Fiesta Futbolera 2025 celebrates Philly’s soccer culture ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup

People braved the summer heat to check out the second annual South Philly street festival hosted by the Philadelphia Union.

People braved the summer heat to check out the Fiesta Futbolera on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in South Philadelphia. (Cory Sharber/WHYY)

Fiesta Futbolera 2025 celebrates Philly’s soccer culture ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup

People braved the summer heat to check out the second annual South Philly street festival hosted by the Philadelphia Union.

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The second annual Fiesta Futbolera celebrated the connections between Latino culture and the game of soccer Sunday in South Philadelphia ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup matches.

The street festival, hosted by the Philadelphia Union, the Association of Mexican Business Owners in Philadelphia and the Mayor’s Office of Latino Engagement, attracted hundreds of people despite the summer heat — a preview of the excitement the city hopes to bring to next year’s tournament.

Tents set up by various vendors gave attendees the chance to connect with different Latino cultures through food and wares, but also gave access for those looking to get involved in the city’s soccer community.

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a sign for 2025's Fiesta Futbolera
The Fiesta Futbolera celebrated the connections between Latino culture and the game of soccer Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, in South Philadelphia ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup matches. (Cory Sharber/WHYY)

Local soccer group looks to provide a ‘safe space’ for soccer fans

Philadelphia Falcons team members were on hand to educate people about the LGBTQ+ inclusive soccer club, which has been bringing adult players of all levels to the pitch for more than 35 years. Club president Gabby Stacy said the group’s main aim is to provide a “safe space,” especially as the World Cup draws nearer.

“We’re not going to judge you, we’re not going to put you in harm’s way,” Stacy said. “And just knowing so many communities do feel unsafe in today’s world, I think it’s that much more important to remind people that there’s an actual community that’s been around for so long with this mission just as a running streamline.”

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Philadelphia Falcons club president Gabby Stacy smiles
Philadelphia Falcons club president Gabby Stacy wants people to know they'll have a "safe space" to enjoy the game of soccer during next year's FIFA World Cup. (Cory Sharber/WHYY)

Stacy first became involved with the group in 2012 after learning about them at a Pride festival. The game not only resonates with their Colombian roots, but also helped them meet new people within Philadelphia’s queer and sporting communities.

“They get this logo and they know, ‘Anytime I see that, that’s somewhere I can go that’s safe,’” Stacy said. “It doesn’t have to just be about your sexual identity. It’s more so about knowing there’s a community out there that wants everyone to be treated equally and fairly.”

As the game grows, more soccer jerseys fly off the racks

While soccer may be known for the dazzling plays made on the pitch, it’s also synonymous with the uniforms, or kits, the players wear.

Soccer jerseys have been flying off the shelves for many clubs around the world — for example, Liverpool FC of England’s Premier League has seen a 700% sales increase compared to last year. Philadelphia Union teenage prodigy Cavan Sullivan has one of the highest-selling jerseys in Major League Soccer, a list topped by soccer legend Lionel Messi.

Jose Carbajal came to South Philly from Delaware to sell various kits and said more people are interested in the shirts as the game is “on the rise.”

“Whether it’s a local team or whether it’s international,” Carbajal said. “I had some lady looking for Philadelphia Union, I didn’t have any on my rack. She bought some Croatia.”

Jose Carbajal smiles by his stand
Jose Carbajal connected with soccer fans Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025, at his tent where he was selling soccer kits of teams local and international ones. (Cory Sharber/WHYY)

Carbajal’s World Cup excitement traces back to childhood, when soccer felt less accessible. Now, with Philly hosting major international and Premier League matches, the game feels closer than ever.

“When I grew up, it was hard, man. It wasn’t much soccer going on,” Carbajal said. “There wasn’t a lot of games. It was hard to go to games. You had to make drives to go to games, so the fact that Philly’s putting it together and we’re actually getting good teams, it’s insane, man.”

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest single-sport international event of the year. Games will be played across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, including six matches in Philadelphia. The tournament is also recruiting volunteers for next year’s games as FIFA seeks 3,000 to aid operations at stadiums, airports and fan zones throughout the city.

Next year’s World Cup matches are expected to bring 500,000 visitors and have a $770 million impact on the local economy.

Philadelphia will host several large-scale events next year for America’s semiquincentennial, including the MLB All-Star game, the PGA Championship and the first and second rounds of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.

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