(The Center Square) – As Philadelphia is now less than three months away from hosting its first World Cup match, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that three other Pennsylvania cities will also provide fan experiences for the biggest sporting event in the world.
“We’re going to have a lot of excitement and opportunity in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection in Philadelphia, but we’ve also been very, very clear that FIFA cannot only be in Philadelphia,” Shapiro said during a press conference on Thursday in Reading. “It’s got to be all across this commonwealth.”
Describing it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Pennsylvania, Shapiro announced on Thursday that Reading, Scranton, and Pittsburgh will also host FIFA World Cup Fan Zones to watch games.
Each Fan Zone, according to Visit PA, “blends the tournament with what makes each place its own: Local food and drinks. Live music. Soccer activations. Space to hang out, show up with friends, or make new ones. And, they’re all free and open to the public, with advance registration to keep things comfortable.”
Fan Zone events in Pittsburgh are scheduled for July 4, 5, 9, and 19 at Acrisure Stadium.
Courthouse Square will host fan zone events in Scranton on July 4, 5, 6, 18, and 19.
And in Reading, Santander Arena will host fan zone events on July 3, 4, 18, and 19.
“But it doesn’t stop there, folks, we’re not going to leave it just with that,” said Reading Mayor Eddie Moran on Thursday. “We’re going to create, right outside the arena on Penn Street, a block party atmosphere: live entertainment, games, activities, kids fun activities, local vendors, concerts and, of course, great food.”
“It’s going to be a welcoming, family friendly experience right in the heart of a downtown,” he added.
Shapiro said that the World Cup is expected to draw 500,000 visitors to Pennsylvania, generate over $700 million in economic impact, and create 6,615 jobs in the state.
Meg Kane is serving as the Host City Executive & CEO of Philadelphia Soccer 2026, the local organizing committee for the FIFA World Cup in Philadelphia.
She explained that the process of attracting the World Cup to the state dates back to 2017, just days after Philadelphia hosted the NFL Draft.
“This is the most powerful economic engines on the planet in terms of sports and its impact won’t and should not stop at the Philadelphia city limits,” Kane said. “We are talking about hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism, hospitality, and business activity flowing to every corner of Pennsylvania.”
Shapiro also noted that some of the matches in the Reading Fan Zone will be broadcast in Spanish.
“I will tell you the matches may be in Philly, but I think the heart and soul of FIFA is going to be all across Pennsylvania, including right here in Reading, and we should get psyched for that,” he said.
Philadelphia is slated to host six FIFA World Cup matches. Five of those will be in the group stage, while one will be a round of 16 knockout match on July 4.
The FIFA fan festival at Lemon Hill in Philadelphia, which is also free and open to the public, will last all 39 days of the tournament from June 11 to July 19.
In addition to the FIFA World Cup, Pennsylvania will be hosting several other high-profile sporting events later this year.
Next month, the NFL Draft will take place in Pittsburgh. In May, the PGA Championship will be held at the Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, in the suburbs of Philadelphia, and in July, the MLB All-Star Game will head to Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
