“It tastes like oil from a real cheesesteak wrapper,” proclaims the slogan of Mama-Tee’s Philly cheesesteak-flavored extra virgin olive oil.
Mama-Tees are community fridges, notable for their bright yellow paint jobs, that are scattered around Philadelphia. The cheesesteak oil ($19) is part of a fundraiser to combat food insecurity locally, along with three other flavored oils: Basil Bliss, Truffle Love, and Pepper Pleaser. Proceeds go to helping fill the fridges with food. So if the oil prompts cheesesteak-flavored burps, it would do so in the name of a noble cause.
We at The Inquirer had to do a taste test.
Is this merely a novelty or could it have legitimate culinary applications?
The ingredients of the Philly cheesesteak-flavored oil intriguingly are only “extra virgin olive oil” and “onion flavor.” How could these two ingredients, neither of which involves cheese nor steak, encompass the nuanced experience of consuming an actual cheesesteak? The Inquirer sought to get to the bottom of these questions.
“It smells like a deli case,” said food editor Margaret Eby. “There is a cheesiness to it. It’s like that cheese oil that gets trapped in a charred, upturned pepperoni cup on your pizza.”
“I think it should be called ‘hoagie oil,’” said food reporter Beatrice Forman.
“It is like unwrapping a hoagie,” agreed critic Craig LaBan. “When you get the vinaigrette soaking through the wrapper. And it tastes like French’s fried onions, but burnt.”
“I don’t know what it could be used for,” said food reporter Michael Klein.
“It tastes like old fryer oil,” grimaced reporter Ryan Briggs. “It’s gravitating toward capturing that cheesesteak shop smell when they’re frying all the onions.”
Reporter Max Marin poured the oil over his youtiao, a savory Chinese cruller, while at lunch at Lau Kee in Chinatown. “It’s got a chemical taste that makes me think there’s a number in one of its ingredients.” But does it make the youtiao taste like a cheesesteak? “It does not.”
Inquirer reporter Max Marin pours Mama-Tee’s Philly cheesesteak-flavored oil on his youtiao at Lau Kee.Kiki Aranita
Various Philly chefs were more open-minded in the cheesesteak oil’s applications.
“I think the flavor is great,” said Juan De Ocampo, sous chef at Fairmount’s Manong, as he poured the oil onto a pile of fried shrimp chips.
“I kind of like the cheesesteak oil,” said dancerobot’s Justin Bacharach. “It’s pungent and although I don’t cook with olive oil, I would use it to add a little funk and fat to a dish, like to dress an antipasto with South Philly vibes like sharp provolone and soppressata, and in the Japanese canon, I think it would be fun drizzled on top of a gyudon (beef and onions over rice) where you’d normally use mayu (a Japanese scorched black garlic oil).”
“It feels really heavy,” said Melissa Fernando, the chef behind long-running pop-up Sri’s Company. “In Sri Lankan food, we mostly use coconut oil to cook, but I suppose I’d use this to sauté onions and garlic.”
That perceived “heaviness” is easily addressed, according to 637 Sushi Club’s Kevin Yanaga, no stranger to unusual pairings. “I just need a lemon or something acidic with it. I could then use it on a fluke crudo. It’s rough and funky on its own, but salt and acid would help.”
After careful consideration of these diverse opinions, the Mama-Tee cheesesteak oil had only one test remaining to undergo: a side-by-side comparison between it and the oil from an actual cheesesteak wrapper.
A Del Rossi’s cheesesteak (wit onions, of course) was summoned. A wrapper was licked. A shot of cheesesteak oil was taken. The wrapper had the distinct advantage of beefiness. When applied directly to the cheesesteak, the oil oddly enhanced the cheesesteak’s flavor. And another thing the oil had in common with a real cheesesteak? Real cheesy, oniony burps after consumption.
A Del Rossi’s cheesesteak and Mama-Tee’s cheesesteak oil, consumed in unison.Kiki Aranita
Mama-Tee’s Philly cheesesteak oil ($19) can be purchased at Wegmans in King of Prussia, though more locations may be added soon.
The city is rolling back its geofence border around the FIFA Fan Festival to reduce the number of residential areas blocked from using rideshare.
The Philadelphia Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS) announced Thursday that it would shrink the geofence to exclude large residential buildings on Pennsylvania Avenue.
The geofence, which blocks people within its borders from using rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, will now shrink to the south of Aspen Street, about half a block from its original border at 25th and Meredith Streets.
“We’re continuing to work with the community, elected officials, and operational partners to improve the experience for everyone, including residents impacted by Lemon Hill festivities,” an OTIS spokesperson said.
Additionally, four blocks in Fairmount had been designated for rideshare pickups and drop-offs, but OTIS is reducing rideshare zones to two, allowing for more parking for permitted residents.
The rideshare pickup/drop-off zones are now located only near Eastern State Penitentiary, at 23rd Street and Fairmount Avenue, and the 2200 block of Fairmount Avenue.
This was well-received news for residents who live in the area and have been concerned about the geofence’s restriction on residents with mobility issues.
Paul Stewart, an 86-year-old resident who lives in one of the large apartment buildings that initially had been geofenced, relies on Uber to visit his doctor at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. But last week, when he planned to head to an appointment, he found he could not call a rideshare.
“The geofence that includes my building and all the businesses in the immediate area will continue for 39 days,” Stewart said before the geofence rollback. “Many people take Uber to and from the restaurants and bars in this neighborhood so that they can have a few drinks and not worry about driving drunk.”
Geofencing these large residential buildings and blocks was hindering everyday life, Stewart said. Now, he said, residents will be able to go about their business as they normally would.
The geofence reduction is just one of the adjustments the city has been making as it manages the traffic and fans around the FIFA Fan Festival in Lemon Hill. Since at least May, residents have been requesting traffic-calming measures on residential blocks. The Philadelphia Parking Authority and OTIS installed additional barricades and signage last week.
Each week, The Inquirer takes readers into a different home in the Philadelphia area, and its residents share what makes the place special.
They may mention the neighborhood, their custom renovation, or their antiques and thrifted treasures. Sometimes it’s the backyard where they cultivate life or the kitchen where they cook for family.
As our photographers work to capture the essence of these houses, apartments, condos, and gardens, they often come across the cats and dogs who live there, too. So this week, we’re going back to some of our Philly-area havens from the past year and taking a look through the eyes of the pets who live there.
Dipplin the dog plays with a toy in his Fishtown home’s living area, soaking in the sun despite the chill of the January day outside.Allie Ippolito / For The InquirerMark Paulson and Allison Langer’s cat, Frankie, rests in the living room of the couple’s Fairmount-area apartment.Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
Any city dweller, animals included, will tell you natural light is a coveted commodity. Dipplin the dog, who lives with Hunter Pippin and Kedzie Teller in Fishtown, has mastered the art of finding the sunspot. But his favorite part of the apartment, of course, is its two balconies ideal for people- and dog-watching, Pippin said.
For Claire the beagle and Conrail the teacup Yorkie (aka Connie), sunny days are even better at the Shore. Behind their bungalow in Ventnor, Amy and Zachary Bell added a fence so the two pooches can romp in the backyard. They also recently added a deck with a bay view, where the two dogs enjoy watching the sunset.
Sunbathing is a favorite pastime for Cruz, a pitbull-black Lab mix who lives in East Falls with Caroline Patten. The back patio is Cruz’s favorite place to be, Patten said.
Amy and Zachary Bell of Hammonton sit in the backyard of their Ventnor beach home with Claire, a 3-year-old beagle, and Connie, a 14-year-old Yorkshire terrier.Tim Hawk / For The InquirerCaroline Patten’s dog, Cruz, sniffs the patio behind her home in East Falls, where he loves to relax in the sun.Erin Blewett / For The InquirerDanielle and Jonah Abrams’ cat, Paloma, walked over a decorative rug in the couple’s South Philly backyard last September.Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
Paloma the cat, who lives with Danielle, Jonah, and Miriam Abrams in South Philadelphia, also enjoys backyard living. But she’s just as comfortable on the ivory sectional in their living room, which they chose in part for its pet-proof fabric and ability to hide cat hair.
And why not splurge on a pet-friendly piece of furniture? After all, some say the couch is the heart of the home.
These comfort-loving dogs couldn’t agree more.
Mya and Sage have plenty of space to recline on the plush couch in Nicala La Reau’s home in Fishtown.Allie Ippolito / For The InquirerCruz the dog sits on a quilt draped over the couch in Caroline Patten’s East Falls home.Erin Blewett / For The InquirerSophia Khan’s 12-year-old chihuahua mix, Paolo, lounges on the sectional in her colorfully designed living room in Kensington.Allie Ippolito / For The InquirerCarla Krash’s dog, Farfel, feels right at home on the couch in the art-filled living space of their Narberth home.Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
For feline family members, sometimes the best place to relax is where they can hide in camouflage.
The spiral staircase in Billie’s Fitler Square Victorian almost perfectly matched her coloring. It also served as a perfect vantage point for watching over the home that Billie, who recently died at the age of 16, shared with Natalie LaBossier.
For Frogbert the cat, it would be easy to go unnoticed on the black, white, and gray patterned rug in his mid-century modern living space. It really ties the room together at his home in Clifton Heights, where he lives with Genevieve DeChellis and Jesse Blankschen, as well as Ladybug the cat and Carl the turtle.
Billie the cat, who lived in Fitler Square with Natalie LaBossier, on the a spiral staircase. LaBossier said 16-year-old Billie died several weeks after their home was featured in The Inquirer and “after a lifetime of being the center of attention at dinner parties.”Allie Ippolito / For The InquirerGenevieve DeChellis’ cat, Frogbert, coordinates perfectly with a black and white rug at her home in Clifton Heights.Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
But not all cats like to blend in.
Olive, who lives in a Bella Vista apartment with Allie Osipov and Claire Borgerding, enjoys the small luxuries of her home that, like her wardrobe, allow her to stand out from the crowd.
This city cat has a dining space outfitted with a drinking fountain, a dish elevated on a pedestal, and a mirror to make the area feel even more abundantly bright and spacious.
It’s snack time for Olive the cat, who lives with Allie Osipov and Claire Borgerding in Bella Vista.Erin Blewett / For The InquirerA missing glass panel on the door to Osipov’s bedroom is no flaw at all — it provides the perfect portal for Olive to come and go.Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
Pets don’t get to choose where they live — if they ever find a way, sign me up to watch that House Hunters spin-off series.
But they often spend more time at home than the people they live with. So perhaps they’re the experts on what makes it just right.
Is your house a Haven? Nominate your home by email (and send some digital photographs) at properties@inquirer.com.
Justin Siebel woke up on Sunday to drive with his wife to the Pocono Raceway and enjoy the NASCAR Cup Series, a two-hour drive from their Fairmount home.
But when he walked to where he had parked his car a few days prior, near Harper Street, a block from the FIFA Fan Festival, the vehicle was gone.
Though Siebel had registered for special permit parking with the Philadelphia Parking Authority that allows residents to park in the neighborhood during the festival, his car was ticketed and towed to a South Philly tow yard.
“My wife and I did the right things, we registered our vehicles with PPA, and still came out to my car and it wasn’t there,” Siebel said.
Fairmount residents have been taking to social media to share accounts of parking tickets despite having registered for special permits. Since the fan festival started last week, residents have expressed concern over the city’s management of road closures, parking restrictions, and communication.
The PPA issued nearly 2,500 tickets for illegal parking in the festival parking enforcement zone over the weekend, with 173 of those tickets written in error to residents with valid parking permits, said Gabe Roberts, the agency’s acting executive director.PPA’s internal system has flagged these tickets for cancellation and will continue to flag wrongfully issued parking tickets by “cross-checking them with our existing residential parking permit holder lists,” Roberts said.
Residents who have permits and were wrongfully ticketed will receive a cancellation notice by mail, the PPA said.
“The PPA utilizes a daily internal accuracy control mechanism that identifies and cancels any FanFest Enforcement Zone ticket written in error for vehicles with valid residential parking permits or Lemon Hill permits,” a PPA spokesperson said. “Any vehicle towed in error will also have its violation canceled and all fees refunded. The PPA apologizes for any inconvenience.”
Most ticketed residents will simply have their ticket canceled, Roberts said. But four residents with valid parking permits had their vehicles towed, and later returned with no fees.
However, Siebel’s was not returned, and he needed to call PPA to locate his car, then call the tow yard in South Philly about picking it up. Siebel said he was initially told it would cost $238 to drive out of the tow yard, but his fees were waived upon arriving and he was able to freely leave with his car.
“It did cost me an Uber and an afternoon to retrieve. But I recommend that anyone else stay calm and use humor. Everyone in Philly has a sense of humor,” Siebel said.
Residents can contact the PPA with questions or to confirm that their ticket has been canceled by calling 215-683-9421 or 215-683-9677 or by emailing engageppa@philapark.org.
Only a few days into the World Cup, residents of Brewerytown and Fairmount, trapped inside the blast zone of the fan festival in their backyards, are seeing their fears realized.
Drivers are clogging up roads, rerouting, and sometimes speeding through neighborhood side streets due to road closures. Uber and Lyft services are offline for residents directly next to the festival during operating hours. Many residents are forced to navigate parking nightmares, turning everyday life into an exhausting headache.
It’s all for the sake of the FIFA Fan Festival, a 39-day, million-square-foot party taking over Lemon Hill and inviting 15,000 daily visitors to its picturesque fields. While city officials and event organizers roll out the red carpet and spend millions on World Cup fans, residents who for years have been pleading for Lemon Hill improvements say the festival will use their neighborhood and park at their expense.
“The sentiment right now is just the complete disrespect for the residents and that this is all being done for tourists,” said Nissa Eisenberg, Fairmount resident and co-organizer of the Lemon Hill Neighbors Association, the organization disseminating festival information and communicating with the city. “Everybody’s feeling pretty resentful, maybe cautiously optimistic, but also just not feeling respected as residents.”
Soccer fans gather to watch Mexico play South Africa on a giant screen during the opening day of the FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill on Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Philadelphia.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
The FIFA Fan Festival opened its gates to thousands of fans Thursday as not only the cheapest way to experience the revelry of a World Cup game (admission is free, though it requires registration),but also the melting pot of Philly’s best food and shopping. It is also the only fan festival across the 11 U.S. host cities that is open daily for the entire 39-day tournament, culminating on July 19.
If these changes weren’t tough to navigate already, city officials gave residents a little more than three weeks to prepare.
Temporary Residential Permit Parking sign on pole along N. 30th Street and Oxford Street, Thursday, June 11, 2026. Philadelphia Parking Authority is in the area ticketing and enforcing during FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill.Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer
“We’ve been talking with them for two years to engage neighbors with a plan, and they waited to communicate their plan until after people made their summer plans, after parents made driving schedules for their kids’ summer camps every week, and after people planned daily commutes,” Eisenberg said.
Charlotte Burns, a Fairmount resident and veterinarian, fears for other residents who work in hospitals and are often on call for medical emergencies. “For months we’ve known this was going to happen, but there has been nothing from the city,” Burns said, referring to the fact that door-knocking, flyers, and posters did not begin in earnest until weeks before the tournament.
(function() { var l = function() { new pym.Parent( ‘fifaroads2__graphic’, ‘https://media.inquirer.com/storage/inquirer/ai2html/fifaroads2/index.html’); }; if(typeof(pym) === ‘undefined’) { var h = document.getElementsByTagName(‘head’)[0], s = document.createElement(‘script’); s.type = ‘text/javascript’; s.src = ‘https://pym.nprapps.org/pym.v1.min.js’; s.onload = l; h.appendChild(s); } else { l(); } })();
On May 18, the city unveiled its plan for how it would manage the festival for residents. Officials informed neighbors that thousands of them would need to swiftly apply for parking permits to allow them to park near their homes for two months, something many residents are still unclear on, said Shaun Cerborino of Lemon Hill Neighbors.
Additionally, no rideshare services like Lyft and Uber will work at Lemon Hill and around six blocks of the surrounding residential areas during festival operating hours, sometimes spanning all day, in a practice called geofencing.Those without cars will have to walk blocks from their home to hail a ride, or use SEPTA, which is still operating in the neighborhood.
City officials told residents last month that rideshare services will not be disabled for riders who require a wheelchair-accessible vehicle (WAV). However, after The Inquirer asked for clarification on how this exemption works in practice, the Philadelphia Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS) found that a miscommunication between rideshare services occurred.
The city was supposed to designate where WAVs can operate within the geofence, while the city was under the impression that rideshare services handled it.
Philadelphia Parking Authority, Zone 17, a temporary no park zone except for residents with special permit during FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill, Thursday, June 11, 2026.Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer
“Now that we have that clarity, we’re going to evaluate some changes to the perimeter that is enclosed in the geofence area. We’ll try to act as quickly as we can to adjust the geofence,” said OTIS Deputy Managing Director Mike Carroll.
City officials said they could not specify what these geofence adjustments will look like until they have finished talks with Uber and Lyft. But what was initially promised, that WAVs will pick up and drop off disabled riders at their homes, might not be possible. Instead, there is a chance WAV-only drop-off zones will be created in that geofenced area.
“That challenge is too difficult for us to work through for any resident who needs it,” Carroll said. “It’s too bad that there’s not a more general way to have these vehicles come in, but we can’t really haggle with [rideshare services] at this point. We’ll just try to make it work as best we can.”
A makeshift sign created by local neighbors, pictured on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, advises drivers not to use side streets for through traffic on Ogden Street, a narrow residential side street one block from the festival, which drivers have been racing down to avoid road closures and traffic.Henry Savage / Staff
The work to calm neighborhood traffic
Dustin Dove, president of the Fairmount Civic Association, points to the 2900 block of Ogden Street, a mere block from the festival, as a microcosm of the neighborhood’s concerns.
Due to road closures on 30th and Poplar Streets, agitated drivers, stuck in traffic, are choosing to speed down narrow one-way Ogden Street to get around lines of cars, residents said. Neighbors have seen at least two incidents where a car rocketed down the street while young children were playing.
Dove said residents have called every relevant city department and elected official who represents the area, including Councilmember Jeffery Young, requesting additional signage and traffic-control measures at 29th Street to dissuade drivers from using side streets.
“We’re going to be welcoming a lot more people than usual, and we need Council members to come and look at this situation,” Dove said. “There are issues that need some sort of leadership at the top to get them fixed.”
Dustin Dove, a Fairmount resident and president of the Fairmount Civic Association, poses for a photo near one of the busiest intersections near the FIFA Fan Festival in Lemon Hill, at Girard Avenue and Poplar Drive, on Wednesday, June 10, 2026. The FIFA Fan Festival is forcing the local neighborhood to navigate parking restrictions, road closures, and the sacrifice of their summer green space in exchange for the once-in-a-generation World Cup in their backyards.Henry Savage / Staff
Young said he and his office have heard from residents who are “understandably frustrated” by traffic being redirected onto neighborhood streets and confusing or insufficient signage.
“When these concerns were brought to our attention, we immediately notified the appropriate city departments and event organizers and have already seen some additional signage and traffic-control measures put in place. However, more work remains to be done,” Young said.
A city spokesperson said police officers will be stationed at 30th and Poplar Streets throughout the duration of the festival and will make adjustments as needed. The city also committed to installing additional signage where appropriate, the spokesperson said.
Still, as the first day of the World Cup rolled around, neighbors near Ogden Street reported heavy traffic on side streets, Fairmount resident Nicole Ross said, with many residents saying they received parking tickets despite having registered temporary permits. Ross said the Philadelphia Parking Authority later told residents who were ticketed that it was a system error and would be resolved.
Crew members make final preparations, including work on a 60-foot-wide screen, for a FIFA Fan Fest at Lemon Hill in Philadelphia on Tuesday, June 10, 2026.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
The legacy of Lemon Hill Park
Besides the short-term, everyday nuisances of the FIFA Fan Festival, there are deeper-rooted issues about care and longevity of the park. Park stewards, like Cerborino and Eisenberg, are volunteer workers who care for and maintain much of Lemon Hill.
Across the city’s parks, stewards understand that Philadelphia Parks and Recreation is unable to perform some needed upgrades due to staffing and budgetary constraints. That’s where stewards spend their free time and money to try to keep the city’s nationally ranked parks in an idyllic state. But that often comes with yearslong discussions about proper park funding and upgrades, as recently reported by The Inquirer, where stewards are again pleading with City Council for more funding as they are tired of operating off “love and duct tape.”
When pitching the festival to the city and residents, Philadelphia Soccer 2026 said it would be leaving lasting legacy improvements to the park in exchange for residents giving up their summer green space.
“We will see this through during organizational wind-down following the tournament,” a festival spokesperson said.
Crew members make final preparations, including work on a 60-foot-wide screen, for a FIFA Fan Fest at Lemon Hill in Philadelphia on Tuesday, June 10, 2026.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Soccer 2026 is committing $4 million to install a new ADA-accessible sidewalk path, a new playground, and new lighting, as well as to rebuild the picnic pavilion, organizers said. Residents have begged the city for some of these improvements for years, Cerborino and Eisenberg said.
“Residents deserve a clear understanding of what lasting benefits will remain after the crowds leave. I will continue advocating for transparency, accountability, and a concrete plan for legacy investments that benefit the Lemon Hill area and the city as a whole,” Young said.
The city said it will work alongside Philadelphia Soccer 2026 to see these legacy commitments come to fruition, as well as have Philadelphia Parks and Recreation staff monitor the grasslands and trees to address any issues that appear during the festival, a spokesperson said.
While stewards understand that park upkeep is not at the forefront of city budgetary concerns, it does hurt when it seems improvements to Lemon Hill Park will come only after an international or major sponsored event takes place there, Cerborino said.
“Especially when the parks are primarily supported by public dollars, it doesn’t feel right for FIFA or Live Nation, or whatever company, to come in, have their way with our parks, make all the money on it — and the taxpayers foot part of that bill and get very little out of it,” Cerborino said. “The tradeoff is FIFA makes a few billion dollars, and we got a sidewalk.”
When organizers announced two years ago that Philly’s FIFA Fan Festival site for the World Cup would be at Lemon Hill, many Philadelphians responded with a collective: Huh?
Located between the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Girard Avenue, the grassy site in East Fairmount Park hasn’t hosted many big public gatherings, though it was the staging and undressing area for the Philly Naked Bike Ride in 2022.
In my many years in Philly, I’d never covered an event at the site — and I’d never been to a FIFA Fan Fest either, which features live broadcasts of the games, entertainment, vendors, and soccer-related activities. So I went on Thursday, the opening day of the 39-day festival, to bring a minute-by-minute report of what I experienced to you.
Using a zoom lens technique, Mexican fans watch the FIFA World Cup opening match between Mexico and South Africa on a giant screen during the opening day of the FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill on Thursday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
I knew the journey wouldn’t be easy. Not only were temps forecast to be in the mid-90s (with heat indexes over 100 and a heat health emergency in place), you can’t drive to the site, or get close with ride share apps. Roads around the venue are closed and street parking has been restricted to neighborhood residents.
To get to the event, the city is urging guests to take the Philly PHLASH bus, take SEPTA’s bus routes 32 or 48, use a bicycle, or walk. I chose the latter.
12:30 p.m.
I begin my journey at LOVE Park, where I see a group of five friends in their team Mexico jerseys — and a sixth in a white T-shirt and sombrero — getting their photo taken with the LOVE statute.
Alexis Arellano, 29, tells me they’ve come from Atlantic City to catch the Mexico v. South Africa game at the FIFA Fan Festival.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You’ve got to take advantage of everything they got going on. It’s in our backyard,” he said.
12:39 p.m.
I stop into the pop-up Philadelphia Visitor Center hospitality hub at the park. The space is tiny, but the air-conditioning feels like silk sheets on my sweaty skin. I strongly consider buying the $14 portable fan that sprays wooder at your face and ponder at a bucket hat that reads: “Freedom has a Philly accent.”
12:45 p.m.
I head over to the public bathroom trailer that’s temporarily been installed in LOVE Park in front of the circular building known as flying saucer.
“What a waste,” I think, as I look up at the very cool saucer, which remains closed and empty, despite a call-out last year from the city for ideas to reactivate the space in time for the World Cup and the Semiquincentennial.
The new, temporary public bathroom trailer set up in LOVE Park.Stephanie Farr / Staff
I step inside the bathroom trailer. Not only is it air-conditioned, it’s outdoor-wedding-quality nice. Next to the trailer is a sink of water fountains and water bottle-filling stations.
1:15 p.m.
After making my way down the Ben Franklin Parkway, I spot another, larger hospitality hub across from Eakins Oval. This one has several large boards in front of it you can stick your face into to get a photo with Gritty, Rocky, or Patti LaBelle.
When I step inside the hub, I almost weep tears of joy because it’s so cold. It has much of the same items as the other, but with more Rocky merchandise (“Yo, Adrienne! Buy my stuff!”).
The pop-up Philadelphia Visitor Center hospitality hub across from Eakins Oval.Stephanie Farr / Staff
Outside of the hub, I meet Valentine Emeré, 20, and his parents, who are on holiday from France and had no idea the World Cup was in town. They’re in Philly as part of an East Coast tour of the U.S.
“It’s a very good city, it’s a living city,” Emeré tells me when I ask his thoughts on Philly. “We really like how many things there are to do.”
1:41 p.m.
I arrive at the FIFA Fan Fest welcome center tent. Aside from the oppressive heat, the walk was easier than I expected. I pass the Philly Phestival Marketplace, a row of vendors selling everything from nail polish to onesies that read “baby jawn.”
1:48 p.m.
At the Glitterbrush Facepainting booth, I chat up Martiza Quendo of North Philly, who wore a team Mexico shirt, and Marissa DeMatteo of South Philly, who was repping team USA. They’d just had their faces painted and told me they came to Fan Fest because they love free merch and “participating in Philly.” Mostly they were there for the live Luis Fonsi concert after the Mexico vs. South Africa game.
Martiza Quendo of North Philly, at left in a team Mexico shirt, and Marissa DeMatteo of South Philly, at right in a team USA shirt, pose after getting their faces painted at the Philly Phestival Marketplace.Stephanie Farr / Staff
1:52 p.m.
As several hundred people wait in line for the gates to open, visitors pose for pictures in front of a large soccer ball surrounded by fresh flowers, a photo-op that looks straight out of the Philadelphia Flower show. An enterprising street vendor nearby tries, without success, to sell umbrella hats.
“You think business would be better in this heat,” he says.
2:10 p.m.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker joins fans in a Mexican chant before entering the FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill on opening day of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Philadelphia. Fans gathered to watch Mexico face South Africa in the tournament’s opening match.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Gates open to the festival, a little behind schedule, but folks get in calmly, quickly, and with little trouble. Some come in singing, others run in waving Mexican flags. My colleague, photographer Jose Moreno, later shows me pictures of Mayor Cherelle L. Parker walking in with the crowds.
2:18 p.m.
I stop by the Home Depot activation, billed as “Beckham’s Backyard,” which features the facade of a home with a 12-foot-skeleton in front of it. An employee tells me this mimics a backyard with Beckham’s flair.
“He’s not here though, right?” I ask.
“I wish. This would be a lot more popular if he was,” he said.
Inside, there is a giant Home Depot bucket with a TV screen inside showing games. The nearby Casamingos stand selling margaritas for $17 appears to be far more popular.
2:26 p.m.
I ask an employee manning the Bank of America activation why the line there is so long. He tells me they’re letting people make their own bracelets — with very cool Philly and World Cup charms — for free.
2:28 p.m.
At the Visit PA pavilion, the lines for the free prize wheel and claw machines — which dole out Visit PA-branded merch — were very long.
But nobody was at the “Soccer Jawn” video game, which pits two players head-to-head in a Pong-like game of soccer on a big screen. I yell to a young woman passing by to battle me and she accepts my challenge.
Biance Yetta, 16, of Easton, beats me 5-4. In my defense, she plays soccer on a traveling team and I’ve never played before in my life (though I’ve probably played way more Pong).
2:38 p.m.
A message plays on the 60-foot-wide main screen of the festival from astronauts aboard the International Space Station. I’m too far away to hear everything they say, but I can make out the words: “Sharing one planet, one game,” and that makes me smile.
2:40 p.m.
I walk into the massive FIFA Fan Fest store, which is so well air-conditioned I almost fall to my knees and thank the gods of consumerism.
I browse for a bit, but when I check the price of a FIFA cropped women’s sweatshirt — $104.99 — I walk right back out.
2:56 p.m.
The national anthem of South Africa begins and crowds gather around the big screen. Folks try to hide under what little shade is available, but most of us are forced to swelter in the sun.
Shortly thereafter, the Mexico national anthem plays and many in the crowd — which now numbers in the thousands and is mostly team Mexico fans — sing along.
It feels electric being in the middle of them and watching the game begin, but I have more of the festival to explore.
Mexican fans sing the national anthem before the start of the FIFA World Cup opening match between Mexico and South Africa at the FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill on Thursday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
3:04 p.m.
I approach what looks like a nice little area called “The Orchard” and am immediately stopped by a security guard. I’m informed it’s a VIP-only area for sponsors (enjoy the perks, 12-foot Home Depot skeleton).
Next to it was another public viewing area with a smaller screen showing the game. This one had picnic tables under shade (huzzah!). Nearby was a food area with booths selling street corn, cheesesteaks, and churros — none of which sounded appetizing in 94-degree heat. I’d spotted a single water ice stand at another food vendor area across the way earlier, but the line was 42 people deep and there was one guy working the booth.
3:24 p.m.
I spot a woman in a Phamassador T-shirt, the Visitors Center program that’s recruited 10,000 volunteers to be ambassadors of Philly this summer.
Ruth Bangura, 19, tells me she’s a Philly transplant who’s “obsessed” with the city and wants to help others become obsessed, too. Despite the heat, she’s loving the “good energy” at Fan Fest and loves seeing people waving flags of all colors coming together.
“Everyone is different but at the same time, we’re all here for one game. This is the best thing that could ever happen to the United States right now,” she says. “This is the melting pot, this is what America is supposed to be instead of differentiating each other and dividing each other.”
Soccer fans gathered to watch the FIFA World Cup opening match between Mexico and South Africa during the opening day of the FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill on Thursday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
3:31 p.m.
As I walk by an American Heart Association tent filled with CPR dummies, staffer Jennifer Russ asks if I want to learn CPR. She teaches me chest-compression as music that’s 100-to-120 beats per minute plays in the background. Like “Staying Alive,” these are songs you should time chest compressions to.
Russ’ manager tells me they’re on site because CPR is a skill they want people from all over the world to learn.
“And, honestly, sports is one of the main places cardiac arrests happen,” she says. “So this is great because it’s just such a big footprint.”
3:46 p.m.
Back at the big screen showing the game, I introduce myself to Mla Mhlongo, 34, a native of South Africa now living in Claymont, Del., who came to support his national team. He tells me that when the World Cup was in South Africa in 2010, they showed all the games at outdoor parks, so Fan Fest feels like a small tase of home.
Mla Mhlongo, a South African native now living in Delaware, waves the South Africa flag in support of his home country at FIFA Fan Fest in Philadelphia.Stephanie Farr / Staff
“I’m enjoying the game with a lot of people; I’ve taken a lot of pictures with people from Mexico and people from around the world,” he says. “The World Cup is supposed to unite the world and it does that.”
4:06 p.m.
An Eagles chant breaks out in the crowd.
4:23 p.m.
I need to find shade. I head to one of the misting tents with fans, but the mist evaporates before it even reaches me.
4:38 p.m.
Once I cool down a little, I realize how hungry I am. I consider a jerk chicken wrap, until I realize it’s $24. I settle on a hot dog and soda for $14. I try to pay with cash and am told everything is card-only.
4:42 p.m.
As I sit to eat in the shade near the smaller screen, I realize that hardly a single person is on their phone. They’re tuned into the game or each other and I think about how nice — and rare — that is.
4:52 p.m.
I try my hand at the Philadelphia Union’s activations, which test your soccer shooting and passing skills by having you kick balls at a series of blinking lights. They’re fun — and one of the few activations that doesn’t require you to scan a QR code. I fail miserably at both games, at one point kicking the ball into the crowd outside the tent.
5:05 p.m.
Mexican fans celebrate after Mexico scores against South Africa while watching the FIFA World Cup opening match on a giant screen during the opening day of the FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill on Thursday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
The match on the big screen ends and fans of Mexico cheer their team’s win. People make their way to the stage under the screen for the Luis Fonsi concert. I spot the two facepainted Philly ladies I talked to earlier right up against the stage barrier.
5:17 p.m.
Singer Luis Fonsi performs during the opening day of the FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill on Thursday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
Fonsi takes the stage. A woman with a man in a Mexican wrestling mask, both of whom are wearing Mexican flags as capes, dance in front of me. I see a mom and daughter singing together in Spanish and a man dancing through the crowd, his arms raised. Everyone is happy and smiling.
5:30 p.m.
I leave early to beat the crowds and walk back. On my way out, I see a man at a picnic bench reading Booked by Kwame Alexander. He tells me the American Federation of Teachers is giving books away for free at the Philly Phestival Marketplace. I stop by the booth and talk with Leslie Koelsch, deputy director of communications for the federation.
“We launched the Summer Reading Cup and we’re giving away thousands and thousands of soccer-themed books this summer to get kids excited about reading,” she tells me.
5:42 p.m.
Just outside the fest, I see a sign for the “LOVE Park shuttle” and a row of four school buses. A driver tells me they’re giving free rides back to LOVE Park after the fest. It’s a wonderful service, but the buses don’t have air-conditioning and the first one isn’t anywhere near full yet, so I decide to continue on foot.
5:55 p.m.
Walking along the Parkway, I think about all the events I’ve covered there — the good and the bad, the celebrations and the protests — and I look at all the nationality flags waving in the warm breeze.
Soccer fans gather to watch Mexico play South Africa on a giant screen during the opening day of the FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill on Thursday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
I’ve had conversations with many people over the last few months who find it very hard — if not impossible — to consider celebrating anything amid the current climate of our country. But when you attend one of these events in Philly that brings people from all over the world together, you get something you don’t get when you sit at home and watch all the horrors of the news.
You realize how much people want to connect with one another, and how easily we still do, when we choose to.
Soccer fans gather to watch Mexico play South Africa on a giant screen during the opening day of the FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill on Thursday.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
On a muggy Friday days before the World Cup began, a small team of medical emergency planners inspected the cavernous, air-conditioned tent erected for patients at Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park, not far from the enormous screen where thousands can watch matches through July 19.
Near a FIFA tent already full of merchandise, and branded “fan pavilions” in various stages of construction, Philadelphia’s host city medical lead, Patrick J. Brennan, paced what is now the medical home base for dozens of doctors, nurses, and EMTs over the next several weeks.
Brennan, who is also the chief medical officer of University of Pennsylvania Health System, pointed out where the dunk tanks for heatstroke victims would go. He walked through tents with massive fans and misters and visited a smaller first-aid tent for minor medical issues.
Philadelphia is no stranger to large events, from a papal visit to the NFL Draft to the annual Roots Picnic. But the World Cup fan festival at Lemon Hill will be open for more than a month — and is taking place in a summer of high-profile events expected to bring more than 1.5 million visitors to the city.
“That’s the difference — the duration of the event,” Brennan said.
Preparing for the full range of medical emergencies got underway nearly two years ago for Philadelphia’s public health leaders and largest health systems. They have prepared for heat-related illnesses, injuries, mass casualties, and terrorism.
Infectious diseaseis a leading public health concern among host cities and national health agencies.
Measles, a disease once considered eradicated through widespread vaccination and now on the rise across the country, is at the top of their list. An Inquirer analysis found that the Philadelphia region is pockmarked with vulnerable communities, where vaccination rates have fallen below the rate scientists say is necessary to prevent widespread illness.
Now thousands of people from all over the world will turn Philadelphia into a petri dish prime for the spread of infectious diseases. Yet another concern is an Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has a team participating in the World Cup games in Houston.
Public health leaders say their best strategy for preventing widespread illness, especially should a case of highly infectious measles arise, is to respond as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Hospitals have added questions about measles vaccination to their routine emergency department screening, with weekend and evening contacts on call at the city lab that would test potential measles samples. Newly posted flyers in local medical buildings explain how to recognize the early signs of measles — which many doctors have never encountered.
“My main concern with measles are the pockets where people are under-vaccinated, too few people are vaccinated to really stymie an outbreak,” Brennan said. “It’s going to be hard to prevent it from coming into the country.”
The city’s health department, public safety units, and leaders from top health systems, including Temple Health, Penn Medicine, and Jefferson Health, all had seats at the table.
They hashed out responses for potential public health emergencies ranging from bioterrorism, a mass casualty, and violence to routine heat-related health issues. Experts anticipate that the ongoing heat wave, paired with high levels of alcohol consumption, will lead many to experience heat exhaustion, dehydration, and potentially heatstroke.
The prep work built on efforts for past major events, such as Pope Francis’ visit in 2015 or the 2016 Democratic National Convention. New this time around, Philadelphia and World Cup host cities across the country are paying much more attention to infectious-disease concerns.
P.J. Brennan (right), Penn Medicine’s chief medical officer and the medical team lead for FIFA’s Philadelphia events, stands with Jack Welsh, an emergency preparedness specialist and clinical nurse at Penn Medicine, outside the main medical tent at the FIFA Fan Fest in Lemon Hill Park.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
Until recent years, measles was not “immediately on the radar” for public health planning, said Jessica Caum, director of disease control for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.
“We’re in a different place now with measles,” she said. “More cases, increases in vaccine hesitancy, decreases in vaccination rates — all of these things are important to keep in mind.”
The planners looked at staffing levels at medical tents and hospitals, including where surge staffing could come from. They developed a plan for where to quarantine a large number of people, in the event of an outbreak of measles or other infectious disease, but declined to provide details.
“We want to be as prepared as possible,” Caum said.
All that preparation still may not provide a firewall against weeks of sustained sports chaos.
The city’s game-day strategy, should a suspected measles case crop up, is to react as quickly as possible.
Temple trained its emergency department staff to ask new screening questions about measles symptoms and vaccination status in an effort to quickly identify anyone who is at risk, said Daniel Feinberg, chief medical officer for Temple University Hospital Inc.
Temple has been distributing measles information in Spanish and English to providers at its hospitals. Joe Lamberti / For The Inquirer
People whose vaccination status is unclear, or who say they are unvaccinated, will immediately be whisked to an isolation room if they show symptoms associated with measles, such as fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes.
The telltale blotchy red rash does not typically appear for up to four days, though hospital administrators distributed photos of it to help medical staff recognize it.
Once isolated, people with suspicious symptoms will be tested, with the sample rushed to a city lab on call for such emergencies.
Administrators lined up contact information to reach the lab in the evenings or weekends, when it is typically closed, and discussed the fastest way to get a sample to the lab — potentially to have someone with good sneakers run.
“We don’t want any time wasted,” said Carlene Muto, vice president of infection prevention and occupational health services at Temple Health.
The MMR vaccine can protect against the virus if given to someone within 72 hours of being exposed. Measles immunoglobulin, which contains concentrated antibodies, can provide temporary protection against the virus if given within a few days of exposure. But it is often reserved for infants and other high-risk patients.
The faster health providers identify a measles case, the faster they can work to trace who else may have been exposed.
Medical tents are prepared to handle medical emergencies during the World Cup.Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
The risk of exposure is high when someone with measles attends a busy outdoor event, and the challenge of locating all the people who could have come in contact with the disease is immense.
Nine out of 10 unvaccinated people who come into contact with measles will get sick, making it among the most highly contagious diseases.
Anyone who does not get treated in time and has not been vaccinated will need to quarantine for 21 days.
At Jefferson, health system screening protocols are routinely updated to address the latest health threats, said Eric Sachinwalla, Jefferson’s medical director of infection prevention. Its hospitals recently added Ebola screening questions for patients who are being admitted and have traveled to at-risk countries.
Jefferson and other health systems are more likely to see “low-impact” but predictable threats: COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, sexually transmitted infections, and gastrointestinal diseases. These illnesses “can spread between people pretty quickly,” he said, but health systems are generally equipped to handle them.
A case of Ebola or measles, however, requires significant resources devoted to treatment and preventing further cases — so hospitals also have to carefully prepare for that possibility, he said.
“It’s balancing those two things. We plan for the high-occurrence things but also [diseases with] high potential impact,” Sachinwalla said.
A regular at Yoga Habit in Fairmount, Allison Langer was curious about the four-story apartment building next door, the AF Bornot Dye Works Lofts. Her husband, Mark Paulson, was also intrigued, but at the time, the building was fully occupied.
“We are drawn to historical preservation,” recalled Langer, a developmental psychologist. “The windows caught our eye from the street, and I told Mark, if an apartment in that building opened up, I would love to move there.”
Six months later, in April 2024, their wish came true. Their two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment has 11-foot-high ceilings and an open floor plan.
The exterior of the AF Bornot Dye Works Lofts building, which Langer and Paulson had admired before moving in.Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
“The combination of the windows, really high ceilings, and exposed ductwork makes it feel so airy, open, and spacious, even though it’s only 1,250 square feet,” said Paulson, a data analyst.
The windows are the couple’s favorite feature. The western exposure means they can enjoy daily sunsets, and Frankie, the 6-year-old orange shorthair domestic cat they adopted from a local shelter, can sunbathe on one of the large windowsills all day.
The open floor plan is perfect for the couple, who enjoy cooking and entertaining.
The living area is bathed in sunlight on a May evening.Erin Blewett / For The InquirerThe apartment’s kitchen also features a large window.Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
“When we have friends over, everyone can be in one space,” Langer said. “The kitchen is the spot in the home with the most western-facing windows so we can watch the sunset as we’re cooking.”
An avid baker, she has a dedicated corner for preparing her sweet confections. That’s where the KitchenAid mixer her mother-in-law gave her sits, alongside a photo of her grandmother baking with her when she was young.
Fridays are typically pizza night when Paulson and Langer make homemade pies. They also enjoy board game nights with friends, including Magic: The Gathering — a game Paulson has played since he was 5 years old. They also play Settlers of Catan, Wingspan, and Nertz.
The building is a historic landmark originally constructed in 1901 as the headquarters of the AF Bornot Dye Works Co. In July 2014, MM Partners acquired the property, and following an extensive renovation, completed construction in June 2016.
“The exterior still beautifully harbors the old Parisian style of this historic, adaptive reuse property,” said William K. Ayassou, regional manager at MM Partners. The project earned the 2018 Preservation Alliance Achievement Award.
Paulson and Langer’s cat, Frankie, a fan of the apartment’s ample sunlight, rests by the living room window.Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
Langer and Paulson are inspired by mid-century and Scandinavian design and Japanese minimalism, focusing on a decluttered, yet warm look. They celebrate the modern style that incorporates the building’s historic features with natural wood tones and mid-century furniture.
Most of their furniture has come from secondhand stores.
“Philly is such a great city for secondhand furniture and people do a great job of keeping everything in great condition,” Langer said.
The dining room table was a Habitat for Humanity Restore find, and as the first piece they bought together in their previous apartment it carries a lot of sentimental value.
They also collect lamps in various shapes and sizes. With so much natural light in the apartment, they appreciate the glow of the lamps scattered throughout, from the mushroom to the orb to the orange doughnut shaped Ikea Varmblixt LED model that went viral on TikTok and Instagram in 2023.
The dining room features a table the couple found at Habitat for Humanity Restore.Erin Blewett / For The InquirerAn orange donut-shaped Ikea lamp is a model that went viral on social media several years ago.Erin Blewett / For The InquirerA painting of Frankie the cat, made by Paulson, is on display in the apartment.Erin Blewett / For The InquirerThe front hallway features one of the couple’s distinctive lamps, and a round wall mirror.Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
“The overhead lighting is minimal, so we’re really able to indulge our lamp collection,” joked Langer.
Bursts of color are found in textiles and artwork. Paulson, who makes art as a hobby, takes classes at Philly Art Center near their home. One of the couple’s favorite pictures — an acrylic painting he made in class from a photo of Frankie awash in a sunbeam — sits on the desk between the living room and dining room.
“I enjoy dabbling, and the Art Center is another way in which we engage with the Fairmount community,” Paulson said.
The desk also holds the clay Bok building replica their friend Keeley gave them for their 2024 wedding, which was held at the Bok. Other wedding mementos can be found in their primary bedroom, including the photo of the sky taken by Philadelphia-based wedding photographer Elizabeth Blanco, which hangs above their bed.
“We got very lucky with a cloudless day and a beautiful sunset during our ceremony on Bok’s roof,” Langer said. “The photo captures and reminds us of that moment.”
A clay replica of the Bok building, where the couple married, is on display in the apartment.Erin Blewett / For The InquirerA photo taken by Elizabeth Blanco on the roof of the Bok building at Paulson and Langer’s wedding.Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
Langer loves her home’s proximity to Yoga Habit and the rest of the Fairmount community. Some of the couple’s favorite hangs include Musette, Aiyah (and its monthly art markets), and Sandwich Corner Market.
“It’s such a central location, close to the Broad Street Line and great cafes, restaurants, and small businesses in Fairmount,” she said.
Is your house a Haven? Nominate your home by email (and send some digital photographs) at properties@inquirer.com.
The World Cup officially lands in Philly on June 14, when the Ivory Coast takes on Ecuador at the temporarily-renamed Philadelphia Stadium (aka Lincoln Financial Field) in South Philly, with five more games to follow.
But let’s be real: Getting into a match is going to be difficult. And besides, nothing screams Philly more than taking in a game at a local bar alongside strangers and Citywides that will give you the courage to cheer even louder.
Here are 19 bars in Philly and the suburbs that are going all-in on the World Cup, including four planning to be open until 4 a.m. for late-night matches.
🍺 Bars allowed to stay open until 4 a.m.
Earlier this year, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a bill into law permitting Philly bars to stay open until 4 a.m. for the duration of the World Cup. Just over 50 bars in the city thus far are eligible to apply for a permit to stay open that late, according to a list from the City of Philadelphia, and several told The Inquirer that extending their hours just wasn’t worth it.
On the eve of the World Cup, several bars were still waiting to get permit approval to stay open late.
These are four spots that plan to be open until 4 a.m. in Philly, from a bowling alley to a Latin American club-staurant.
The bar at Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse, 1941 Sansom St., on Aug. 31, 2022.MICHAEL KLEIN / Staff
While Cavanaugh’s Headhouse location has a rep among Newcastle United and Liverpool fans as a solid bar for soccer matches, the sports bar’s Rittenhouse location is the one that will be open until 4 a.m. during the World Cup. Cav’s will be serving daily drinks and food specials, and is one of more than 20 bars participating in the Crawl for the Cup, a citywide World Cup-themed bar crawl, including a scavenger hunt, on June 20.
The World Cup is practically a 24 / 7 event at Mamajuana. The Latin American Northern Liberties club-staurant will be staying open until 4 a.m. on match days while also hosting Sunday brunches and watch parties for 10 games from June 13 through July 19. The club’s World Cup special promises mascot appearances, daily food specials, and limited-edition cocktails, such as the Golden Cup, an old-fashioned served in a gold globe-shaped goblet. A full schedule can be found on Mamajuana’s Instagram.
This lively Hunting Park institution will be open until 4 a.m. during the World Cup to broadcast games in its downstairs bar and upstairs night club. Tierra Colombiana’s menu spans Latin America, which means you can have arepas while Colombia plays, ceviche during Ecuador’s matches, and extra large mojitos all tournament long.
Soccer at a bowling alley? That’s literally the vibe at Oregon Avenue’s South Bowl, a bowling alley and bar (with an outdoor lounge) that is staying open until 4 a.m. to broadcast the following matches: Australia vs. Turkey on June 14, Austria vs. Jordan on June 17, and Tunisia vs. Japan on June 21. Games will play on the screens above each lane, which means there’s the potential to land a strike while watching pro athletes score goals.
If the 4 a.m. crowd isn’t your speed, these 10 Philly bars are hosting World Cup watch parties that don’t skimp on the fun — even if they aren’t going all night long.
Scenes from the opening night of Bok Bar — initially called Le Bok Fin — in 2015.Michelle Gustafson
The Black Taxi
This Irish pub in Fairmount has long been a host for English Premier League matches, at one point even displaying the trophy for an afternoon of photo ops. Roughly a half-mile from the FIFA Fan Fest at Lemon Hill, this is the spot to take in a game with a perfect pour of Guinness.
📍 745-747 N. 25th St., 📞 215-232-1086, 🌐 theblacktaxi.com
All of Philly’s tournament matches will be simulcast on screen’s atop Philly’s most famous rooftop bar, which is hosting Puyero Venezulean Flavor for a monthlong food pop-up in June that includes arepas, empanadas, and bite-sized churros. Where else can you see the lights from the Linc — I mean, Philadelphia Stadium — twinkle in distance during a knockout game on July 4?
The crowd at Brauhaus Schmitz in Philadelphia cheers USA’s first goal against the Netherlands in the World Cup on Dec. 3, 2022.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer
Bella Vista’s sprawling German biergarten is taking the party to the streets, closing down the block for free outdoor watch parties for matches on June 25, June 27, July 3, July 4, and July 19. Games will be broadcast on 20-foot-tall TVs in the middle of South Street, while indoors will feature 34 beers on tap, surprise giveaways, and burgers with novelty soccer ball pretzel buns. And on non-block party days, Brauhaus Schmitz will be still be airing World Cup matches indoors.
This Brazilian sports bar in Northeast Philly is the place to be for fans of team Brazil and is hosting not one, but two lively watch parties during the team’s match against Morocco on June 13 and Haiti on June 19. And if you’re only there for the vibes, Guanabara has a rooftop, three types of caipirinhas, and Brazilian-style cheesesteaks.
Known for its supremely satisfying smashburger, this neighborhood bar with a French twist has big plans for the Group Stage. Good King Tavern will open daily starting at 3 p.m. with an extended happy hour that features mini cocktails and street food-style snacks. Its upstairs wine bar, Le Caveau, will also be getting in on the action, which means you can sip a draft negroni and nosh on a fancy hot dog while watching your team of choice.
A bar where you can play 18-holes of mini golf between matches? Sign us up. Libertee Grounds will be gamifying its World Cup watch parties with the Pitch Passport, a punch card that rewards guest for watching every game at the bar-slash-indoor-mini-golf-course. How it works: Earn a punch for each nation when you a watch a match, which are redeemable for rewards such as a free beer, mini golf passes, or a lifetime membership. Drink specials will also be available.
This Chinatown sports bar is committed to soccer year-round, airing everything from Premier League matches to La Liga games on its 35 TVs. Expect the World Cup to be no different. Lion Sports Bar will be airing all matches at its original location and taking over Yamitsuki Ramen across the street for a ticketed open bar and buffet. Also available at both locations: a signature World Cup pink margarita garnished with collectible Lionel Messi stickers.
This longstanding Irish Pub in Center City is the official home of Philly’s Chelsea FC and Manchester City FC clubs, so you can expect that it will be a hub for World Cup games. The bar will air all 104 matches (with the sound on!) across 14 TVs and two projectors. Weeks one and two of the tournament are bringing specials on Michelob Ultra and Stella Artois, plus a ticket giveaway on June 13 for a future match.
The real fun at this rowdy, double-decker sports bar comes during the USMNT’s matches against Paraguay on June 12, Australia on June 19, and Turkey on June 25. The American Outlaws — the official support group for Team USA — will be taking over Top Tomato during those games for block parties with a live DJ that are open to all, no RSVP required.
The newly renovated (and re-christened) Stateside Live! now includes a rooftop bar and beer garden. Just steps away from the action at Philadelphia Stadium, what will it offer soccer fans? The entertainment complex is hosting the official World Cup pregame for ticketholders. A match ticket and $50 will get you expedited entry and access to a tailgate with a food voucher, while $175 buys a spot at a prematch buffet with cheesesteaks, roast pork sandwiches, and open bar.
Stateside Live! will also be open to the general public during all six of Philly’s World Cup games. Matches will be simulcast on the venue’s new outdoor stage alongside a selection of food trucks.
But if you’re looking to keep it extra local during the World Cup, these bars in the Philly suburbs are going above and beyond for the World Cup, from erecting a pop-up beer garden to brewing a special IPA.
The Landing Kitchen, an all-day cafe created by Nicholas Elmi and Fia Berisha at the riverside redevelopment of the Pencoyd Ironworks on July 10, 2021.CHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Located in Bala Cynwyd, just across the Pencoyd Bridge from Manayunk, this all-day riverside cafe with a family friendly vibe will be broadcasting all quarterfinal, semifinal, and finals matches outdoors on a 164-inch screen. Chef Nicholas Elmi will be firing up a smoker for barbecue specials during the games, and guests are strongly encouraged to play bocce or relax at a fire pit during halftime.
Named one of the 10 best bars for watching soccer in the U.S. by the Men in Blazers, Bucks County’s Villa Capri is one of the only bars in the Philadelphia suburbs that has committed to airing all 104 World Cup matches — with the sound on. The Doylestown bar is also rolling a limited-edition cocktail menu for the tournament that includes drinks such as the $14 Equalizer margarita, which comes in passionfruit, pineapple, strawberry, or pomegranate.
This haunt for West Chester University students already has a reputation in Chester County as a Liverpool bar that airs Philadelphia Union games. During the World Cup, Kildare’s is going all in on USMNT. The bar will be shutting down a portion of Gay Street for a free, 21+ watch party during Team USA’s matchup against Paraguay on June 12. Kildare’s will also be showing a selection of other games starting at noon daily, with to-be-announced drink and food specials on offer.
Malvern’s Locust Lane Craft Brewery is hosting a pop-up World Cup beer garden in Upper Merion’s Nor-View Farm Park with free entry from June 11 through July 19. Games will be broadcast on TVs under the park’s pavilion, where attendees can bring their own chairs and enjoy a selection of $8 beers on tap, plus food from the Epicurian Garage Truck. The beer garden will open one hour before the first broadcast game and close before midnight; schedule can be found here.
A former New Jersey Brewery of the Year, Zed’s Beer takes the World Cup as seriously as it takes its brews. The Marlton bar will be airing all Team USA matches, alongside several other key games as designated on the bar’s digital calendar. Also on offer: Soccer-themed quizzo and a new limited-edition IPA called the “48 hops for 48 teams.” Made with hops from each country with a qualifying FIFA team, this beer will be available for the duration of the tournament.
📍19 N. Maple Ave., Ste. A, Marlton, N.J. 📞 856-872-7632, 🌐 drinkzeds.com
