Philadelphia bars see spike in business during 2026 Men's World Cup: "We've definitely seen a huge increase"

The 2026 Men's World Cup may be centered around the stadiums, but some Philadelphia business owners say the tournament's impact is being felt well beyond the sports complex.

On Tuesday afternoon, England supporters packed The Black Taxi Pub in Fairmount for England's match against Ghana. Fans draped in the Flag of England stood shoulder-to-shoulder inside the crowded bar, singing soccer chants and cheering on their national team.

"It's an amazing bar — we all love football, it's a proper football bar," said Michael Hawkins, who recently moved to King of Prussia from England.

The match ended in a scoreless draw, but for many visitors, the World Cup experience extends beyond the action on the field.

Steve McCready, one of Hawkins' friends visiting from England, said he and his friends have spent their time exploring Philadelphia between matches.

"We've already done the Rocky steps," he said. "We'll go have a big, what's that? Philadelphia cheese — we'll go have a Philly 'stack.'"

Visitors from all over have also been sampling the city's famous food.

"We just had a cheesesteak! That was lovely," said Adolfo Ibañez, a 22-year-old student visiting from Belgium.

Beyond the cheesesteaks and tourist attractions, several visitors said Philadelphia has left a positive impression.

"A lot of people here, when I say it to you, 'You guys are really hospitable, you're fantastic, you're social," Hawkins said. "They go, 'No we're not.' And I go, 'Yes you are!'"

At The Black Taxi Pub, general manager Neil McKernan said the tournament has brought a noticeable increase in customers.

"We definitely got busier," McKernan said. "Every day is busy here."

A few blocks away at Hilltown Tavern Fairmount, bartender Mallory Kalogreadou said the business has seen a similar uptick since the World Cup began.

"As far as volume and revenue, as far as sales and stuff goes — we've definitely seen a huge increase," she said.

But Kalogreadou said one of the biggest takeaways has been the sense of connection among fans from different countries.

"Even if we don't speak the same language or have the same views, it's all sports," she said.