Pennsylvania hosted six FIFA World Cup 2026 matches in Philadelphia from June 14 to July 4, drawing more than 500,000 visitors, including business and government leaders from over 25 countries.
The matches included Côte d’Ivoire vs Ecuador; Brazil vs Haiti; France vs Iraq; Curaçao vs Côte d’Ivoire; Croatia vs Ghana; and France vs Paraguay. The final match was held on July 4, exactly 250 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia.
According to projections by Philadelphia Soccer 2026, the nonprofit organizing committee, the World Cup matches are expected to inject more than $770 million into Pennsylvania’s economy, create 6,615 jobs, and generate $51 million in tax revenue. Final visitor and economic impact figures are still being calculated.
Governor Josh Shapiro and Philadelphia Soccer 2026 distributed free FIFA World Cup tickets to 19 community and nonprofit organizations across Pennsylvania to ensure accessibility.
“Philadelphia showed the world what a World Cup Host City looks like. Six matches, hundreds of thousands of visitors, and a level of energy in our streets that no one will soon forget,” said Meg Kane, Host City Executive and CEO of Philadelphia Soccer 2026.
Anne Ryan, Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of Tourism, said, “All eyes continue to be on our Commonwealth during this once-in-a-generation year. The fans who visited for these World Cup matches were able to experience our culture, creativity, and community, and I’m sure they’ll come back for future trips to see even more of what Pennsylvania has to offer.”
Philadelphia’s FIFA Fan Festival remains free and open to the public through July 19 at Lemon Hill in East Fairmount Park, with entry managed through an online registration platform.
Three Commonwealth FIFA Fan Zones are scheduled in Reading and Scranton on July 18 and 19 and in Pittsburgh on July 19. The free fan zones offer large-screen broadcasts of matches, live entertainment, interactive soccer fan experiences, and food and beverages.
