World Cup fans cheer on the U.S. team in Chester, after the Ivory Coast holds public training session ahead of Ecuador match

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

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

Dawn McCourt from Vineland, N.J. has been a member of the United States’ official supporters group, the American Outlaws, for a year and the Philadelphia Union’s biggest supporters group, the Sons of Ben, for much longer.

She said Chester felt like the right place for her to watch the U.S.’s opening game.  

“It just feels like home because we do all of our tailgating right across the way,” she said. “So, this just screams soccer to me. It just feels like where I need to be.”

The tournament’s fourth game filled bars and venues across the Philadelphia region, especially the American Outlaws Philly Chapter’s home bar, Top Tomato in Center City, and at the FIFA fan festival site at East Fairmount Park’s Lemon Hill.

U.S. fans did not have to wait long to cheer after the game began. In the seventh minute, Hershey’s own Christian Pulisic’s drive into the box and Weston McKennie’s pass forced an own goal from Damián Bobadilla.

Forward Folarin Balogun gave the U.S. two more goals before halftime, the first teed up by Pulisic.

Paraguay’s Maurício took advantage of a lapse in the USMNT’s 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. 

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.

The U.S next face Australia, who they defeated in October, in Seattle on June 19. Then it’s a June 25 match back in LA against Türkiye, who beat the U.S. in June.

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. 

Prepping for Sunday

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, while also staying in a hotel in Wilmington. “Les Éléphants” also played a tune-up friendly game against the Philadelphia Union’s second team, which they won 2-0. Both the friendly and the training session were free for the public to attend. 

Drexel Hill resident Amedh Bayoko, originally from the Ivory Coast, came with his family. He said he never imagined he would see his nation’s team in the Philadelphia region.

“It 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,” he said.

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 Éléphants, their players, and the Ivorian culture.

“He’s a big Amad Diallo fan, Franck Kessié fan,” Jaworski said of Ethan. “He’s embraced the African culture, he makes the food, he loves the food and he wants to go to the Ivory Coast at some point.” 

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.

“It was shocking to see that they would be setting up something like this at the Union’s stadium,” he said. “Like 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’s so close to where I live, it just made it the cherry on top, really.”

Elisa Sumba from Hightstown in Mercer County, N.J. was one of the Ecuador fans in attendance, scouting out the opposition.

“Honestly, they’re both good teams,” she said. “I want to enjoy both teams. I saw Ivory Coast beat France 2-1, so I’m kind of scared for Sunday.”

Sumba said she managed to find last-minute tickets for Sunday’s game.

Sunday’s game kicks off at 7 p.m. in South Philly. Ecuador fans plan to have a ‘banderazo” gathering at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art the day before the game.

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 “ accessible to every Pennsylvanian, from every region of the Commonwealth,” his announcement said.

“The FIFA World Cup in Philadelphia is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that should benefit all Pennsylvanians — that’s why my administration is working with Philadelphia Soccer 2026 to host free Fan Zones in Scranton, Pittsburgh, and Reading, and to put match tickets directly into the hands of community organizations,” Shapiro said.