City officials and regional tourism leaders officially opened the Pennsylvania World Cup Fan Zone in downtown Reading on Friday morning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Santander Arena, kicking off a weekend of free events centered around the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The ceremony featured Reading Mayor Eddie Morán, Meg Kane, host city executive for Philadelphia Soccer 2026, Heather Zimmerman, president and CEO of Experience Reading & Berks County, along with other invited dignitaries and partners.
Following the ceremony, the Fan Zone opened to the public inside the air-conditioned Santander Arena, where visitors could watch live Telemundo broadcasts of FIFA World Cup 2026 matches on two 40-foot screens. Outdoor festivities also got underway with a block party spanning the 500, 600 and 700 blocks of Penn Street.
With an Extreme Heat Warning in effect for the region, city officials encouraged attendees to take advantage of the arena’s air-conditioned environment while enjoying the matches and activities.
Friday’s schedule includes Australia vs. Egypt at 2 p.m., Argentina vs. Cabo Verde at 6 p.m., and a live performance by Go Go Gadget.
Events continue Saturday, July 4, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. with Canada vs. Morocco at 1 p.m., Paraguay vs. France at 5 p.m., a performance by Main Squeeze, and 3v3 Anywhere inflatable street soccer activities and youth programming.
Additional Fan Zone weekends are scheduled for July 18 and 19. The July 18 event will feature the FIFA World Cup Bronze Final at 5 p.m. and additional 3v3 Anywhere activities. On July 19, fans will be able to watch the FIFA World Cup Final at 3 p.m., followed by live performances by Sugar Ray and Ax & The Hatchetmen.
To accommodate the event, several downtown streets remain closed through the weekend, including Penn Street between Fifth and Eighth streets, Cherry Street between Sixth and Eighth streets, Sixth Street between Cherry and Court streets, and Seventh Street between Cherry Street and Penn Street. No parking is permitted on Eighth Street between Cherry and Court streets, although traffic remains open there.
The closures began early Friday morning and are expected to remain in place through the event weekend before roads reopen by approximately 11 p.m. Saturday.
Free public parking is available through the partnership between Philadelphia Soccer 2026 and the Reading Parking Authority at the DoubleTree Hotel Garage, South Penn Garage and Reed & Court Garage. Parking remains free through 10 p.m. Saturday and will again be offered during the July 18-19 Fan Zone weekend.
Admission to the Pennsylvania World Cup Fan Zone is free. Organizers encourage advance registration and recommend following the City of Reading and Experience Reading & Berks County social media channels for event updates, weather information and additional announcements throughout the weekend.
