Fans gathered across the Philadelphia region Thursday as World Cup celebrations continued, with supporters watching the U.S. take on Turkey at Lemon Hill while a three-day celebration kicked off in Camden, New Jersey.
At Lemon Hill, fans poured in throughout the afternoon to watch the U.S. match. Gates opened at 3 p.m. as supporters gathered to watch the game together during the city’s World Cup Fan Fest.
World Cup excitement also reached Camden, where the Rutgers-Camden men’s and women’s soccer teams led a youth soccer camp Thursday morning to kick off the three-day, named “SoccerFest26,” on the Camden waterfront.
“The youth is more just a little more basic. With college, getting a little bit more specifics, but today it’s just about having fun and showcasing the beautiful sport of soccer,” Rutgers-Camden women’s soccer head coach Kevin Luber said.
Organizers expect about 3,000 fans each day through Saturday to attend SoccerFest26, where matches will be shown on a big screen.
“My goal over the past couple of years is to make sure that our residents and our visitors that are here for the World Cup, whether it’s in Philly or up in North Jersey, they had the opportunity to experience the World Cup for themselves,” Visit South Jersey Director of Operations Michael Snyder said.
Across the Delaware River in Philadelphia, Hershey’s opened a “Soccerland” pop-up featuring soccer-themed mini golf. The attraction celebrates U.S. men’s national team forward Christian Pulisic, a Hershey, Pa., native.
“Your hometown is that idea that somebody, somewhere always has your back, no matter where you go in life. And we want to be that to show Christian Pulisic our support,” Hershey’s Senior Brand Manager Katrina Vatter said.
To learn more about SoccerFest26, visit this website.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication.