Philly, America's sportiest city, is having its biggest sports year yet
Philadelphia, America's sportiest city (sorry, WaPo), is having its sportiest year in 2026.
Why it matters: Sports sit at the axis of Philly's world, and everything spins around it — politics, business, food, travel, culture.
The big picture: From fans to influencers, city officials to chefs, everyone is gearing up for a touchstone moment rivaling only 1980, when Philly was crowned the "city of champions."
Philly expects a $1 billion economic boon from this year's busy calendar, including the World Cup, the PGA Championship, the MLB All-Star game and Draft and the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
The city has pumped millions of dollars into making sure events like the World Cup Fan Festival in Lemon Hill, which is expected to draw 15,000 daily fans, are teeming with Philly pride.
Philadelphia International Airport gets about 30 million visitors a year, and millions more could flock here in 2026. The signs point to a busy summer ahead — daily international flights in July 2026 are expected to be up 4% from last year, and domestic flights up 5%, spokesperson Heather Redfern tells Axios.
Yes, and: Bet that sport-crazed Philadelphians will show up and do their parts.
What they're saying: "In these divided times, there are still a few things that bring people together. Sports is a No. 1," Gov Josh Shapiro said during a recent kickoff event at Stateside Live.
Zoom in: Big businesses, mom-and-pop shops, solo creators. All are angling to cash in on the buzz, with some already pitching the nation's biggest sports leagues on projects leveraging Philly's moment in the international spotlight.
Signature sporting events put a lot of eyeballs on Philly, making it easier to pitch investors on bringing the "unicorns [companies] of tomorrow" here, Antonia Dean, a partner at Black Ops VC, tells Axios.
Her firm was an early investor in Stimulus, a Philly-based supply chain company whose procurement software has helped the World Cup connect with contractors and vendors.
"An event like this actually becomes like a live stress test for cities," she says.
Jamie Pagliei, a sports influencer known as the Philly Sports Guy, bought a $100 ticket to a Business Journal headliner event Thursday so he could hand a one-sheet pitch to MLB executives in attendance.
He hopes to film a six-episode doc chronicling his 42-day journey to 35 baseball games in 12 cities, culminating in the Phillies' Aug. 13 game against Minnesota at the Field of Dreams, which is being broadcast on Netflix.
What they're saying: "I'm going to do everything with [2026]," Pagliei tells Axios. He anticipates the busy year of appearances will double his annual haul.
Inside the room: Bars will be packed, suds flowing; chefs will cook up internationally inspired dishes, and local apparel makers are bracing for a wave of World Cup merch requests.
Foodies, don't worry. Restaurant industry advocates worked hand-in-hand with city officials to pass bills that'll allow more restaurants to have al fresco dining and keep reservation scalpers from getting tables at the city's hottest, Michelin-star restaurants.
Then there are the rabid tailgaters, set to flood South Philly and mix with flocks of international fans in a days-long, fun-filled multicultural blender.
"We create traditions. We create memories," Sean Holden, founder of the popular Hungry Dawgs tailgate, tells Axios. "That's all been passed down from people who influenced us."
What we're watching: Soccer fanatic Steve Schell, who grew up playing FIFA on a PlayStation, is hoping Philly gets the ultimate storybook ending: Team USA, surviving the group stage, to play in a round-of-16 matchup on the Fourth of July in the cradle of democracy.
"I may have to beg, borrow and steal" with friends for tickets to that game, he says.
Originally published in Axios