Philadelphia plans 'surprise and delight element' at FIFA World Cup Fan Festival

World CupPhiladelphia plans 'surprise and delight element' at FIFA World Cup Fan FestivalThe city expects thousands of visitors ahead of six games this summer. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00FIFA World Cup 26 Philadelphia signage on the exterior of the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia in 2025.Erica Denhoff / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 4, 2026, 6:20 AM EDTBy Doha MadaniThe team behind Philadelphia’s World Cup host committee hopes to showcase the city’s history and notorious enthusiasm for sports to the thousands of visitors expected this summer, culminating in a major Fourth of July celebration in the city that served as the heart of the American revolution on its 250th anniversary. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Fan experience was the priority for the city’s host committee, which plans events around six FIFA World Cup games to be played at Lincoln Financial Field this summer, host committee CEO Meg Kane said. At the heart of the planning is the Fan Festival, a massive watch party each host city puts on for soccer lovers who were unable to get tickets to the tournament. Kane, who jokingly referred to herself as the World Cup’s chief cheerleader, said the Fan Festival should build momentum and offer a Philly flavor that brings people back. “We wanted to create this experience that would be different than any other sports experience that Philadelphians had seen or that visitors would expect from Philadelphia,” Kane said. “We’re a city where I think we have a bit of a surprise and delight element, and so we wanted that to shine through.” The Fan Festival will be hosted at Lemon Hill in East Fairmount Park, an area just north of the Philadelphia Museum of Art along the banks of the Schuylkill River. Residents and tourists will be able to access the area for all 39 days of the World Cup to watch games, experience performances and b...