Philadelphia plans 'surprise and delight element' at FIFA World Cup Fan Festival

The team behind Philadelphia’s World Cup host committee hopes to showcase the city’s history and notorious enthusiasm for sports to the thousands of expected visitors this summer.

The team behind Philadelphia’s World Cup host committee hopes to showcase the city’s history and notorious enthusiasm for sports to the thousands of visitors expected this summer, culminating in a major Fourth of July celebration in the city that served as the heart of the American revolution on its 250th anniversary.

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Fan experience was the priority for the city’s host committee, which plans events around six FIFA World Cup games to be played at Lincoln Financial Field this summer, host committee CEO Meg Kane said. At the heart of the planning is the Fan Festival, a massive watch party each host city puts on for soccer lovers who were unable to get tickets to the tournament.

Kane, who jokingly referred to herself as the World Cup’s chief cheerleader, said the Fan Festival should build momentum and offer a Philly flavor that brings people back.