This article is part of our World Cup Stadium Guides series, in which we look at the 16 venues that will host matches at the 2026 tournament.Philadelphia, the “birthplace of America”, is one of the nation’s most famous and historic cities.The East Coast city has a footprint far beyond American shores. International visitors will undoubtedly flock to run the famous Rocky steps, before taking a bite of one of the city’s iconic cheesesteaks at Geno’s.It’s also one of the United States’ great sporting cities. Philadelphia is one of just six of the country’s cities that boasts a championship in each of the four largest American sports leagues: the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL.And, while Philadelphia is yet to taste MLS Cup success, it has a long and proud soccer history. This summer, after failing in a bid to host games in 1994, the World Cup comes to Philadelphia Stadium for the first time.Here, The Athletic breaks down what to expect.What’s it known as normally?Lincoln Financial Field, or “The Linc”.It is named after the Lincoln Financial Group, which bought the naming rights in 2002 for $139.6million (£95.5m), spread over 21 years. The Fortune 200 insurance and investment management group agreed to extend their partnership in 2019, with the agreement running until 2031.What will it be called for the World Cup?Philadelphia Stadium — and unlike most of the venues at the World Cup, that is true to its location. This is true Philadelphia, about four miles south of downtown.An aerial view of the stadium in 2023 (Omar Vega/Getty Images)When was the stadium opened, how much did it cost, and who plays there normally?It opened in 2003, after being built at a cost of $512m. At the time, it was the most expensive stadium ever built in the U.S. and the second-most expensive worldwide, behind Nissan Stadium in Yokohama, Japan.The Philadelphia Eagles and the Phillies, the city’s NFL and MLB teams, moved in when it was completed. The Eagles have made it their home ever since, but the Phillies left for a new venue, the baseball-specific Citizens Bank Park, a year later.The Eagles have enjoyed great success and produced many memorable nights at the stadium. On their way to winning Super Bowl LII, the first in franchise history, and Super Bowl LIX they handily won NFC Championship games at The Linc, blowing out the Minnesota Vikings 38-7 in 2018 and the Washington Commanders 55-23 in 2025.It is also the longtime home of the Temple Owls, the NCAA Division I college football team of Temple University. It hosted the city’s MLS club, the Philadelphia Union, in their debut season in 2010, and is the venue for the longstanding annual Army-Navy game, in which the best football players from those military forces compete, typically attended by the sitting U.S. president.What are the most famous moments that have happened there?Perhaps the most famous moment happened in its very first NFL season.With the Eagles 14 points down against the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round, Philly tied the game with two fourth-quarter touchdowns before Green Bay went 17-14 ahead through a field goal.With 1:12 on the clock, the Eagles were in a tight spot. In a play immortalised as “4th and 26”, quarterback Donovan McNabb tossed a 28-yard pass down the middle to wide receiver Freddie Mitchell for a first down, keeping the game alive. David Akers’ field goal took the game into overtime, and his second of the night won it. The Eagles went on to lose against the Carolina Panthers, their third consecutive defeat in the NFC Championship game.Freddie Mitchell celebrates after his 28-yard catch against the Green Bay Packers (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)The Temple Owls have recorded some famous moments of their own here, notably beating the Penn State Nittany Lions in 2015, their first win against their major in-state rivals in 74 years.Away from American football, the Philadelphia Flyers hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins in a rare outdoor ice hockey game in 2019, with the Flyers beating the Penguins 4-3 in front of 69,620 fans.It is also a regular destination for touring musicians, including a three-night stay by Taylor Swift — who is from West Reading, a Pennsylvania town about an hour north-west of Philadelphia — as part of her Eras Tour in 2023.How many fans can the stadium hold? And will it be at maximum capacity for the World Cup?The record attendance was set at an Ed Sheeran concert in 2023, when 77,900 fans packed in to see the British pop star. That will not be broken this summer.The stadium typically operates at a capacity crowd of around 67,500 for NFL games, but that will be slightly reduced to approximately 65,827 for the World Cup.The record attendance for a soccer match is 69,879, set when Liverpool played Arsenal in a pre-season friendly in 2024, with Arne Slot’s side winning 2-1.Liverpool’s friendly win against Arsenal in 2024 set a record soccer attendance at the stadium (Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)What kind of pitch does it have, and has it had to change for the World Cup?The primary aim of the team preparing the surfaces at the World Cup is to replicate what players are used to at club level, and The Linc is no different.This month, work started to replace the Bermuda grass surface used by the Eagles with a hybrid turf which blends natural and synthetic grass fibres.It was the surface used at several Australian venues for the 2023 Women’s World Cup the country co-hosted with New Zealand and was used by Manchester City and Real Madrid for their training grounds.What are normal temperatures in June/July and will fans be sheltered at games?Philadelphia may not reach the extreme highs of Dallas or Houston, nor receive as much rainfall as Miami, but fans should still plan for heat and humidity.Summer temperatures in Philadelphia typically range from 84F (29C) to around 91F (33C), with humidity often exceeding 70 per cent. Fans attending games will also be subject to the urban heat island effect, when major cities become significantly hotter than nearby rural areas.The Linc is an open-air stadium, so there is no dome or roof to protect fans from the sun. For those attending Curacao vs Ivory Coast (4pm local kick-off) or France vs Iraq and Croatia vs Ghana (both 5pm kick-offs), make sure you pack a hat, sunscreen and a water bottle to fill at one of the stations around the concourse.Are they changing anything else for the World Cup?The stadium was built in 2003 with the potential to host soccer tournaments in mind.Four removable corners were installed to accommodate a larger playing field. Those corners were modified again in 2019 to make the process of removing and re-installing them more straightforward. That process will get underway ahead of the tournament, allowing for FIFA’s sideline sponsorship boards and team dugouts to be built into the current structure.In keeping with FIFA’s branding rules, any reference to Lincoln Financial Field, or any of the Eagles’ sponsors, will be removed from inside and outside the stadium.(Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)How do I get there?Rejoice! There need not be any rental cars, two-hour rideshares or awkward, confusing gameday shuttles. The Linc is one of the most straightforward World Cup stadiums to access.International visitors who are keen to use public transport can use SEPTA, Philadelphia’s subway system. If you’re in downtown Philly — or ‘Center City’, as it’s known by Philadelphians — hop on the Broad Street (B1/Orange) line to NRG station, situated a short walk away from Lincoln Financial Field. The ride normally costs $3 and takes around 25 minutes.Your journey home is covered by the Philadelphia host committee and funded by Airbnb. Complimentary rides from The Linc will be available from half-time and will run for two hours after the final whistle.If you’re keen on maximising every second spent in Philadelphia, you could cycle the four-mile journey down South 10th Street, taking you past Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens and through the Bella Vista, Lower Saigon and Lower Moyamensing neighbourhoods. Bella Vista is considered one of the city’s most appealing and walkable areas.If it’s not too hot or humid, you could consider the hour-long walk from Center City, allowing you to wander through the side streets.Alternatively, the most straightforward driving route will take you down the I-95 on the south banks of the Delaware River. Expect heavy traffic.What can fans expect at the stadium?Eagles fans are known to be among the most raucous in U.S. sports. Police ‘grease the poles’ regularly before NFL games, in an attempt to prevent supporters from climbing them. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there is a vibrant tailgating culture and this summer, that atmosphere promises to translate to the World Cup.Philadelphia’s World Cup fan fest will offer free entry for the duration of the tournament, and there are no tailgating bans at The Linc for international and domestic fans with a game ticket and parking pass who want to get a taste of Philly’s sporting culture. Make sure to try the K-Lot and the Jetro Lot to get the most authentic atmosphere.Philadelphia Eagles fans tailgating before an NFL game (Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)If you’re making a flying visit to Philly and don’t have time to check out one of the city’s legendary cheesesteak locations, there are options inside the stadium. Locals recommend Chickie’s and Pete’s, and make sure to accompany it with their famous ‘crabfries’.And before you leave, NFL fans should make sure to snap a pic in front of the “Philly Special” statue outside the stadium. The nine-foot-tall statue depicts the discussion between quarterback Nick Foles and head coach Doug Pederson at Super Bowl LII, ahead of tight end Trey Burton throwing a touchdown pass to Foles. In that game, with the Eagles beating the New England Patriots 41-33 to win their first Super Bowl, Foles became the first player to throw and catch for a touchdown in the event’s history.Is there anything else we should know about this stadium?If you’re yet to be convinced by how passionate Eagles supporters are, there is a jail inside The Linc to help deal with the most unruly fans.OK, technically it’s a holding centre in the bowels of the stadium, which isn’t entirely uncommon for U.S. sports grounds… but it allows for a transition into some Philly sporting lore.Veterans Stadium, The Linc’s predecessor, actually had a jail fitted inside the grounds to reduce crimes, after one fan fired a flare gun into empty seats across the field in 1997.They even had a functioning courtroom installed, where judges waited on game days to handle unruly fans.Which games are being played there?June 14: Group E: Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (Group E) (7pm local; 11pm GMT)