Nine teams are competing in Philly, including Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Brazil, Haiti, France, Iraq, Curacao, Croatia, and Ghana.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The United States and Mexico had a dream start to a World Cup on their home soil.
The Americans put an exclamation point on Friday's action with a 4-1 win over Paraguay in Inglewood, California.
Soccer fans in Philadelphia can catch all the action at the FIFA Fan Festival in Lemon Hill. The first match in the city will feature Ivory Coast taking on Ecuador at 7 p.m. Sunday.
Nine teams are competing in Philadelphia, including Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Brazil, Haiti, France, Iraq, Curacao, Croatia, and Ghana.
All games will be held at Lincoln Financial Field, which has been renamed "Philadelphia Stadium" for the international event.
Follow along for live updates below:
If you're heading to the Ivory Coast-Ecuador game on Sunday night, expect it to be warm and humid with some possible thunderstorms nearby.
Check the latest AccuWeather forecast here.
The Philadelphia Parking Authority is asking residents living near Fan Fest to check their application status and verify that all information was entered correctly.
A 12-year-old from Chester is gaining national attention during the World Cup, not for her skills on the pitch, but for her artwork.
Ava Nichols' soccer jersey design is now being showcased in art galleries across the country.
Nichols said the opportunity has been meaningful both personally and creatively.
"I'm, like, making a positive impact on my community, and just people will be able to see my jersey around the world, that feels really good," she said.
Nichols was chosen from hundreds of students who participated in Design FC, a nonprofit that introduces young people to sports and design as a creative outlet.
As part of a World Cup initiative, the organization partnered with 37 nonprofits worldwide, each selecting one young designer to create a jersey representing themselves and their country.
"They each went through the design process and they each created a jersey. We manufactured these jerseys, shipped them around the world," said Oliver Steinglass of Design FC. "Ava was the obvious choice for us, just given her engagement with the program, her talent."
Nichols spent two months developing her design, which features American monuments, a bald eagle and even Exit 6 off Route 320 - a nod to her roots in Chester.
She said the project taught her not only artistic skills but also broader life lessons.
Her jersey, along with 37 others, is currently on display in a New York art gallery and will soon travel to Los Angeles.
For Victor Argothy, following Ecuador's national soccer team has taken him around the world. Now, for the first time, the experience is coming to his own backyard in Philadelphia.
Argothy said he has attended all four of Ecuador's World Cup appearances and keeps ticket stubs as proof of his travels. With the team set to play in Philadelphia, he said the moment feels especially meaningful.
"When I heard they were coming to Philly, that was a highlight for me," he said.
A native of Ecuador, Argothy said soccer plays a central role in connecting people to their culture and to one another.
"Soccer is a big part of the culture. I think that's how many people connect," he said.
That sense of connection is shared by fans of the Ivory Coast national team, who are also preparing to support their country locally.
"Oh yeah! It's the number one game in Ivory Coast. Soccer is number one," said Ibrahim Bamba, president of the Ivorians of the Delaware Valley.
The Ivory Coast team recently received an enthusiastic welcome when they arrived in Delaware, reflecting the strong local support from the region's Ivorian community. Bamba said about 1,000 Ivorians live in the Delaware Valley.
Fans say the matches offer more than just competition on the field, serving as a celebration of culture and identity. Language, food and traditions all play a role in the experience.
Ivory Coast's national language is French, while Ecuador's is Spanish-both heard among fans chanting during games.
"You're being exposed to special roots of the culture," said Andres Eguaiza of Fairmount Park.
A number of people in the Ecuadorian community have settled in Upper Darby.
"The iconic food from Ecuador is encenbollado. That's a fish soup with tomato broth. It's very popular with Ecuadorians," said Argothy.
The Ivory Coast is also full of fresh cuisine.
"We have soups like peanut butter soup and palm oil soup," said Bamba.
Traditional Ivory Coast attire includes garments made by hand.
A team jersey might as well be traditional Ecuadorian attire as far as Argothy is concerned.
His friends and family are flying into town to catch the game.
The Ivory Coast will also have a crowd of fans.
No matter which team wins, fans on each side are happy they won't have to leave home to cheer on their home countries.
