With Philadelphia set to host several World Cup matches in the coming weeks, Penn is preparing to welcome fans from around the world.
The University has assumed a major role in preparations for the World Cup and will continue to contribute during the tournament’s duration. Penn Medicine was named as FIFA’s official medical services provider in Philadelphia, while the Palestra hosted the Philadelphia leg of the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour.
“We’re all extremely excited to see the World Cup come to Philadelphia,” Chief Medical Officer of the University of Pennsylvania Health System Patrick Brennan wrote in a FIFA press release.
“Being the Official Medical Services Provider for the Philadelphia World Cup 2026 host city, in what will be the largest sporting event Pennsylvania has ever seen, is a great responsibility that we’re ready and excited for,” Brennan added.
Brennan said that Penn Med will be staffing “79 shifts at the Fan Fest” and “all six matches outside the stadium in a medical tent and then inside the stadium on the pitch and for the player medical center” in an interview with CBS.
The onsite tents will primarily be used for more minor issues, while more urgent cases will be transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Brennan said.
“[W]e have been drilling potential scenarios, and, in 2025, we supported all eight FIFA Club World Cup games played in Philadelphia”, a Penn Med spokesperson wrote to The Daily Pennsylvanian. “[A] team of emergency medical professionals, experienced in managing complex situations every day, will be staffing medical tents at the FIFA Fan Fest and at Philadelphia Stadium.”
“We are proud to be part of this summer’s events and will do our part to make them safe for all who participate,” the spokesperson added.
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Earlier this month, Penn Med held a pep rally to celebrate the World Cup and the employees who will be helping out at the front lines of the event.
HUP Nursing shared a social media post which read, “We are incredibly proud of the physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers, technicians, and support staff who will be representing Penn Medicine on the global stage.”
In addition to providing health support, Penn Med is also one of six official Host City Supporters in Philadelphia.
At the Palestra, over 3,000 fans signed up to attend the trophy tour. The event also featured food trucks, games, and opportunities to purchase merchandise.
The University’s involveument in the FIFA World Cup comes as part of its broader involvement in city-wide events this summer, including the United States’ semiquincentennial celebrations in Philadelphia.
