Matches Near State College
Six World Cup matches are to be hosted at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, including five group stage matches and one in the round of 16. New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium will host eight matches including five group stages, one round of 32, one round of 16 and most notably, the Final. Both Philadelphia and New Jersey are manageable three to five– hour drives from State College. As for other matches, they will be held in numerous cities, namely Boston, Toronto, Miami, Atlanta, Kansas City, Dallas, Houston, Monterrey, Mexico City, Guadalajara, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver.
Latest Developments
This World Cup will see a multitude of changes from the standard protocol. For example, this will be the first year where 48 teams will be included instead of its normal 32. On top of that, it was recently announced that this will be the first World Cup to have a halftime show for the final. The famous British band Coldplay will perform during the July 19th match. FIFA president Gianni Infantino wrote on social media, “This will be a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup and a show befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.”
The decision is controversial as it is possible that the normal 15-minute halftime would have to be extended in order to give the band sufficient time to perform, thus taking the focus away from the game itself. The Super Bowl halftime show, for example, regularly lasts 30 minutes with half of it being used to assemble and disassemble the stage. The negative sentiment towards this change is also seen in State High.
“This is a money grab and is taking away the integrity of the sport,” junior Alex Levis said.
Where to Watch
Although not all tickets have been released and prices are constantly fluctuating, it’s safe to say that World Cup tickets won’t come at a cheap price, no matter the game. However, watching the game virtually is an easy feat. No matter where you will be during the summer of 2026, it’s likely you can find a bar or restaurant that will be showing games, likely with respective fans in the area. If you’re in an urban city, US or Europe, it’s very likely you will find matches being televised. If you want to televise it in English for yourself, you can purchase a Fox Sports subscription or Telemundo for Spanish. Disclaimer: these are permitted only in the USA, other countries have their own broadcasts on different websites.
Benefits and Socioeconomics of the World Cup
Americans often delve into sports that don’t have a large international scene, at least not close to the magnitude of the World Cup. The World Cup is a chance for people to foster a sense of community, with everyone nationwide supporting only one team, the United States.
The United States has never been a powerhouse within the realm of soccer but has seen a steady growth, according to Forbes. 25 of 29 clubs saw increases in attendance, with one contributing factor being the arrival of star European players playing for Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs during their primes.
This World Cup could be the next step for building soccer fandom in the United States. One of the reasons the United States is not a soccer powerhouse is due to the fact that the domestic soccer league, MLS, isn’t able to compete with clubs in Europe and South America. This upcoming World Cup will create increased visibility of the sport within the United States, thus encouraging youth to raise soccer’s general popularity, meaning in the long-term a larger input of quality players being developed in the United States. The influence that the World Cup will have on youth soccer and academy development will be substantial, resulting in a stronger soccer ecosystem and fanbase within the United States, ensuring the ability to perform on the biggest stages of the sport.
Relation to State College
Christian Pulisic, the United States’ undisputed best player and team Captain was born and bred in Hershey, Pennsylvania, spending the first seven years of his career at PA Classics. PA Classics is a youth academy where an abundance of their current players go to State College Area High School.
Furthermore, the United States Women’s National soccer team that won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics included Sam Coffey, Alyssa Naeher and Ali Krieger who all played soccer at Penn State. 18 Penn State Women’s Soccer alumni currently play professionally in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).
Femi Awodesu, Penn State alumni who once captained Penn State’s Men’s soccer team has recently made his debut for the Houston Dynamo in the MLS. Awodesu has influenced and inspired many people through State High such as Junior Ian Lei who discovered his love for soccer through Awodesu. “
His videos have inspired me to keep practicing and playing the game I love,” Lei said. This goes to show that despite State College’s fascination with American football, the town has its own place in the development of American Soccer as well, domestically and abroad.
Closer than you think, bigger than you know
For communities across the country, including State College, the 2026 World Cup in the United States marks a historic moment: a once in a lifetime opportunity that has the potential to inspire and unite future generations in national pride. This event is much more than a global spectacle, it is a chance for Americans to witness history unfold on home soil.
