France and Iraq fans flood Philadelphia ahead of 2026 Men's World Cup showdown

The steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art transformed into a sea of Iraqi flags, drums and chants Sunday as fans gathered ahead of the team's World Cup matchup vs. France.

Despite facing one of the tournament's highest-ranked teams, Iraqi supporters showed little concern about the challenge ahead.

"France has no chance!" fan Abdullah Yaqoob said.

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Many fans said the gathering represented something much deeper than soccer.

"It's a little bit bigger than words — it's just very overwhelming. Emotional, nostalgic," fan May Ismail said.

Ghazwan Kareem attended the rally on crutches after injuring his calf while playing soccer Friday night. He said he left the emergency room Saturday before making the roughly seven-hour drive from Cleveland to Philadelphia.

"Even if they cut my leg, I will be here, and I will go to the field tomorrow and be with the Iraq national team," he said.

Across the city in Chinatown, French supporters were equally confident about their team's chances.

"With respect with Iraq people, but probably we will win with a large score," Nicolas Moulin said.

Fellow fan Lucas Lefebvre was even more optimistic.

"We will win 5-0 and we will win the World Cup," he said.

Many French fans sported blue jerseys and commemorative berets featuring the 2026 World Cup trophy. Chants of "Allez les Bleus!" — meaning "Go the Blues!" — echoed both outside and inside Lion Sports Bar.

As kickoff approaches, supporters from both nations are making their presence felt across Philadelphia.