{"id":218513,"date":"2026-06-13T20:01:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-13T20:01:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/218513\/"},"modified":"2026-06-13T20:01:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-13T20:01:19","slug":"world-cup-in-philly-fans-cheer-on-usmnt-from-chester-and-watch-ivory-coast-train-for-sundays-ecuador-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/218513\/","title":{"rendered":"World Cup in Philly: Fans cheer on USMNT from Chester and watch Ivory Coast train for Sunday\u2019s Ecuador game"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The second day of the FIFA World Cup 2026<\/a> saw the tournament\u2019s two other cohosts play their first games, with the United States men\u2019s national team making a statement 4-1 win over Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.<\/p>\n

The U.S. last faced Paraguay in a November friendly at Subaru Park in Chester<\/a>, and many in the Philadelphia region chose the Union Yards space next to the stadium as the place to watch the game.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Dawn McCourt from Vineland, N.J. has been a member of the United States\u2019 official supporters group, the American Outlaws<\/a>, for a year and the Philadelphia Union\u2019s biggest supporters group, the Sons of Ben<\/a>, for much longer.<\/p>\n

She said Chester felt like the right place for her to watch the U.S.\u2019s opening game.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just feels like home because we do all of our tailgating right across the way,\u201d she said. \u201cSo, this just screams soccer to me. It just feels like where I need to be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Dawn McCourt (left) and Allison Hunter at Union Yards in Chester ahead of the the U.S. men\u2019s national team\u2019s FIFA World Cup game against Paraguay. (Nick Kariuki\/Billy Penn)\"\"Leonel Albizu came to the Philadelphia Union\u2019s Union Yards from Wilmington with his wife Daisy and daughter Enid, because of the family friendly vibe of the space. (Nick Kariuki\/Billy Penn)<\/p>\n

The tournament\u2019s fourth game filled bars and venues across the Philadelphia region, especially the American Outlaws Philly Chapter<\/a>\u2019s home bar, Top Tomato<\/a> in Center City, and at the FIFA fan festival site at East Fairmount Park\u2019s Lemon Hill<\/a>.<\/p>\n

U.S. fans did not have to wait long to cheer after the game began. In the seventh minute, Hershey\u2019s own Christian Pulisic\u2019s drive into the box and Weston McKennie\u2019s pass forced an own goal from Dami\u00e1n Bobadilla.<\/p>\n

Forward Folarin Balogun gave the U.S. two more goals before halftime, the first teed up by Pulisic.<\/p>\n

Paraguay\u2019s Maur\u00edcio took advantage of a lapse in the USMNT\u2019s defense to score in the 73rd minute, but the U.S. remained in cruise control till the end with substitute Giovanni Reyna blasting a strike with the outside of his right boot past Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gil right before the final whistle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wayne, Pa. native Matt Freese was in goal for the game, while former Union players Brenden Aaronson, Mark McKenzie and Auston Trusty were on the bench.<\/p>\n

The U.S next face Australia, who they defeated in October<\/a>, in Seattle on June 19. Then it\u2019s a June 25 match back in LA against T\u00fcrkiye, who beat the U.S. in June<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The mood at Union Yards on the sweltering night was jubilant, with a large portion of the crowd cheering on the game inside under giant fans to cool off, but also because the feed for the game was about 40 seconds faster than the big screen outside.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Soccer fans cheer on the U.S. men\u2019s national team against Paraguay at Union Yards in Chester. (Nick Kariuki\/Billy Penn)<\/p>\n

Prepping for Sunday<\/p>\n

Before the watch party for the USMNT, the Ivory Coast national team held an open training session in Subaru Park, where the team has set up its basecamp for the tournament<\/a>, while also staying in a hotel in Wilmington. \u201cLes \u00c9l\u00e9phants\u201d also played a tune-up friendly game against the Philadelphia Union\u2019s second team, which they won 2-0<\/a>. Both the friendly and the training session were free for the public to attend<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Drexel Hill resident Amedh Bayoko, originally from the Ivory Coast, came with his family. He said he never imagined he would see his nation\u2019s team in the Philadelphia region.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a big surprise for me to see the free tickets for us. So, we are fighting now to get a ticket to watch the game at Philadelphia Stadium,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Amedh Bayoko and his family came to Chester\u2019s Subaru Park to see the Ivory Coast national team train ahead of its FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Ecuador in Philadelphia. (Nick Kariuki\/Billy Penn)<\/p>\n

Simon Jaworski from Burlington, N.J, came for both the practice session and the friendly with his sons, Ashton and Ethan. Both have been fans of Les \u00c9l\u00e9phants, their players, and the Ivorian culture.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a big Amad Diallo fan, Franck Kessi\u00e9 fan,\u201d Jaworski said of Ethan. \u201cHe\u2019s embraced the African culture, he makes the food, he loves the food and he wants to go to the Ivory Coast at some point.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ethan said he never thought he would see his favorite Ivorian players so close to home before he got the chance to visit the west African nation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was shocking to see that they would be setting up something like this at the Union\u2019s stadium,\u201d he said. \u201cLike even if it was two, three hours away, I think I still would have done the traveling to go to see them. But because it\u2019s so close to where I live, it just made it the cherry on top, really.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Simon Jaworski (from left), Ethan Jaworski and Ashton Jaworski at the Ivory Coast public training session at Subaru Park in Chester. (Nick Kariuki\/Billy Penn)<\/p>\n

Elisa Sumba from Hightstown in Mercer County, N.J. was one of the Ecuador fans in attendance, scouting out the opposition.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, they\u2019re both good teams,\u201d she said. \u201cI want to enjoy both teams. I saw Ivory Coast beat France 2-1<\/a>, so I\u2019m kind of scared for Sunday.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Ecuador fans Elisa Sumba (from right), Ivan Guiraocha and Johanna Salinas Lopez came to scout the Ivory Coast national team train ahead the first game of FIFA World Cup 2026 in Philadelphia. (Nick Kariuki\/Billy Penn)<\/p>\n

Sumba said she managed to find last-minute tickets for Sunday\u2019s game.<\/p>\n

Sunday\u2019s game kicks off at 7 p.m. in South Philly. Ahead of the game, Ecuador fans plan to have a \u2018banderazo\u201d gathering<\/a> at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art before heading down to the game.<\/p>\n

Gov. Josh Shapiro also announced an initiative Friday that will distribute 700 Philly match tickets to Pa. non-profits and community organizations, to ensure the World Cup is \u201c accessible to every Pennsylvanian, from every region of the Commonwealth,\u201d his announcement said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe FIFA World Cup in Philadelphia is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that should benefit all Pennsylvanians \u2014 that\u2019s why my administration is working with Philadelphia Soccer 2026 to host free Fan Zones in Scranton, Pittsburgh, and Reading<\/a>, and to put match tickets directly into the hands of community organizations,\u201d Shapiro said.<\/p>\n

\"\"Sylvester Benson-Sesay. (right) and Wokie Massaquoi from Upper Darby. Benson-Sesay orginally from Sierra Leone said he was supporting every African team in this World Cup. \u201cWe have more representation this time, so I\u2019m excited to see all the African teams,\u201d he said. (Nick Kariuki\/Billy Penn)\"\"Bintou Kamagate (left) and her family came to Chester\u2019s Subaru Park to see the Ivory Coast national team train ahead of its FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Ecuador in Philadelphia. (Nick Kariuki\/Billy Penn)\"\"Maurtinian soccer fan Mody Sylla (right), Mansita Souamare (center) and Gansiry Sylla watch the Ivory Coast national team train at Subaru Park. (Nick Kariuki\/Billy Penn)<\/p>\n

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