Camden County is preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a three-day festival designed to bring fans together and showcase local communities and businesses. On Thursday, June 4, South Jersey officials announced the “SoccerFest26,” a three-day celebration in late June that will feature gian t screens showing World Cup matches, live music, vendors and soccer-themed activities. The announcement comes as crews continue preparing Philadelphia’s FIFA Fan Festival at Lemon Hill. Construction is underway on areas that will host corporate activations and the main stage, where Luis Fonsi is scheduled to kick off festivities next Thursday. County leaders unveiled “SoccerFest26” during an event in Haddon Township, highlighting plans for activities across multiple communities during the tournament. “This is not just about soccer. This is about economic development, tourism and small businesses and showcasing everything our county has to offer,” Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. said. Officials said the Camden waterfront festival will serve as the largest event, offering fans a place to watch matches while enjoying entertainment and family-friendly activities. “We have a block party in our waterfront, different events for kids to play. You know, we’re a multicultural city. Different nationalities will be rooting for their particular country, so I’m excited,” Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen said. Camden County leaders said Gov. Mikie Sherrill allocated $800,000 to support the events. In addition to the waterfront festival, towns including Haddon Township and Collingswood will host watch parties and other World Cup-related gatherings. “It’s a big deal for us to be able to have a piece of the World Cup at home because it’s one thing to travel and these tickets are so expensive. But soccer is the world sport because it takes nothing to play it, so to be able to enjoy it, we wanted things to be accessible,” Collingswood Mayor Daniela Solano-Ward said. Officials hope the celebrations will give residents a chance to participate in the excitement surrounding the World Cup while also benefiting local businesses. “Yeah, definitely. We’ve been a little slow recently, but I know with the foot traffic in the area and there’s going to be games in North Jersey, I expect people to live down here, stay in Philly, come over here,” Alonzo Guerrero of Que Ricas restaurant in Haddon Township said. In addition to the World Cup events, Camden officials announced that The Commodores will perform during the city’s Fourth of July fireworks celebration. To learn more about South Jersey’s celebrations, visit this website. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less