FIFA Club World Cup: Lincoln Financial Field, city hotels and pubs prepare

Lincoln Financial Field, city hotels and pubs prepare for FIFA Club World Cup

The FIFA Club World Cup will kick off in 11 cities across the country, including in Philadelphia, in less than two weeks. Here's how the city is preparing.

PHILADELPHIA - In less than two weeks, the FIFA Club World Cup will kick off in 11 cities across the country, including right here in Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field.

What we know:

On Tuesday, grounds crews installed the pitch, or turf, as part of the next phase in preparing the venue to host eight matches starting June 16.

"This was a longtime coming," said Tony Leonard, Vice President of Grounds for the Philadelphia Eagles. "We’ve been in the planning stages for years, it’s kind of the icing on the cake. We’re excited to get the lines on, the goals up, and make it look like a true soccer field."

Planning is also underway at city bars and restaurants to welcome fans of the powerhouse clubs competing, like Fado and Tir na nOg. 

At Tir na nOg, Executive General Manager, Dani Corbett, says there is already a schedule of events for Chelsea F.C. and Manchester City F.C. fans at the pub. 

She is urging visitors to sign up for their newsletter to stay up to date.

"Soccer is our culture, it’s our bread and butter, it’s what we do every day, and so to have an event like this coming to Philly is super important to us," she said. "We’re expecting to be busier than normal and have a busier than normal summer, we know they’re coming in from out of the country, out of the state, to come see their team, so we’re definitely staffing up and preparing."

Executive Director of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, Ed Grose, says while city hotels still have availability, they are excited for an economic boost and practice run this summer ahead of the city hosting World Cup games in 2026.

"International soccer fans, we love them, they travel well, they bring a lot of energy with them, they spend a lot of money which we like, and they have a great time when they’re here," said Grose. "It’s great not just for the owners of the hotels, but it goes right down to our frontline team members. Our Uber drivers do really well, our restaurants, our bars, our attractions, our museums, even right down to our street vendors, everyone benefits when we see an influx especially when they’re coming from a foreign destination."

What's next:

The first group stage match will kick off at Lincoln Financial Field on Monday, June 16th, at 9:00 p.m. 

For tickets for FIFA Club World Cup, visit their website.