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  • Phillies chase Max Scherzer off the mound early in 7-4 win over the Blue Jays

    Phillies chase Max Scherzer off the mound early in 7-4 win over the Blue Jays

    TORONTO — Max Scherzer motioned for a mound visit.

    The Phillies had put two runners on against him, and the 41-year-old Blue Jays pitcher just ran to cover first base on a fielder’s choice. He wanted a breather before facing Alec Bohm.

    But it didn’t work. After play resumed, Scherzer hung a slider to Bohm, and he crushed it for his eighth homer of the season. The three-run shot to left field gave the Phillies some early separation in the third inning as they went on to beat Toronto, 7-4, and win the series.

    The Blue Jays made things interesting late, clawing back against the Phillies bullpen to pull within three runs and make it a save situation. But a day after blowing his first save of the season, Jhoan Duran made his third appearance in as many nights in the ninth inning. He sidestepped two singles to seal the win, recording his 17th save in the process.

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    “It was great to see him bounce back,” said interim manager Don Mattingly. “And you like to get a guy back out there if you can, right away.”

    Adolis García left the game in the seventh inning with a pulled muscle in the right shoulder area after making a throw to the plate. Steward Berroa took over in right field.

    Mattingly said García will get imaging on Thursday’s off day, after which the Phillies will know more about the severity of the injury.

    “Hope for the best, and we’ll see what happens,” Mattingly said.

    According to StatCast metrics, García has posted a fielding run value of 5 this season, which is second-highest in the league among corner outfielders.

    Bryce Harper hit a solo home run off Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer during the first inning.Chris Young

    “Obviously, you lose a defender like that, it changes things a little bit,” Mattingly said. “But everybody deals with stuff all the time, so somebody’s going to have to pick it up.”

    Scherzer was making his first start for Toronto since hitting the injured list on April 27. He had struggled this season before that, and the Phillies stayed patient in their approach against him, working at-bats and driving up his pitch count.

    Bryce Harper set the tone in the first inning with a solo homer that bounced off Toronto’s bullpen railing that put the Phillies up, 1-0.

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    “Everyone’s excited, and then [he gets] back out there, and then we kind of jumped right back on him, and got Max’s pitch count going up,” Kyle Schwarber said. “And Bohmer had a really great swing there, three-run homer, and we just were able to keep tacking on.”

    Once Scherzer’s night ended after 3⅓ innings, Schwarber didn’t let up against Toronto’s bullpen. He launched his eighth homer of the season off a left-hander in the fourth inning, with Mason Fluharty becoming his latest victim.

    It marks Schwarber’s first homer since June 3. He took batting practice on the field pregame Thursday, which is not always part of his routine. He often hits inside in the cages.

    Jesús Luzardo racked up eight strikeouts and held Toronto to four hits, all singles, in 5⅔ innings.Chris Young

    “I wanted to go out there and work on something, see the ball fly a little bit,” Schwarber said. “So I was able to get that result and felt comfortable about it.”

    It all gave Jesús Luzardo a sizable cushion to work with as he cruised for the first five innings. He racked up eight strikeouts and held Toronto to four hits, all singles.

    Luzardo did lose his command in some spots. He issued back-to-back walks in the third, but was able to reset after a mound visit and struck out Ernie Clement to end it.

    “I think it was good and bad. I think the walks are obviously very frustrating,” Luzardo said. “I beat myself up about that. I don’t like giving free passes, but I limited hard contact. Pitch count relatively stayed low, until the walks.”

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    Luzardo trains at Cressey Sports Performance in Florida during the offseason, the same facility that Scherzer does, and the two pitchers are friends.

    “We talked about it a little bit when we got here,” Luzardo said. “So, I know he wanted that win, and I wanted it too, so it was a fun one.”

    In the sixth, Luzardo issued back-to-back walks for the second time, but this time he couldn’t get out of it unscathed when backup catcher Brandon Valenzuela — who walked-off Duran on Tuesday night — singled to right field to score a run.

    The Phillies got the run back in the top of the seventh inning, when Harper drew a walk, then Bohm and Bryson Stott hit back-to-back singles.

    “We kept coming. I know this club enough, that they’re not going to stop playing, they’re going to keep going, and they’re dangerous,” said Mattingly. “They keep playing for nine innings.”

    The Jays started to make things interesting in the seventh. Chase Shugart made his first appearance since Saturday and struggled with his command, issuing a leadoff single and then three consecutive walks to force in a run before recording an out. A deep sacrifice fly to the right field warning track brought home another run, and Brad Keller took over. Keller gave up a sacrifice fly that scored another run.

    “Everything really went pretty well tonight, other than the one inning where we walked some guys,” Mattingly said. “Shug’s been really good, throwing strikes, pitching well. So that was a little out of the ordinary for us.”

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    José Alvarado pitched a scoreless eighth and struck out Valenzuela to reach 500 for his career. Duran took over for the ninth.

    Mattingly felt comfortable using his closer for the third night in a row after Duran told him he felt good after his pregame catch routine.

    “Jho’s pretty good about telling us,” Mattingly said. “There’s been times when we thought he’d be available, and he says he needed a day. Today was not one of those days, and he was adamant, and we kind of go with that.”

  • Eagles practice observations: Jalen Hurts and offense strike back; rookie setbacks; Riq Woolen excels again

    Eagles practice observations: Jalen Hurts and offense strike back; rookie setbacks; Riq Woolen excels again

    The Eagles held their second and final practice of minicamp on Wednesday at the Jefferson Health Training Complex. Here were my observations:

    Bell bottom

    Markel Bell was the most notable addition to the Eagles’ injured list. The rookie tackle, who repped with the starters in Lane Johnson’s absence during organized team activities, watched practice. Bell joined the following who continued to sit out with injuries: linebacker Jihaad Campbell (shoulder), wide receiver Makai Lemon (hamstring), tight end Grant Calcaterra, receiver Britain Covey, fullback Carson Steele, linebacker Chandler Martin (who was later released), and safety Tucker Large.

    The Eagles had several players who were limited to varying degrees. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter and edge Jonathan Greenard (shoulder) sat out team drills again. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni declined to say whether Carter’s reduced workload was due to his health or ongoing contract negotiations. The Eagles seem intent on getting one of their more important players, who dealt with shoulder woes all last season, to training camp 100%. Receiver Darius Cooper was also limited.

    Receiver DeVonta Smith was excused for a personal reason. Edge Joe Tryon-Shoyinka was missing again.

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    Power to Stowers

    Eli Stowers was in full uniform, but he didn’t partake in most drills. The rookie tight end wore a sleeve on his right leg. I mentioned on Tuesday that he had been relatively quiet during the competitive periods that reporters witnessed this spring, but it seems likely he’s been held back by injury. Sirianni had glowing things to say when I asked about the second-round pick before practice, but conceded that he has plenty to learn. The Eagles aren’t sounding the alarms, but it wasn’t ideal to have all three of their top draft picks — Lemon, Stowers, and Bell — injured during minicamp.

    Saquon Barkley got dinged up during seven-on-seven drills. The running back stretched out for a Jalen Hurts pass he couldn’t haul in near the sideline and landed awkwardly. He got checked out by trainers and returned.

    Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert (right) made a nice catch on a crossing route during Wednesday’s minicamp.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    For the offense

    I’m going to lead with the first-unit offense because I thought it had its best set of the four open practices during team drills. The first three plays came with Hurts under center and two were well executed. On the first play, the offense was in 13 personnel with all three tight ends with their hands in the ground. Hurts’ play-action fake and a deep post route by receiver Hollywood Brown seemingly created space for tight end Dallas Goedert on a crossing route. Hurts hit him in stride. On the second, Barkley bounced outside through a gaping hole and was off to the races. There was also a successful pass play out of shotgun with Hurts layering a throw over the outstretched hand of a defender to receiver Dontayvion Wicks.

    Lane Johnson’s season-ending injury motivated him to return. The veteran tackle is eager for a less ‘stagnant’ offense.

    Woolen Co.

    The first-team defense rebounded during the next team period. Riq Woolen has a been a clear standout. He added to his spring resumé with a sack on a corner blitz and followed with an interception on the very next play. Hurts’ pass went right to the cornerback. There had to be a miscommunication between the quarterback and intended target Goedert.

    There was also some confusion on where to line up so the offense had to re-huddle a play later. Hurts’ last two attempts fell incomplete: a dropped checkdown by tight end E.J. Jenkins and a throw wide of receiver Danny Gray on a comeback route.

    Eagles defensive back Riq Woolen has a been a clear standout during practices open to the media this summer.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Deep impact

    Spring workouts offer the chance to glean early information on new players and schemes, but the Eagles won’t get a better sense of where they’re at until full pads are on in training camp. It’s difficult to put stock in competitive portions when plays are prescripted, but the first-unit offense didn’t get much going downfield in the four open workouts.

    Hurts, despite being without Smith, went deep twice during seven-on-sevens. Both passes weren’t close to being completed. The first went to receiver Elijah Moore. He might have had a half step on Woolen, but the cornerback accelerated and muzzled Moore from making a play on the ball. Hurts also heaved one to Quez Watkins. But safety Michael Carter was in prime position and the ball floated out of the back of the end zone.

    After myriad injuries, Eagles center Cam Jurgens is ready to implement a new offense

    Trending up

    If I was asked to give a short list of players trending up after watching four spring practices, I’d rank them:

    1. Woolen: His length and speed really stood out.
    2. Running back Tank Bigsby: He displayed juice with the ball and should be utilized more this season.
    3. Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter Jr.: He made the most in Jihaad Campbell’s absence.
    4. Edge Arnold Ebiketie: He seemed to always be around the ball.
    5. Linebacker Chance Campbell: He could make the roster if he proves he’s valuable on special teams.

    Backing up

    Sirianni confirmed that Tanner McKee is no longer the unquestioned backup quarterback. He said that Andy Dalton and McKee were rotating at the No. 2 spot and declined to make any further declarations about the depth chart. While Dalton had gotten more snaps with the second offense in the open sessions, McKee ran with the twos on Wednesday. It was mostly checkdown city during seven-on-sevens, which might have been all that was there.

    But the quarterback didn’t get much going during team drills either. McKee one-hopped a throw to Watkins off play-action, although his receiver could have run a better route. He got sacked by a blitzing Campbell. And McKee had a play effectively blown dead when he dropped and seemingly had nothing.

    Sean Mannion’s (right) scheme will bring more changes to the Eagles’ running game than any other aspect of the offense. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Scheme theory

    There’s a lot of new from Sean Mannion’s scheme if you look close enough. There’s been more under-center and play-action passes. There’s been more motion. But I think the biggest changes will come once we see more of the run game. The wide zone blocking scheme employed in the Shanahan-McVay system is completely foreign to some Eagles offensive linemen. I asked center Cam Jurgens if he had any prior experience with it — maybe in college? — and he said only in watching.

    We should see more bunched sets in the Mannion offense. Wicks got wide open out of a three-by-one formation and Hurts found him in stride on a short crossing route. I think we’ll see more diversity in the screen game, too. Mannion dialed up back-to-back screens with the second unit in team drills. Bigsby knifed through a crowd of bodies on the first. Jenkins had two blockers and space on the second.

    Third-and-10

    Dalton got just one set under center with the third-team offense in team drills. His first throw was late and cornerback Ambry Thomas jumped the out route for an interception. Rookie quarterback Cole Payton had more success with the group. He completed back-to-back throws with the second going to tryout receiver Joaquin Davis on a second-level dig route.

    Eagles add A.J. Epenesa to its edge rusher corps

    Extra points

    Defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu, who was drafted by the Eagles in 2021 and played three seasons in Philly, was a tryout participant. … The Eagles had Family Day on the last day of minicamp. It was the first time I recall that happening. … The spring program is over. The Eagles will reconvene sometime in late July for the start of training camp. The official schedule has not yet been released.

  • Only 23 Philly bars have been approved to stay open until 4 a.m. Many are still waiting.

    Only 23 Philly bars have been approved to stay open until 4 a.m. Many are still waiting.

    The eve of the World Cup was also the night before some Philadelphia bars could stay open until 4 a.m., according to a bill signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro in March.

    But thanks to a sneaky provision in the bill, most establishments interested in a later last call weren’t yet eligible to do so — and in some instances won’t be until after July 4.

    As of Wednesday evening, just 17 establishments were approved by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to stay open until 4 a.m. for the duration of the World Cup, according to a list on the PLCB’s website. By Thursday morning the PLCB approved six more establishments, according to their website.

    They represent roughly a third of the 65 Philly businesses that applied to the PLCB for approval, with the majority on the PLCB’s list marked as “in review” as of Thursday. The PLCB cancelled six applications due to ineligibility.

    The PLCB started approving applications for extended hours on Wednesday, spokesperson Shawn Kelly told The Inquirer over email, and they will continue on a rolling basis. The last day applications will be accepted is June 19, Kelly said.

    Establishments in the first wave of approvals include the strip clubs Sin City, Club Risque, and Cheerleaders; Rittenhouse Square sports bar Lucy; nightclubs Woody’s and Concourse Dance Bar; South Philly’s Live Casino! and bowling alley South Bowl, among others.

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    The permit process has caused confusion for some local bar owners, who said the delay in approvals have placed their World Cup plans on hold.

    Rittenhouse Square jazz and billiards bar Cellar Dog applied for a permit to stay open until 4 a.m. on May 11, according to the PLCB’s records, and did not receive a permit until Thursday morning.

    Owner Alfonzo Luna feared the last-minute notice would threw a wrench in the bar’s World Cup festivities. “We submitted everything right and on time, and we were just waiting,” he said on Wednesday night, prior to receiving approval. “I’m sure it’s a lot on [the PLCB’s] end, but for us it’s just frustrating to wait around because it puts a hold on any sort of marketing or operation changes that we that we need to make.”

    The performance space at Cellar Dog Philly, which has yet to be approved for a permit to stay open until 4 a.m. during the 2026 World Cup.Spencer Starnes

    How is this process supposed to work?

    The permits are part of legislation introduced by Pennsylvania state senators Sen. Joe Picozzi and Sen. Vincent Hughes and signed into law by Gov. Josh Shapiro in March that would enable establishments in Philadelphia to stay open until 4 a.m. from June 11 to July 19, which covers all World Cup matches, Semiquincentennial celebrations, and the MLB All-Star game at Citizen’s Bank Park.

    The thinking was that establishments should be able to stay open later to serve an influx of tourists looking to catch late night World Cup matches. In practice, however, many bar owners told The Inquirer that juice of late night hours isn’t worth the squeeze, between higher insurance premiums, an uncertain return on investment, and navigating bureaucracy.

    Late night permits are available to all hotels, breweries, distilleries with liquor licenses in Philadelphia City limits. To initiate the application process, establishments must first have paid $250 to the City of Philadelphia’s Dept. of Commerce and completed the Liberty Bell Safe Certification Program, a one-day safety and compliance training.

    A view of the Sports & Social sports bar at Live! Casino and Hotel in South Philadelphia. The casino has been approved for a permit to extend bar hours until 4 a.m. during the 2026 World Cup.(Courtesy of Live! Philadelphia)

    Then, establishments must apply for a $500 permit from the PLCB, which would enable them to stay open until 4 a.m. through July 19. To be approved, applicants can’t have any pending licensing, inspection, or fiscal objections associated with their business. The City of Philadelphia can also protest applications filed with the PLCB, Kelly said, and can request a permit be revoked at any time.

    Also baked into the process: A “30 day hold mandated by law,” Kelly said, that gives the PLCB “no discretion to approve or issue” permits less than 30 days after an application is received.

    In other words, if a bar applied on June 4 to be open until 4 a.m., the earliest they could be approved would be July 4, giving them a little over two weeks to take advantage of extended hours. The PLCB decided to hold off on issuing permits earlier to prevent establishments from using them illegally, said Kelly

    To be open late for the World Cup’s entirety, Kelly said, a business would’ve had to apply by May 11. “The PLCB conducts a full and complete investigation of every application it receives. There is no set timetable for that review,” said Kelly. “If an applicant submitted all required documentation — and filed in time — they will receive the Philadelphia 250 permit for the full period.”

    Popular sports bar Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse applied for a permit on May 21, according to PLCB records, meaning the earliest they could stay open late is June 21. Director of Operations Mike Anderson said the delay, while frustrating, isn’t a big deal.

    The bar at Cavanaugh’s Rittenhouse, which has yet to have their permit approved for extended hours during the 2026 World Cup.MICHAEL KLEIN / Staff

    The bar had only planned to exercise the 4 a.m. privileges on a case-by-case basis, said Anderson, when vibes at the bar are high. “I didn’t want to be left out if everyone else was doing it,” he said. “It could be the thing you tell stories about.”

    The permit process was “easy enough,” said Anderson, whose sole gripe is “the lack of guidance.”

    “I am guessing that we will eventually be approved or denied,” Anderson went on. “To be honest, it doesn’t really matter if we get approved. If we get denied, I wish I could reclaim my costs.”

    Some bar owners, however, are just grateful everything got done in time . Four of FCM Hospitality’s properties — Concourse, Craft Hall, Dolphin Tavern, and the sports bar Lucy’s — are among the first wave of businesses approved for extended hour. Owner Avram Hornik said the process “couldn’t have gone better than it had.”

    The PLCB and the city “are building the plane as they fly it,” he said. “It’s really hard to do something new … but I think the city and the state did an excellent job to make this happen.”

    This story was updated on Thursday. Staff reporter Michael Klein contributed to this article.

  • U.S. military says it’s striking ‘multiple targets’ in Iran in second day of renewed fire

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The U.S. military said Wednesday it began another round of strikes against Iran, after President Donald Trump warned that Tehran would “pay the price” for stalled negotiations. The escalating attacks threatened to derail efforts toend the war.

    U.S. Central Command said in a social media post that the military was striking “multiple targets in Iran,” attacks that were “in response to Iran’s unwarranted and continued aggression.”

    The second day of American strikes came hours after Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan — all of which host U.S. troops — came under Iranian fire. It was the third time this week that back-and-forth strikes have tested a two-month ceasefire. They also came a day after the U.S. struck Iran following the crash of an Army helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz that Trump blamed on the Islamic Republic.

    Trump has urged Iran to sign a deal to end the war and suggested earlier this week that an agreement could be reached in a matter of days.

    Iranian media reported that explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas, Sirik and Minab in the south of the country.

    Iran has proved resilient despite weeks of heavy bombing. It is betting that its ability to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial passageway for oil and natural gas — gives it a strong bargaining chip.

    Iran’s United Nations envoy said the U.S. should refrain from threats of force if it wants a deal.

    “Iran has never negotiated under threats and pressure and will never submit to pressure or question,” Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday.

    Still, both countries seem to be looking for a way to end the conflict — if they can manage to sell it as a win at home.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears intent on pursuing goals that make compromise harder: the collapse of Iran’s theocratic government, the elimination of its nuclear program, and the destruction of the Iranian-allied Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. On Monday, Iran and Israel targeted each other.

    Trump says U.S. is sneaking oil past the Strait of Hormuz

    Since the U.S. and Israel started the war with Feb. 28 attacks on Iran, the conflict has shaken the global economy, driven up energy prices worldwide, and made food and other basics more expensive.

    The international benchmark for crude oil traded above $93 a barrel on Wednesday, up more than 25% since the start of the war.

    Trump said Wednesday the U.S. military has since last month undertaken a “secret mission” to sneak oil shipments past Iran’s forces in the Strait of Hormuz. He said ships were slipping through at night, aided by the destruction of Iranian radar equipment.

    Trump said as a result more than 100 million barrels of oil have evaded Iran’s chokehold on the strait. There was no immediate confirmation of that figure, which roughly equals five days of oil shipments through the waterway before the war began.

    The military’s role was not immediately clear. Capt. Tim Hawkins, a Central Command spokesman, said U.S. forces “communicate and coordinate” with commercial ships in the area, but gave no details on military support being offered.

    U.S. and Iranian strikes shake the Mideast

    Earlier Wednesday, the U.S. military said an American aircraft fired “precision munitions” into the engine room of the Palau-flagged vessel M/T Settebello as it attempted to breach the naval blockade with a shipment of Iranian oil. It was the eighth merchant vessel disabled by U.S. forces in waters off Iran.

    India’s foreign ministry said three Indian sailors were missing after the Settebello was struck, while 21 others were rescued. Its statement did not mention the U.S. military or the blockade.

    Hawkins of U.S. Central Command said American forces warned the crew before firing on the ship.

    The U.S. military said strikes earlier Wednesday targeted “air defense, ground control stations, and surveillance radar sites.”

    Iran said U.S. strikes hit two water reservoirs in the southern city of Sirik, temporarily cutting off water to thousands of people. U.S. Central Command had no immediate comment.

    Tehran later claimed attacks in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan.

    Jordan said it shot down five incoming missiles, which Iran said targeted an air base hosting American military aircraft.

    Bahrain and Kuwait said they intercepted incoming fire.

    Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the American attacks as a violation of Iranian sovereignty. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said in televised comments that, following the new attacks, Iran would review its stance on negotiations to end the war.

    Efforts to mediate a deal continued. Following consultations with the U.S., a delegation from Qatar arrived in Tehran for talks on Wednesday, according to an official with knowledge of the visit who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.

    The exchanges of fire came a day after a U.S. Army attack helicopter crashed near the Strait of Hormuz. The helicopter collided with an Iranian drone, according to a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. It wasn’t clear whether the collision was intentional.

    A drone boat rescued the helicopter’s two crew. Trump said they were uninjured.

    Big disagreements stand in the way of a quick peace deal

    Wary of high gas prices in the run-up to congressional elections in November, Trump seems to be looking for a quick win. But he is also making demands that will be tough for Iran to swallow.

    The U.S. wants to see Iran give up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. While Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful, that uranium is a short technical step from weapons-grade levels.

    Iran is refusing to give up the uranium and demanding relief from sanctions. It also wants the release of frozen assets even before a final agreement is in place, something Trump rejected.

    It’s not clear how those differences can be bridged. In a Truth Social post Wednesday, Trump said Iran was taking “too long to negotiate a deal” and ”now they will have to pay the price!!!”

    Iran has insisted that any deal to end the war must also end fighting between its ally Hezbollah and Israel. Israel has instead intensified its military campaign against the Lebanon-based militant group.

    An airstrike on a village east of Tyre killed at least six people, Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported. It said two others were killed by an Israeli drone strike on a car in the southern city of Sidon.

  • Take a look inside the now-complete FIFA Fan Festival opening Thursday

    Take a look inside the now-complete FIFA Fan Festival opening Thursday

    A crowd packed with thousands of cheering fans, the 60-foot-wide screen playing the latest fiery matchup, and dozens upon dozens of food vendors await the FIFA Fan Festival, the cheapest and most immersive way to enjoy the 2026 World Cup in Philadelphia.

    Starting Thursday, the Fan Festival opens daily to 15,000 fans, for free, to roam the million square feet of festival grounds that have transformed quaint Lemon Hill into an almost unrecognizable extravaganza of global soccer.

    Here’s what you need to know before you go:

    Watching the game

    The main spectacle is the 60-foot screen that takes over the main stage in Lemon Hill, where the majority of fans will congregate to watch the match. But, throughout the festival are multiple smaller screens playing the game, so fans don’t miss a moment when they roam for food, fun, or the bathroom.

    “Even if you’re not a soccer fan, you can still come out and have a great time,” said Michael DelBene, executive producer of FIFA Fan Festival for Philadelphia Soccer 2026. “You can come and listen to music or eat delicious food, or shop.”

    The festival is intended for fans of all ages and promises to be kid and family friendly.

    Amenities

    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 Fan Festival delivers what many large-scale music festivals offer, with ways to enjoy the main attraction while also having side activities to keep you busy during a lull.

    Food and drink

    More than 80 local food trucks will serve up meals based on dishes from the many cultures across Philadelphia and, of course, the city’s very own, like cheesesteaks, pretzels, and more.

    Outside of food trucks, there will also be vendors selling beverage basics, such as water, soda, and beer, to the small bites like tacos and sandwiches. Pricing varies. Some vendors have beer and beverage prices at $10 or less. Many will also sell food menu items in the $15 to $25 range.

    A Michelob Ultra beer garden will welcome those 21 and over to a variety of brews, and the Coca-Cola corner has all the tasty carbonated beverages a fan could ask for.

    No outside food or beverage are permitted besides a reusable water bottle that can be filled at hydration stations. For a full list of what you can’t bring, visit phillyfwc26.com/fifa-fan-fest.

    Live music

    Throughout the festival, more than 50 live acts will grace the stage at Lemon Hill, including the opening night concert with headliner Luis Fonsi of Despacito fame. Festival showrunner DelBene said that while they’ll kick off the event with one of the biggest global artists, many local Philadelphia musicians and acts will rotate through the 39-day event.

    “It’s a really cool juxtaposition of global talent and the juxtaposition of local talent and culture,” DelBene 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

    Shopping and giveaways

    The Philadelphia Festival Marketplace will showcase the best artisans and makers the region has to offer with distinctive soccer swag, accessories, jewelry, original artwork, and more.

    Philly’s fan festival will also host the largest World Cup retail space across all 11 U.S. host cities. Sitting at 10,000 square feet, the Fanatics World Cup shop has everything a soccer fan needs for official tournament gear.

    Outside of shopping, many sponsors have built elaborate exhibits with interactive games and chances to win giveaways. Some of those sponsors include Kia, Bank of America, and The Home Depot.

    Accessibility

    ADA-accessible ramps are located throughout the festival and accessible public transportation is available entering and departing the venue. A golf-cart shuttle will also be available from the welcome center.

    Attendees have access to nursing stations, sensory booths, prayer booths, and meditation booths. ASL interpreters will be present throughout the event. Any questions can be directed to the welcome center booth or to staff with shirts.

    Inclement weather

    The festival will run rain or shine and will be canceled in case of any dangerous weather (thunder, lightning, high winds, or very high temperatures.)

    Getting around

    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

    Location: East Fairmount Park’s Lemon Hill

    To enter the venue, go to the secured entry point at Kelly and Sedgley Drives.

  • Eagles add A.J. Epenesa to their edge rusher corps

    Eagles add A.J. Epenesa to their edge rusher corps

    The Eagles are bolstering their edge rusher corps by signing six-year veteran A.J. Epenesa on Wednesday.

    Epenesa, 27, had spent his entire NFL career with the Buffalo Bills, the team that drafted him in the second round, No. 54 overall in the 2020 draft out of Iowa. He became an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

    According to ESPN, the 6-foot-6, 260-pound Epenesa was set to sign a one-year contract with the Cleveland Browns in March. However, that deal reportedly fell through following his physical.

    After myriad injuries, Eagles center Cam Jurgens is ready to implement a new offense

    Epenesa was mostly a rotational player throughout his career in Buffalo, making 19 starts (91 games total). He posted 24 sacks in that span, including back-to-back seasons of 6½ sacks each in 2022 and 2023. Last year, Epenesa played 47.1% of the defensive snaps through 16 games (two starts), notching 2½ sacks, two interceptions, four pass breakups, and two tackles for a loss.

    Come training camp, Epenesa is set to have an opportunity to compete for a role in the edge rusher rotation behind Jonathan Greenard, Nolan Smith, and Jalyx Hunt.

    A.J. Epenesa (right) had 24 sacks across six seasons with the Buffalo Bills.Adrian Kraus

    The Eagles also signed 28-year-old guard Michael Jordan and released linebackers Isiah King and Chandler Martin. According to the transaction wire, the Eagles waived Martin with a failed physical designation.

    Additionally, the Eagles released Za’Darius Smith from the reserve/retired list. Smith, 33, abruptly retired from the NFL in mid-October last year, roughly one month after he signed in Philadelphia. Smith’s release from the list indicates he could be seeking a return to the league.

  • Oregon man pleads guilty to murder, admits stabbing Cherry Hill veterinarian to death in 2024

    Oregon man pleads guilty to murder, admits stabbing Cherry Hill veterinarian to death in 2024

    An Oregon man who drove across the country in a jealous rage to kill his ex-boyfriend’s new partner in Cherry Hill has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in connection with the 2024 slaying, prosecutors said Wednesday.

    Cristian Custodio-Aquino, 28, of Portland, was charged in the stabbing death of Michael Anthony, a well-liked South Jersey veterinarian.

    The body of Anthony, 45, was discovered on the front lawn of his home on Sharrowvale Road early on a December morning, prosecutors said.

    Anthony had been stabbed in the body, neck, and head. Detectives soon linked the killing to Custodio-Aquino using DNA from a pair of prescription eyeglasses he had left at the scene and by tracking his vehicle entering and leaving the neighborhood.

    He was arrested in California and has since been incarcerated in a New Jersey correctional facility.

    With his guilty plea, Custodio-Aquino is expected to be sentenced to 30 years in state prison without the possibility of parole, according to the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office.

    Grace C. MacAulay, the county prosecutor, called Anthony’s death tragic, saying it had deeply affected the Camden County community.

    “This guilty plea represents a significant step toward justice and ensures the defendant will be held accountable for his actions,” she said in a statement.

    Custodio-Aquino’s defense lawyer had said there was little evidence tying him to the crime, but prosecutors pieced together what they said was a compelling case.

    In addition to the eyeglasses investigators linked to the Peru native, prosecutors were able to identify Custodio-Aquino’s black Nissan Altima entering Anthony’s neighborhood on the morning of the Dec. 10 killing, and later leaving the scene.

    After Anthony’s murder, prosecutors said, Custodio-Aquino drove to Fresno, Calif., where he stayed with a friend. He also wiped his phone and attempted to sell his vehicle. Investigators later recovered samples of Anthony’s blood from inside the car.

    Michael Anthony, 45, a South Jersey veterinarian, was found dead outside his home in Cherry Hill.Courtesy of Haddon Vet

    All the while, prosecutors said, Custodio-Aquino searched the internet for news stories that mentioned Anthony’s killing and his memorial service.

    Investigators eventually learned that Custodio-Aquino had a previous relationship with Anthony’s partner, Kyle Bartsch, and killed Anthony out of jealousy. Custodio-Aquino and Bartsch had lived together in Haddon Township but separated in 2021 after a domestic dispute, prosecutors said.

    Not long before Anthony’s murder, he and Bartsch had communicated with Custodio-Aquino and knew that he was returning to the East Coast, according to prosecutors.

    The death of Anthony, a divorced father of two, rattled neighbors in the Barclay Farm section of Cherry Hill.

    His body was discovered facedown on the front lawn by his 16-year-old son, who had gone to look for his father after he did not return from an early morning walk, prosecutors said.

    Relatives described Anthony as devoted to his family and two sons, and after his death, tributes poured in from friends, neighbors, and people whose pets he treated at his Haddon Heights veterinary clinic.

    Bartsch said in an interview last year that he was devastated by the “sudden and senseless” loss of his partner. He described Anthony, his partner of three years, as “an exceptional person, universally loved by those who knew him.”

  • After myriad injuries, Eagles center Cam Jurgens is ready to implement a new offense

    After myriad injuries, Eagles center Cam Jurgens is ready to implement a new offense

    At one point on Wednesday, Eagles center Cam Jurgens was ready to summon a doctor to the auditorium at the Jefferson Health Training Complex.

    It was Jurgens’ first time speaking to reporters since last season ended, which means there were plenty of questions about his offseason trip to Colombia to undergo a stem cell treatment to help manage his back pain.

    Time will tell what sort of impact it has on the two-time Pro Bowler on the field, but Jurgens certainly seemed to be much more comfortable on Wednesday as he snuck bites of chocolate ice cream during his news conference after the Eagles wrapped up their mandatory minicamp.

    “I know it’s helping me feel better, and that’s the main thing,” Jurgens said. “Pain has gone down; daily living, quality of life is better. But that’s what you expect from an offseason.”

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    That — actually having a somewhat normal offseason — is the biggest difference between now and one year ago for Jurgens. He had surgery to repair a herniated disk after the Eagles won the Super Bowl. During a podcast appearance in March, Jurgens said his disk “broke off” before the playoffs that year and “wrapped around” his sciatic nerve.

    “It was hard to walk,” Jurgens said on the Bussin’ With the Boys podcast. “I don’t know how I was playing. It was easily the worst month of my life but also the best month of my life because we won the Super Bowl.”

    Eagles center Cam Jurgens had back surgery after the Eagles won the Super Bowl.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Surgery meant that entire offseason was dedicated to rehab, and while the Eagles worked him back slowly in camp and tried to help manage his workload, Jurgens dealt with pain and rarely looked like the center who replaced Jason Kelce with relative ease in 2024.

    “It’s nice having a fresh, clean slate and getting to train throughout the offseason,” said Jurgens, who turns 27 in August.

    It’s an offseason of change for Jurgens, not just with his body but in the building. The Eagles are learning and installing a new offense under first-year coordinator Sean Mannion. The new system means more wide-zone blocking that the Eagles haven’t deployed previously. And it’s not longtime offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland teaching those new techniques, but new position coach Chris Kuper.

    Kuper being a former player, Jurgens said, means he offers a different vantage point and perspective compared to Stoutland. But Jurgens’ experience with wide-zone techniques has come just from watching other teams use it.

    He said he has enjoyed attacking the new scheme. There certainly are different philosophies in the style of play. Running the ball is more of a committee approach, Jurgens explained, and not just on the five linemen. The offseason program has been about learning how to block different plays, where your help is, and how a running back might attack a certain play.

    Lane Johnson’s season-ending injury motivated him to return. The veteran tackle is eager for a less ‘stagnant’ offense.

    “It’s wiping everything clean and forgetting what you used to do,” Jurgens said. “I like this system. I’ve always liked teams that run it. I feel like it lets you be a little bit more of an athlete. It lets you run around and play free. So I’m excited for that.

    “It’s fun to learn new techniques and ways to do something. You can cut an apple so many ways until you find out a new way to cut an apple. … You just learn new ways to do things and you may like it more, you may like it less. At the end of the day, you need to get the job done.”

    The offensive line will play a big part in where the 2026 season goes. It was a big reason the Eagles won the Super Bowl in 2024, but injuries to Jurgens, Landon Dickerson, and Lane Johnson, helped contribute to a slide offensively in 2025. Johnson is back from his right foot injury, and the 36-year-old said Tuesday that he loves “becoming an older player.” Dickerson, who dealt with multiple lower-body injuries in 2025, also went to Colombia for stem cell treatment.

    Eagles linemen like Tyler Steen, Cam Jurgens, and Landon Dickerson are learning a new offensive system.David Maialetti / Staff Photographer

    Playing through pain in some capacity probably will be part of Jurgens’ career until he’s done playing, whether the stem cell treatment works wonders or not. In addition to dealing with back pain, Jurgens missed three games in 2025 because of a knee injury and also suffered a concussion.

    “You’ll be hard-pressed to find a football player that’s not dealing with some sort of pain,” Jurgens said. “It’s just the name of the game, especially when I get older.”

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    Managing the pain requires efforts to keep inflammation down and figuring out a routine to prepare for game days, Jurgens said.

    “I play in the NFL, they pay me money, and so I’m going to do everything I can to get my body right,” Jurgens said.

    “You always think, ‘What are the pros and cons to this?’ If the pros outweigh the cons, you’re going to do it.”

    Hence the trip to Colombia, where Jurgens had a procedure that isn’t regulated in the United States. It’s been a long and painful 16 months since the Super Bowl, before which Jurgens chose to have an epidural so he could play.

    “It’s always about having perspective,” Jurgens said. “That’s about darn near everything in life. Always about having perspective of where you’re at now vs. where you were.”

  • Philly pools to start opening Friday, but details are scarce

    Philly pools to start opening Friday, but details are scarce

    Philadelphia will begin opening pools across the city Friday, just in time for an uncomfortable heat wave.

    Public pools will begin opening on a rolling basis on Friday, the city announced. No word yet on which pools will open first, and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Why can’t Philadelphia open all its pools at once? As with previous years, it is all based on lifeguard staffing. The more lifeguards the city hires and trains, the more pools it can open.

    More than 60 public pools are expected to open throughout the summer, the city said, up from 41 pools in 2025. It took until July 7 for the final pools to open for the season last year.

    The pools will open amid a heat emergency in Philadelphia, with temperatures expected to top 90 degrees through Friday. The emergency could extend into the weekend if the high temperatures linger. The all-time high temperature for both Thursday and Friday in Philly, 95 degrees, could be threatened.

    “The Health Department declares a Heat Health Emergency when the temperature gets high enough that vulnerable people — especially our elderly neighbors and family members — are at an increased risk of getting sick or dying from the heat,” Health Commissioner Palak Raval-Nelson said in a statement.

    To find pool hours, swimming lessons, or accessibility details, visit the Parks and Rec Finder App at phila.gov/parks-rec-finder.

    This story will be updated when the city releases more information on pool openings.

  • Jalen Hurts pushes back on ESPN report suggesting his resistance to change: ‘I’m always open to growth’

    Jalen Hurts pushes back on ESPN report suggesting his resistance to change: ‘I’m always open to growth’

    Speaking at mandatory minicamp on Wednesday, Jalen Hurts addressed an April report from ESPN that detailed internal frustration surrounding the Eagles quarterback.

    The question was presented as an opportunity for Hurts to respond to the various claims within the report, which included the notion that he had recommended the failed “four verticals” final play that sealed the Eagles’ wild-card playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. But Hurts said he hasn’t looked for a chance to set the record straight.

    “I’ve never really asked for an opportunity to respond to anything,” Hurts said. “So just let it live and go do my job.”

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    When asked directly if he asked for that play, Hurts responded, “Nah. No.”

    Hurts also was asked about another detail within the report that claimed he had been resistant to change within the offensive scheme in the past and that his preferences limited the offense’s ability to expand. The 27-year-old quarterback also pushed back on those assertions while keeping his focus on the future.

    “I’m always open to growth,” Hurts said. “I’m always open to improving. Think a lot of it is, what do we put our time on task? What are we exhausting? What are we repping? And so I’m looking forward to seeing how training camp goes, so we can just continue to build on the foundation that we began to lay now.”

    Hurts and his teammates finished setting the foundation of the new-look offense under Sean Mannion on Wednesday, the last day of mandatory minicamp and of Phase 3 of the offseason program.

    Jalen Hurts said that “I’m always open to improving,” in response to an ESPN report that suggested his resistance to change.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    But the scheme — and the personal evolution that it requires — isn’t the only change Hurts is tasked with embracing. The Eagles also traded A.J. Brown, Hurts’ top receiver for the last four seasons, to the New England Patriots on June 1.

    Hurts spoke about his history with Brown during organized team activities two weeks ago with the trade looming and acknowledged that “nothing can replace all the greatness that we achieved together.” With the trade official, Hurts echoed his past comments when asked if he was disappointed in how Brown’s tenure in Philadelphia ended.

    “You come into it and you have a sense of pride in how it began and definitely … what we were able to accomplish,” Hurts said. “And the same thing that I said last time, nothing can take that away. So, for the great things that we did, now it’s time to focus on achieving great things with this new iteration of the team.”

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    Following his trade to New England, Brown spoke with NBC’s Maria Taylor about a litany of topics, including his relationship with Hurts. The 28-year-old receiver claimed that he and Hurts are no longer as close as they were in the past, but “there’s no bad blood” and he loves “him to death.”

    Hurts did not share his view of their relationship and instead chose to validate Brown’s.

    “I’m not in a place to challenge anyone’s perspective on anything,” Hurts said. “Seemingly so it was. That’s who I am. I’ve always been focused on the collective. I’ve always put my energy toward that, and as a leader, I’ve always put an onus on giving maximum effort to achieve the shared mission we have in the team.”

    Hurts also was asked about his current contract situation — while he is under contract through 2028, the 2026 season is the last year that is fully guaranteed.

    Jalen Hurts (right) greets wide receiver Elijah Moore, who was signed this offseason by the Eagles, during minicamp on Wednesday.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    The Inquirer reported in April that the Eagles have no plans to extend Hurts’ contract this offseason, suggesting that he could be at an inflection point in his Eagles career. Franchise quarterbacks often are asked to restructure their contracts to create salary cap space in exchange for more guaranteed years. The latest example is Patrick Mahomes, who added two years onto his contract on Wednesday to keep him under contract through 2033, according to ESPN. The first four years of Mahomes’ contract are guaranteed at signing.

    Still, Hurts said he isn’t focused on his contract.

    “For me, I’m truly focused on being the best that I can be right now,” Hurts said. “That’s where my energy is. There’s a lot of change as is. I’m focused on this offense, I’m focused on building with Sean and being at my best.”

    Lane Johnson’s season-ending injury motivated him to return. The veteran tackle is eager for a less ‘stagnant’ offense.

    In Mannion, Hurts has yet another offensive play-caller entering his sixth season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback. Given the change to the offense yet again, Hurts emphasized the importance of “fluency” within the scheme, which comes with time and repetition.

    The figurative repetition counter reset to zero this offseason with the introduction of the new scheme. Hurts said there will be “a lot of opportunity” to grow his game, but he also acknowledged the challenges that come with the changes he confronts on a near-annual basis.

    “When you are such a focused individual and you have to focus on all the different things that are changing, that’s something that you have to manage,” Hurts said. “And so I’ve really just done that and accepted the pieces and the situations that have come, because it has truly been about winning, and everybody is dealt their own set of cards.

    “Mine’s just been dealing with change, and I’ve made the most of that.”