Friday’s FIFA Membership World Cup match between Brazilian facet Flamengo and English crew Chelsea noticed two golf equipment and fanbases returning to Lincoln Monetary Area.
Flamengo had earned a 2-0 win over Tunisia’s Espérance de Tunisie in Monday evening’s opener in Philly, whereas Chelsea final performed on the Linc in 2023.
Pedro Junker, from East Brunswick, N.J., was at Chelsea’s sport towards Brighton and Hove Albion, a part of the first-ever English Premier League Summer time Sequence.
This sport felt totally different for him and different supporters of the London superclub — and that was earlier than it was a 3-1 victory for Flamengo earlier than a raucous crowd of 54,019 followers.
“This one appears like we’re extra of an underdog,” he mentioned. “Final time, it was much more Chelsea followers than Brighton followers. This time, I do know there’s extra Flamengo followers right here.”
Flamengo, together with Esperance, confirmed how they’ll dial up a soccer environment on Monday, making the group of not fairly 26,000 appear to be it was a lot, way more.
Friday afternoon, the followers of the Rio de Janeiro-based membership made their presence felt across the metropolis once more as they made their option to the Sports activities Advanced. Subway vehicles on the Broad Road Line rang with Portuguese soccer songs and chants.
Additionally they confirmed they’ll additionally throw an honest tailgate, filling out the a number of the Wells Fargo Heart subsequent to the Linc with chants, music, tantalizing grills, waving flags and the occasional firework or three.
Harley, a Flamengo fan residing in San Francisco, mentioned the environment reminded him of when he used to stay in Rio.
“It’s like recollections from Maracanã [the home stadium of Flamengo],” he mentioned. “The folks right here, the crowds. It’s a superb reminiscence.”
The sport, and the match, additionally had extra at stake in comparison with the summer time sequence and the opposite friendlies the stadium has hosted because it was picked as one among 16 cities throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico that will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This version of the Membership World Cup drastically expanded the groups taking part, from seven groups to 32, all competing for a complete match prize pool of $1 billion.
“I do know this sport truly issues,” Junker mentioned. “I need to watch video games that matter. The pleasant was enjoyable, however that is what I’m trying ahead to.”
Flamengo rallies for win
The stakes performed out on the sector in a carefully contested, aggressive match. Chelsea’s Pedro Neto opened the scoring on a counterattack after miscommunication by Flamengo’s Wesley and Erick Pulgar gathering the ball.
Flamengo got here near scoring a number of instances and at last discovered an equalizer within the 62nd minute, with ahead Bruno Henrique’s tap-in from a ball headed throughout objective. The crew scored once more three minutes later when Danilo volleyed in one other ball headed again throughout objective, this time on a nook.
Chelsea’s possibilities of mounting a comeback pale when striker Nicholas Jackson was given a straight crimson card, and disqualified from the match, simply 4 minutes after approaching as an alternative, for a harmful deal with. The Brazilian crew’s third objective, scored within the 83rd minute by substitute Wallace Yan, added to the Flamengo followers’ jubilation and the Chelsea followers’ collective distress.
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Flamengo’s Bruno Henrique celebrates after scoring in the course of the Membership World Cup Group D soccer match between Flamengo and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photograph/Derik Hamilton) -
Flamengo’s Wallace Yan celebrates after scoring in the course of the Membership World Cup Group D soccer match between Flamengo and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photograph/Derik Hamilton) -
Flamingo followers burn torches in the course of the Membership World Cup Group D soccer match between Flamengo and Chelsea in Philadelphia, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photograph/Derik Hamilton)
A extra stage enjoying subject
Flamengo, Esperance and the opposite non-European groups taking part on this tourney typically get overshadowed by the English and European sides, who are likely to obtain the vast majority of cash, prime gamers and a focus in membership soccer. Flamengo is a wealthy membership, with an estimated 50 million followers globally, however not Chelsea wealthy.
Joel Guimares, Brazilian-born however presently based mostly in Boston, mentioned that many Flamengo followers see this match as an opportunity to indicate that the monetary disparity between English and Brazilian soccer isn’t all the things.
“Premier League has more cash, however now we have extra ardour,” he mentioned.
This version of the Membership World Cup additionally serves because the de facto tuneup competitors for the World Cup, since lots of the 12 venues this 12 months might be among the many 16 internet hosting the World Cup throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico subsequent 12 months, together with Philly.
The Linc will host eight video games throughout subsequent 12 months’s match — six group-stage video games, a round-of-16 sport and a quarterfinal, which can occur on July 4.
Gareth Watkins, 12, Tyler Czerwinski, 15, and Layton Value, 13, got here with their households from numerous components of Delaware for the sport. The Chelsea followers had been additionally on the Linc for the 2023 sport. This time, they, too, felt outnumbered.
A preview of 2026
Tyler mentioned he feels just like the pregame environment Friday is what Philly can count on subsequent summer time.
“I really feel like that is sort of shut, nevertheless it doesn’t match what the vitality might be,” he mentioned. “However it’s fairly dang shut.”
Gareth expects way more.
“This, instances 10,” he predicted.
The Linc’s subsequent match kicks off on Sunday at midday, between Italian membership Juventus and Morocco’s Wydad, which misplaced, 2-0, to Manchester Metropolis on Wednesday. Juventus gamers and employees, together with American gamers Weston McKennie and Tim Weah, had been a part of a clumsy White Home go to this week, the place President Donald Trump made remarks about Israel’s battle with Iran and transgender athletes in sports activities whereas internet hosting the crew within the Oval Workplace. Philly will host 5 extra video games on this match, together with a quarterfinal on the Fourth of July.