2026 FIFA World Cup: Fan Festivities Erupt from Times Square to Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Ticket prices and attendance numbers might have made headlines as they were, and still are, concerns around the World Cup, but if the tournament has shown anything in its opening days, it's that soccer and the fans of the game will find a way. From Brazilian fans taking over Times Square on Friday before drawing Morocco 1-1 on Saturday, to Ecuadorian fans coming out en masse at the Art Museum steps in Philadelphia, and fans of all backgrounds coming for the free FIFA fan fest at Lemon Hill Park in the stadium.

It was quite an atmosphere of chanting and fans enjoying the soccer without needing to pay an exorbitant price tag to get in, and even more importantly, the atmosphere was there. "Ole's" and competing chants of Brazil and Morocco could be heard with each fan group wanting to assert their team's dominance by being louder than those around them. But once the game ended, all were still friends, showing how soccer can be a sport that unites even if you're on opposite ends of the rooting spectrum for 90 minutes or more.

Talking to fans who turned out to the Philly fanfest, many planned on returning to the one-million-square-foot venue more than once already and were planning to come back for more, since,in Philadelphia, the fan fest will run until the end of the tournament despite the final game in the city taking place on July 4. And, as you feel the crowd screaming as 10 minutes of stoppage time are added to a dramatic match, you can understand why. You can even apply for a permit to tailgate -- which isn't allowed at the stadiums without a parking pass --, and it's more family-friendly than a soccer bar, the perfect atmosphere for those who don't want to shell out for the exorbitantly priced tickets.

And before the games have started the atmosphere has been amazing as well. Fans have traveled from far and wide, and I had the opportunity to get swept up in the Brazilian fan group Movimento Verde Amarelo's fest in Times Square on Friday as fans were singing, bouncing around inflatable jerseys, and even had a giant bust of Vinicius Junior to set the tone for their World Cup run.

The real feel of 100 degrees Fahrenheit outside wasn't going to deter them, and it's clear that it's a moment that meant the world to those fans as they prepare to support the Selecao and also indoctrinate others into doing the same.

"It has a lot of meaning because I brought my son to the World Cup, and it's a mix of feelings from supporting Brazil and being together with my son for this moment," one fan said about what supporting the team means to him.

It doesn't take much looking around these games so far to see what that passion means to the fans, either. Another fan said, "We're not Brazil fans, we're Brazilian," echoing the level of commitment that happens when born into families in South America.

"I will live it as a fan; it brings communities together to root for the same thing, and I think the opportunity to do that and an opportunity for a component of the tournament to be in Mexico will be really exciting, so that there's more opportunity for people to have proximity to it, definitely. I think the Latinos are going to bring the heat, the passion, the flavor, the joy, and the celebrations for sure," Global Vice President & General Manager Football/Soccer at Nike, Camilo Andrade said.

These are small examples of the phenomenon that is sweeping the nation. It's the biggest World Cup in history, and while parts of the experience may be controversially expensive, soccer's ability to transcend time and place remains undefeated. In the streets of New York City, at fanfests around the host nations, and everywhere else, the World Cup remains a joyous occasion, popular and accessible for fans of all stripes, sizes, and rooting interests. And it's only opening weekend.

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_Originally reported by [CBS Sports](https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/times-square-philadelphia-soccer-fans-2026-fifa-world-cup/)._