With 100 days remaining before the FIFA World Cup 2026 begins on June 11, celebrations have started across North America as cities, broadcasters, and fans prepare for the global tournament. In Philadelphia, a pep rally drew hundreds of fans to a Center City high-rise lobby Tuesday as organizers launched the city’s countdown to the event.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Brandon Graham hosted the rally and opened the celebration with the familiar “E-A-G-L-E-S” chant used at Lincoln Financial Field. He then introduced soccer chants expected to echo in the stadium during the World Cup matches scheduled in Philadelphia. When Graham shouted “Allez,” the crowd responded with “Les Bleus,” referencing France’s national soccer team. When he sang “olé, olé, olé, olé,” fans replied “Brazil, Brazil.” Both nations are past World Cup champions and appear among the countries scheduled to play at Lincoln Financial Field during the tournament.
Graham told the crowd, “We got 100 days till the World Cup come to our city. I hope y’all ready.”
Philadelphia is one of 16 host cities selected for the 2026 tournament. Lincoln Financial Field will host six matches. Five group-stage games begin June 14, and the city’s final match will be a Round of 16 knockout game scheduled for July 4, which coincides with Philadelphia’s celebrations of the United States’ 250th birthday.
Teams expected to play in the city include Brazil, France, Croatia, Ghana, Ecuador, Haiti and Curaçao. Ivory Coast selected Subaru Park in Chester as its training base during the tournament.
Attendees at the rally received flags representing competing nations. A chalk wall invited participants to write their favorite “Phan” traditions and Philadelphia sports memories. The Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble performed during the event, and mascots from local teams appeared, including Eagles mascot Swoop, Flyers mascot Gritty and Philadelphia Union mascot Phang.
Michelle Singer, co-chair of the group planning Philadelphia’s portion of the World Cup, described how the city plans to welcome international visitors. “We’re going to show visiting soccer fans our unmistakable passion, our grit, our energy and we’re going to make them feel home in Philadelphia,” she said.
Meg Kane, host city executive and CEO of Philadelphia Soccer 2026, spoke to the crowd about the city’s sports culture. “When I say there is no better sports city in the United States, and maybe the world, I don’t just believe it, I live it every day, and so do you,” Kane said. “And that’s what we need the world to feel this summer.”
During the rally, Philadelphia Soccer 2026 introduced a promotional effort called “How Do You Phan?” along with a hype video connected to the campaign. Kane said the initiative invites fans to learn about the teams traveling to the city and participate in what she described as a cross-cultural exchange. “‘How Do You Phan?’ is an opportunity for die-hard soccer fans to learn about the teams coming, build that interest, and feel part of this cross-cultural exchange that’s once in a lifetime,” she said.
Fans attending the rally described the atmosphere inside the event space. Patrick Malloy of Doylestown said, “This environment is electric. I didn’t know there were so many soccer fans in Philadelphia.” Jose Palomeque of Glenside spoke about economic expectations linked to the tournament. “Restaurants, hospitality, everybody will be benefiting from this,” he said. “But at the end of the day, it’s also the community impact.”
Additional fan events and experiences are planned in the coming weeks as Philadelphia prepares for the tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place across Canada, Mexico and the United States, with 16 host cities participating. FIFA expects 6.5 million fans to travel during the event. Countdown clocks in Mexico City’s Zócalo, Times Square in New York and Harbour Square in Vancouver have been synchronized to show the remaining days until kickoff.
The opening match will be played June 11 at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, located in the Santa Úrsula area. After renovations ahead of the tournament, the stadium will become the first venue to host three World Cup opening matches, having previously done so in 1970 and 1986. Mexico will face South Africa in the opening game.
The tournament will include 104 matches and conclude July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The 2026 edition expands the competition from 32 teams to 48 teams. At the 100-day countdown point, 42 teams had already qualified, while six places remained open through playoff matches. The format introduces 12 groups of four teams. Organizers have divided the competition into East, Central and West regions to reduce travel distances for teams and fans across North America.
Rule changes confirmed by the International Football Association Board will debut during the tournament. Timed substitutions will require a player leaving the field to exit within 10 seconds. If that time limit is exceeded, the team will play for one minute with one fewer player. Goalkeepers and players taking throw-ins will have a visible five-second countdown to restart play, and failure to do so results in possession being awarded to the opposing team. The Video Assistant Referee system will also expand its role; VAR can overturn “clearly incorrect” second yellow cards.
The tournament will include new technology inside stadiums. Venues will operate with 6G connectivity, and a semi-automated 3D offside detection system will produce instant animations displayed on stadium screens. Fans attending matches will also receive the offside animations through augmented reality on their mobile devices.
Broadcast coverage preparations in the United States are underway. FOX Sports, the English-language broadcaster for the FIFA World Cup 2026, launched a company-wide celebration tied to the 100-day countdown. Eric Shanks, CEO and Executive Producer of FOX Sports, described the production effort.
“I’m incredibly proud of how everyone at FOX has come together to ring in 100 days to this iconic tournament as we prepare to deliver the most ambitious production in sports broadcast history,” Shanks said. “The coordination, dedication and planning taking place behind the scenes, here at home in the United States and in Mexico and Canada, reflect our commitment to creating the best presentation ever around the historic competition and we look forward to being America’s home where fans unite to watch and celebrate FIFA World Cup 2026 over 39 days this summer.”
