PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — Apple pie, barbecue, and tailgating at your favorite sporting events. It doesn’t get more American than that, which is why when it seemed like FIFA would ban tailgating during the World Cup, there was outrage among fans. Part of the World Cup appeal is being able to party with fans and enjoy food from different cultures in a global exchange of soccer.
That was a formative part of the Copa America 2016 experience for me. Being able to enjoy a cookout that Uruguayan fans were having in the parking lot of Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia Stadium, if you’re going by FIFA, while listening to music and enjoying soccer regardless of the outcome of the match, is one of the great experiences that you can have around these international tournaments. Popping open your trunk or car and enjoying food, music, beverages, and games is a great way to build community and support your team.
But during the World Cup, if you don’t have a parking pass and a ticket for a game on that day, you won’t be able to join in on the tailgating fun. In Philadelphia, parking can range from $125 to $150 per game, and that changes the aspect of tailgating for many fans.
“Parking in the lots is controlled by FIFA, so anyone who is looking to purchase a parking space can work with FIFA. There’s a website available where you can purchase the parking,” CEO & President of Philadelphia Soccer 2026 Meg Kane says. “If you have a ticket for the match on the day that the ticket says, and you have a parking space, you’re absolutely welcome to enjoy the traditional fan experience. That’s something that we’re going to embrace in every way.”
For most Philadelphia sporting events, fans will come down to tailgate, even if they don’t have tickets to the matches to enjoy the experience. The local baseball team, the Philadelphia Phillies, won’t play a home game that overlaps with the six World Cup matches hosted in the city, which will allow for ticket checks around the stadium to happen properly.
During large soccer matches, there are soft ticket checks where you’re told you can’t proceed further without a valid ticket, followed by a strict perimeter, which is distinctive in comparison to American sporting events, where the main ticket check is only once you enter the stadium.
“We’re in the process of finalizing the soft ticket checks and those perimeters,” Kane said. “The hard perimeter has been set, so now it’s just about establishing where those secondary and tertiary ticket checks will be, but our expectation will be that we will be able to capture anyone who does not have a ticket well in advance of the secure perimeter to come into the area for tailgating.
“It’s a change for Philadelphians to know that this is not like a regular Eagles game, where there are 25,000 people here who have no tickets and are here for that part of the party. But that’s why we have the FIFA Fan Festival for those who don’t have tickets. We would like you to go tailgate at Lemon Hill if you will, but without the cars for a fully pedestrian experience.”
While the FIFA Fan Festival in Philadelphia is free, that’s not the case in all cities during a World Cup, where much of it, if it’s a success, will be based on how fans are able to enjoy the soccer outside of the stadiums. Due to ticket prices, fans who want to have tickets may not be able to get in, and they also won’t be able to hang out around the stadiums due to the security perimeters.
Less than a month out from the start of the tournament, with questions about ticket sales and how many people will be attending, this lack of parties around the stadiums will bring further questions about fan engagement during the tournament. With local bars and events getting involved, there should still be plenty of spaces for fans to enjoy themselves in host cities and beyond, but not as close to the stadium as many are probably used to.
