The Membership World Cup begins this Saturday when Egyptian facet Al Ahly tackle Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami at Miami’s Arduous Rock Stadium.
Philly can be a number within the month-long international soccer celebration, starting this Monday and lasting till the Fourth of July. For those who haven’t been following alongside — or desire a fast refresher — listed below are a number of the important particulars to know.
What’s the Membership World Cup?
The Membership World Cup is FIFA’s event to crown the world’s greatest membership staff, versus the World Cup that options nationwide groups. FIFA is providing groups a complete event prize pool of $1 billion, with the winners incomes as much as $125 million.
The event options essentially the most profitable golf equipment on this planet over the previous few years and this iteration of the event unveils a brand new format, switching the occasion from annual to each 4 years and significantly increasing the variety of groups to 32 from the earlier seven.
It additionally replaces the Confederations Cup because the de facto tune-up competitors for the World Cup, since most of the 12 venues this 12 months can be among the many 16 internet hosting the World Cup throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico subsequent 12 months, together with Philly.
Lincoln Monetary Area will host eight video games of the event — six group-stage video games, a round-of-16 recreation and a quarterfinal, which can occur on July 4.
Which groups are taking part in in Philly?
Listed below are the eight groups taking part in at Lincoln Monetary Area this summer season, together with some particulars chances are you’ll or could not find out about them.
Chelsea
One of many English Premier League’s giants since Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich took over the facet in 2003, the London staff is now owned by a consortium headed by Los Angeles Dodgers co-owners Todd Boehly and Mark Walter. The staff’s star participant is 23-year-old midfielder Cole Palmer. Chelsea has gained the event as soon as and has performed a number of preseason video games on the Linc beforehand, most not too long ago within the first-ever English Premier League Summer time Collection in 2023.
Espérance de Tunisie
ES Tunis for brief, this staff from the harbor metropolis of Radé is essentially the most profitable membership in Tunisia. This would be the staff’s fourth look on the event, with its greatest end result being fifth place within the outdated format.
Flamengo
The Rio de Janeiro-based membership shaped initially as a rowing membership and is traditionally linked with a working-class fan base. The staff is estimated to have a outstanding 50 million followers globally, so anticipate to see a number of red- and black-striped jerseys across the metropolis across the time the staff performs two video games right here.
Manchester Metropolis
One other English staff that has been uplifted by a current influx of funds from new possession, Manchester Metropolis has been a dominant pressure below Spanish coach Pep Guardiola because it was taken over by a United Arab Emirates-backed funding group. Norway’s Erling Haaland, Spain’s Rodri and England’s Phil Foden are a part of one of the beneficial squads within the sport.
Juventus
The Turin membership is Italy’s most profitable staff and has one of many extra various lists of nicknames in soccer, together with “the Outdated Girl,” “the Girlfriend of Italy” and “the Zebras.” U.S. males’s nationwide staff stars Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah are on the staff. McKennie is a vice-captain.
Actual Madrid
The richest membership on this planet was additionally voted FIFA’s membership of the twentieth century, and has gained extra Membership World Cups (5) than every other facet. France’s Kylian Mbappé, Brazil’s Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, and England’s Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold headline this present iteration of the staff’s “Galácticos” facet.
FC Pink Bull Salzburg
This Austrian facet is considered one of plenty of groups around the globe owned by power drink and sports activities conglomerate Pink Bull, which additionally run the Philadelphia Union’s main rival, the New York Pink Bulls. It has been a dominant pressure in Austria’s competitions for the previous decade, and helped produce future superstars together with Haaland.
Wydad
This Casablanca-based staff was initially shaped for water polo and is Africa’s most profitable membership of the twentieth century, should you whole up all its home and continental titles. Amongst these, it has been topped the champion of Africa thrice, which is barely surpassed by ES Tunis and three different groups on the continent.
When are the video games in Philly?
Right here is the total schedule on the Linc, together with ticket hyperlinks by means of Ticketmaster, that are nonetheless accessible and have been trending downwards in worth in current weeks. FIFA has group packages, ticket resale and different ticket data on its web site.
Group Stage
June 16, 9 p.m.: Group D – Flamengo vs. Espérance Sportive de Tunis
June 18, midday: Group G – Manchester Metropolis vs. Wydad AC
June 20, 2 p.m.: Group D – Flamengo vs. Chelsea
June 22, midday: Group G – Juventus vs. Wydad AC
June 24, 9 p.m.: Group D – Espérance Sportive de Tunis vs. Chelsea
June 26, 9 p.m.: Group H – Pink Bull Salzburg vs. Actual Madrid
Knockout rounds
June 28, midday: Spherical-of-16 recreation
July 4, 9 p.m.: Quarterfinal recreation
What are the opposite groups and video games?
The total group draw is as follows:
Group A
- Palmeiras (Brazil)
- Porto (Portugal)
- Al Ahly (Egypt)
- Inter Miami (United States)
Group B
- Paris Saint-Germain (France)
- Atlético Madrid (Spain)
- Botafogo (Brazil)
- Seattle Sounders (United States)
Group C
- Bayern Munich (Germany)
- Auckland Metropolis (New Zealand)
- Benfica (Portugal)
- Boca Juniors (Argentina)
Group D
- Flamengo (Brazil)
- ES Tunis (Tunisia)
- Chelsea (England)
- Los Angeles FC (United States)
Group E
- River Plate (Argentina)
- Urawa Pink Diamonds (Japan)
- Monterrey (Mexico)
- Inter Milan (Italy)
Group F
- Fluminense (Brazil)
- Borussia Dortmund (Germany)
- Ulsan HD (South Korea)
- Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)
Group G
- Manchester Metropolis (England)
- Wydad AC (Morocco)
- Al Ain (United Arab Emirates)
- Juventus (Italy)
Group H
- Actual Madrid (Spain)
- Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
- Pachuca (Mexico)
- Pink Bull Salzburg (Austria)
And right here is how the total schedule seems to be.
The place else can I watch the event?
For those who plan on catching any of the video games on the Linc and need to use public transport, SEPTA has a information with particulars about its added service for the event.
All 63 video games will air without cost on DAZN’s streaming platform. Choose video games can even air on TNT in English and in Spanish on Univision.
If you wish to catch a number of the event’s different video games or soccer festivities, there can be a number of watch social gathering choices across the metropolis, organized by Philadelphia Soccer 2026, the group making ready Philly for subsequent 12 months’s FIFA World Cup.
On Tuesday, June 17, Dock Avenue Brewery South is having a Membership World Cup trivia night time from 5:30 to eight:30 p.m., with prizes, and two video games on the screens at 6 p.m: Ulsan HD in opposition to Mamelodi Sundowns and Monterrey versus Inter Milan. You’ll be able to register right here.
From 3 to six p.m. on Thursday, June 19, Lion Sports activities Bar in Chinatown is exhibiting two of the MLS sides within the event, with Miami taking up Porto and the Seattle Sounders taking part in in opposition to Atlético Madrid. Particulars and registration for which are right here.
On Saturday, June 21, from 5 to eight p.m., North Philly nonprofit Lighthouse 1893 is exhibiting Fluminense in opposition to Ulsan HD and River Plate taking up Monterrey, each kicking off at 6 p.m. This occasion can even have in-person soccer video games, in addition to stay music and leisure. Registration is right here.
After Sunday, June 22’s recreation between Juventus and Wydad on the Linc, and earlier than the Phillies night recreation in opposition to the Mets, there can be a block social gathering on Residents Financial institution Approach, with abilities challenges and different actions.
Lastly, on Wednesday, June 25, Two Locals Brewery in West Philly can be exhibiting Borussia Dortmund in opposition to Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns taking up Fluminense, with specials and prizes on provide. This occasion runs from 2:30 to five:30 p.m. and each matches kick off at 3 p.m. Register right here.