World Cup 2026: Is Philadelphia the best host city for fans?

Philadelphia may not have hosted an opening ceremony, and it won’t be the venue for the final, but the city certainly seems to have been one of the big winners of the World Cup.

Philadelphia Stadium – AKA Lincoln Financial Field, home of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles - has been full for games involving the likes of Brazil, France and Ivory Coast. In the first two weeks of the tournament, 250,000 people had been through the gates to watch games on big screens at the fan park.

Lee James and John Bennett examine the fan experience in the city, with John visiting a tailgate before the Brazil v Haiti game, chatting to fans and sampling the food on offer. Lee then visits all four of the main US sports teams in the city - the Eagles, Phillies, 76ers and Flyers - to learn more about Philadelphia’s sporting heritage.

He also hears from Meg Kane, the host city executive for Philadelphia Soccer 2026, about why the city wanted to host games and what benefits it brings.

More than the Score brings you more than the men’s football World Cup - the new teams, standout stars, trends and fandoms shaping the tournament in ways the stats don’t show. With 48 teams competing across Mexico, the US and Canada, BBC World Service promises to take you deeper - from the group stages to the final. Search for More than the Score wherever you get your BBC podcasts.