Philadelphia’s biggest sports stars are putting a personal stamp on the World Cup welcome. Nine official FIFA match balls, each autographed by local athletes, will be handed to the national teams scheduled to play group-stage games at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philly Match Ball program pairs cross-sport celebrities with visiting squads as the city gears up for a run of matches this month, a small but fan-friendly gesture meant to show off the city’s hospitality as tens of thousands of fans roll into town.
Who signed the balls
Through the program, Phillies stars Bryce Harper and Trea Turner, Sixers center Joel Embiid, Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith and linebacker Zack Baun, and Flyers goalie Dan Vladař and captain Sean Couturier were among those who put their signatures on the official FIFA match balls, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. The signed balls will be presented to each of the nine national squads scheduled to play in the city as a welcome gift.
Which teams will receive them
The nine teams set to get the signed match balls are Brazil, France, Croatia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Haiti, Curaçao and Iraq, and Philly’s first World Cup game is this Sunday, when Ivory Coast faces Ecuador, local broadcasters report. Lincoln Financial Field has been temporarily rebranded as “Philadelphia Stadium” for the tournament and will host six matches, including a Round of 16 fixture on July 4, per 6abc.
Local context and preparations
The match-ball signings are one visible piece of a much larger operation. The stadium now has a FIFA-grade pitch installed, and visiting teams are setting up nearby base camps ahead of their matches. Local television crews filmed the signings and community buildup this week, as coverage from CBS News Philadelphia showed athletes posing with the balls while tournament organizers outlined how the handoffs will work.
Players as ambassadors
The program leans on the fact that several signees are known soccer fans, which helps the whole thing feel less like a stiff promo and more like a neighborhood welcome. Embiid has spoken about his love of the sport, and Harper has publicly celebrated the game. “I’m excited. I’m going to be all over the place,” Embiid told interviewers when asked about the World Cup’s arrival in the city, per The Philadelphia Inquirer.
For fans headed to Philadelphia Stadium this weekend, expect the city’s usual loud support, plus a handful of signed souvenirs that are already on their way into team hands and, likely, local lore as World Cup week unfolds.
