m., Boston, Group C (Fox, Telemundo)
- Brazil vs. Haiti: 8:30 p.m., Philadelphia, Group C (Fox, Telemundo)
- Turkey vs. Paraguay: 11 p.m. Saturday, San Francisco, Group D (FS1, Telemundo)
// Timestamp 06/19/26 8:03am
Brazil fans work to avoid Rocky curse again of Philly game
International soccer supporters, be warned — clothe the Rocky statue at your own risk.
The fans of the Ecuadorian national team learned Sunday what many NFL fans already know about draping their colors over the statue of Rocky on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum.
Ecuadorian supporters fitted Rocky with a yellow La Tri kit, then saw their team concede a 90th-minute winner in its FIFA World Cup group-stage opener against Ivory Coast on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field (aka Philadelphia Stadium).
The effects of the “Rocky curse” are well-documented when it comes to football, but it was relatively untested on the beautiful game. Ecuador lost, 1-0, to the Ivorian side, which entered the tournament ranked 10 spots behind La Tri in the FIFA World Ranking.
With Brazil coming to Philly for a Group C match against Haiti on Friday (8:30 p.m., Fox29), Movimento Verde Amarelo, Brazil’s main supporters’ group, went to great lengths to ensure the yellow and green of the Canarinho stayed off the Rocky statue.
The Rocky statue was roped off with a four-post retractable nylon stanchion, with four members of MVA, sunglasses on and earpiece in, standing at attention at each corner as Brazilian fans gathered for a rally in front of the Art Museum.
The bodyguards discouraged fans from draping any Brazilian garb on the statue, holding signs that read:
“Operation Rocky Protectors — Attention: it is forbidden to put Brazilian colors on the statue.”
Matheus Henrique, 30, was one of the MVA members protecting the statue. Henrique, a native of Belém, Brazil, moved to Los Angeles a decade ago for college.
Henrique is friends with the person who helped organize Brazil’s takeover of the steps and responded when a call went out for volunteers to guard the statue.
“It’s a superstition, we heard,” Henrique said. “We’re enjoying the event as well.”
// Timestamp 06/19/26 8:00am
Christian Pulisic’s status a mystery ahead of USMNT-Australia
There was no surprise news about Christian Pulisic from U.S. men’s soccer team manager Mauricio Pochettino in his news conference before Friday’s game against Australia (3 p.m., Fox29, Telemundo 62). Pochettino did not rule the star playmaker in or out, and that was not surprising.
“As you know, he was training in an individual way the whole week,” Pochettino said. “But like always, I think tonight, the day before the game, we have a meeting with our medical area, and we will assess the whole group, the players, and tomorrow we will communicate all the things that we can agree tonight.”
Pulisic was seen briefly at the start of Thursday’s practice, then headed off to work on his own. When he arrived, he wasn’t wearing the sleeve over his injured left calf that he sported on Wednesday. But after a few minutes, he sat down on a bench by the sideline and put it on.
“He is evolving, he is much better from [last] Friday,” Pochettino said. “I think at the moment we’ll see. … He’s doing a massive effort trying to be ready.”
The manager also praised Pulisic for being “strong and with a great mentality” as the Hershey native works to be ready for kickoff.
Asked who might play if Pulisic can’t go, Pochettino didn’t answer. This was no surprise either.
“I will tell tomorrow if that is the situation,” he said. “At the moment, we are evaluating all the possibilities just in case, and then we will decide when we have the confirmation in one or another direction tonight.”
// Timestamp 06/19/26 7:57am
Brazil vs. Haiti: How to watch and stream
The second of six World Cup matches will take place Friday night in Philadelphia, with Brazil taking on Haiti (8:30 p.m., Fox) in Group C action.
Calling the game on Fox tonight will be veteran soccer announcer Ian Darke, joined by former U.S. men’s national great Landon Donovan. Natalie Gedra will handle reporting at Philadelphia Stadium, otherwise known as Lincoln Financial Field.
Brazil vs Haiti
- Time: 8:30 p.m. Philly time
- Location: Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Financial Field)
- TV: Fox (Ian Darke, Landon Donovan)
- Spanish: Telemundo (Luis Omar Tapia, Diego Balado)
- Streaming: Tubi, Fox One
Philadelphia 2026 World Cup schedule
Philadelphia was the star during its first 2026 World Cup match, which featured an Ivory Coast upset in front of a re-branding Lincoln Financal Field filled with Ecuador fans.
Philadelphia Stadium, as it’s called during the tournament, will host five more World Cup games, including a Round of 16 matchup on July 4.
It’s highly unlikely the U.S. will end up in Philly for that game, but it’s not impossible. Here’s what would need to happen.
Here’s Philly’s remaining World Cup schedule:
- Brazil vs. Haiti: Friday, June 19, 9 p.m. (Fox)
- 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)
- Round of 16: Saturday, July 4, 5 p.m. (FOX)
// Timestamp 06/19/26 7:55am
