Philadelphia will be one of the host cities for the 2026 World Cup, with games to be held at Lincoln Financial Field, which the city's bid team believes was a deciding factor.
What exactly is there to know about the venue that helped make Philly become one of the 16 chosen host cities?
Home to the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL, the American football stadium's playing surface may have aided in its selection.
"They were actually commenting on the condition of that field, that grass, when they were walking around looking at the field. It's a beautiful facility," Mayor Jim Kenney said Thursday.
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The upwards of 69,000-seat stadium is not new to hosting large events, including major soccer games and other sports outside of the usual American football.
The Linc has hosted the Women’s World Cup, CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa America Centenario in the past. Plus, the venue hosted games in the NHL Stadium Series in 2019, bringing ice hockey to the field as the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The city's bid team believes the venue is in the right spot, close to both highways and public transportation.
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Travelers can hop on Interstate 95 anywhere along the East Coast to get to Lincoln Financial Field. For those looking to catch another game of the tournament, I-95 will also take them north to East Rutherford, where games will also be played as part of the New York/New Jersey bid. Those making their way to Philadelphia from the west can hop on Interstate 76.
The 22,000 parking spaces on the Lincoln Financial Field lot create ample space for drivers.
There are also various public transit options to get to and from the stadium.
Those just arriving at Philadelphia International Airport can take a train to City Hall and then hop onto the Broad Street line, which ends at NRG Station. The station is a roughly 10-minute walk to the stadium.
There are also various bus routes from the airport to the stadium. The Linc also has a list of route options for getting to the stadium from various surrounding locations.
Not only does its size, accessibility and history hosting large-scale events give Lincoln Financial Field and the City of Philadelphia bonus points in the selection process, but the stadium also maintains impressive sustainability and clean energy efforts.
The Linc is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certified.
The U.S. Green Building Council developed the LEED rating system, which awards the certification in tiers: basic, silver, gold and platinum.
The USGBC awarded this certificate to the venue for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality, according to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Lincoln Financial Field operates on 100% clean energy, which you can attribute partially to the 11,000 solar panels around the stadium. A large chunk of power comes from the panels over the parking lot, as well as those on top and on the back of the venue, Eagles Director of Fan Experience Norman Vossschulte told NBC10 First Alert Meteorologist Bill Henley in an environmental tour of the stadium.
The Eagles' passion for environmentally conscious decisions and sustainability can only be matched by Philadelphia soccer fans' eagerness and passion for the game.
Fans expressed their excitement for their city's recent accomplishment in Love Park Thursday during the selection watch party, as they look forward to the games at the Linc in 2026.
