To: All Members and Affiliates

From: Chris Branscome, Chief Executive Officer

RE: FIFA World Cup 2026 Announcement

CC: Board of Directors
 

Tomorrow is a very special day for soccer in America. FIFA will finally announce the host cities for the 2026 World Cup. We’ve been waiting for this moment for five years, since the bid first began. For many of us, we’ve been waiting nearly 30 years since our area missed out on the 1994 World Cup. Many signs point to a positive result, many pundits and media outlets are predicting Philadelphia will be a winner. I certainly agree with them.

As you should have seen by now on-line, by social media as well as our own communications, a watch party and pep rally will be held tomorrow at Love Park in Philadelphia, from 3:00-5:00 PM. The live broadcast of the announcement will begin at 5:00PM. We hope that our soccer community can join us for this event as I believe, regardless of outcome, it’s a celebration of our sport. Without a doubt, this bid process has raised awareness and interest in soccer throughout the city and the state.

I hope that you will further share this information with your club members and encourage them to attend. I encourage you to show up in your uniforms and to bring your flags and banners and let the rest of the country, and the world know who we are and how strong of a community we are. This bid is as much about you and for you, maybe more so, as it is for anyone else.

I hope to see thousands of you tomorrow and look forward to celebrating the news together as you all deserve it.