<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3KjgcS_0vpO99m700" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3KjgcS_0vpO99m700" width="1124" height="752" ><figcaption>A sign featuring Hershey, Pa. native Christian Pulisic promoting the 2026 FIFA World Cup hangs in front of Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field during the Premier League Summer Series. (Cory Sharber/WHYY)</figcaption></figure><p>Philly soccer fans have been treated to some top-shelf showcases of the sport in the past few years. The Union have been mostly competitive (let’s not say too much about this season) and international attractions like Liverpool, Chelsea, Germany, Argentina and Wrexham have come here for exhibition matches. </p><p>On Saturday evening at the Global Citizen Festival in New York, football’s international governing body FIFA announced that the Linc is getting more soccer next year as one of the 12 U.S. venues for the Club World Cup 2025. </p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAi-QAVJcEk/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAi-QAVJcEk/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"><div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div><div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div><div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewbox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"><div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div><div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div><div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div><div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"><div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div><div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div><div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div><div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DAi-QAVJcEk/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by FIFA World Cup 26 Philadelphia™ (@fwc26philly)</a></p></div><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);delay=function(){window.instgrm.Embeds.process()};setTimeout(delay,500)"></blockquote><p>“We are excited that Philadelphia and Lincoln Financial Field have been selected as one of the host cities/venues for the inaugural edition of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025,” Eagles President Don Smolenski said in an emailed statement. “This will serve as yet another opportunity to showcase Lincoln Financial Field on an international stage as we continue our preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.” </p><p>The tournament to determine the best club team in the world will be the first edition of the new tournament format, which switches from annual to quadrennial and greatly expands the number of teams from the last edition’s seven. </p><p>It replaces the now-defunct Confederations Cup as the warmup competition for the World Cup in 2026, in which Philly will host five group games and a round-of-16 match on the Fourth of July, as part of a expanded, three-continent tournament.</p><p>Philly’s local organizing committee for the World Cup is not involved in 2025’s club competition, according to Meg Kane, host city executive and CEO of Philadelphia Soccer 2026. She said in an emailed statement that the group is delighted that Philly was chosen, and that the selection reaffirms FIFA’s faith in the city’s “capacity to deliver an outstanding tournament and fan experience” for 2026’s big event.</p><p>“Although Philadelphia Soccer 2026 is not engaged in the operational planning for the 2025 tournament, we celebrate this event as an important opportunity to highlight our passionate fans, our welcoming neighborhoods, and our abiding commitment to growing the game as we build excitement ahead of FIFA World Cup 26,” she said. In June, Philadelphia Soccer 2026 revealed that the World Cup’s fan zone will be set up at East Fairmount Park’s Lemon Hill.</p><p>The Linc has ramped up its soccer scheduling since it was named as one of the 16 venues for the World Cup, with a sellout crowd of 69,879 turning the stadium red in July for a match between Premier League giants Liverpool and Arsenal, which set a new record for soccer turnout at the stadium. </p><p>Next year’s club tournament will run from June 15 to July 13, with the final at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, where the World Cup final will be held a year later on July 19, 2026. </p><p>Along with the stadium in East Rutherford and the Linc in South Philly, games will also be played at the following venues:</p><ul><li>Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium</li><li>Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium</li><li>Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium</li><li>Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium </li><li>Nashville’s GEODIS Park</li><li>Orlando’s Camping World Stadium and Inter&amp;Co Stadium </li><li>Pasadena’s Rose Bowl</li><li>Seattle’s Lumen Field</li><li>Washington, D.C’s Audi Field</li></ul><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Coming to the USA in 2025 🇺🇸<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeItToTheWorld?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TakeItToTheWorld</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFACWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFACWC</a><a href="https://t.co/ocAOgy87Fl">pic.twitter.com/ocAOgy87Fl</a></p>— FIFA Club World Cup (@FIFACWC) <a href="https://twitter.com/FIFACWC/status/1840156781580038528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2024</a><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><p>FIFA says it will provide the details about how many games the Linc will have when it completes the draw in December. Here are the 30 teams that have qualified so far.</p><ul><li><b>From Asia:</b></li><li>United Arab Emirates: Al Ain</li><li>Saudi Arabia: Al-Hilal</li><li>South Korea: Ulsan HD </li><li>Japan: Urawa Red Diamonds</li></ul><ul><li><b>From Europe </b></li><li>Austria: Red Bull Salzburg</li><li>England: Chelsea and Manchester City</li><li>France: Paris Saint-Germain </li><li>Germany: Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund</li><li>Italy: Inter Milan and Juventus</li><li>Portugal: Benfica and Porto</li><li>Spain: Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid </li></ul><ul><li><b>From South America </b></li><li>Argentina: Boca Juniors and River Plate</li><li>Brazil: Flamengo, Fluminense, Palmeiras</li></ul><ul><li><b>From North and Central America</b></li><li>Mexico: Léon, Monterrey, Pachuca </li><li>United States: Seattle Sounders</li></ul><ul><li><b>From Africa:</b></li><li>Egypt: Al Ahly</li><li>Tunisia: Espérance de Tunis</li><li>Morocco: Wydad AC </li><li>South Africa: Mamelodi Sundowns</li></ul><ul><li><b>From Oceania:</b></li></ul><ul><li>New Zealand: Auckland City</li></ul><p>Spots are still open for two more teams, one more from the U.S. as a host spot, and the winner of South America’s 2024 Copa Libertadores, which is down to Brazil’s Atlético Mineiro, which will face either compatriots Botafogo or Uruguay’s Peñarol in the final (River Plate is the fourth team in the semifinals, but has already qualified).</p><p>“This new FIFA competition is the only true example in worldwide club football of real solidarity and inclusivity, allowing the best clubs from Africa, Asia, Central and North America and Oceania to play the powerhouses of Europe and South America in an incredible new World Cup which will impact enormously the growth of club football and talent globally,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said at the announcement.</p><p>Tickets are not yet available for the tournament, but you can register your interest on FIFA’s website.</p></div></body>

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Philly’s Linc named one of 12 U.S. venues for FIFA Club World Cup 2025

Philly soccer fans have been treated to some top-shelf showcases of the sport in the past few years. The Union have been mostly competitive (let’s not say too much about this season) and international attractions like Liverpool, Chelsea, Germany, Argentina and Wrexham have come here for exhibition matches. On...

Philly’s Linc named one of 12 U.S. venues for FIFA Club World Cup 2025

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