SEPTA is going to run overnight trains on the Broad Street and Market Frankford lines when Philadelphia hosts FIFA World Cup matches and add other service to support the soccer tournament’s fan festival, officials said Monday.
The World Cup is less than a month away, and matches will be held at Lincoln Financial Field (referred to as “Philadelphia Stadium” during the tournament) on June 14, June 19, June 22, June 25, June 27 and July 4.
“SEPTA’s robust multimodal network was a key factor in Philadelphia’s selection as a host city, and we are ready to rise to the occasion,” the authority’s general manager, Scott Sauer, said in a statement.
Ten extra trains will be deployed to the BSL, now known as the B, in the lead-up to each match, and trips will be added following the games. Transit officials anticipate 31,000 riders for each match, and the subway is boosting capacity to transport 15,000 an hour.
On game days, the B and L, the new term for the MFL, will operate every 30 minutes overnight, with stops at City Hall on the hour and half-hour. Those trains will only serve select stations, and SEPTA says it will share a list of those stops in the coming weeks.
Although some regional transit systems in the United States are raising fares for the World Cup, authority leaders have stated that prices for the B, which provides direct service to the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, will remain unchanged at $2.90.
Philadelphia Soccer 2026, the World Cup host committee, announced last month that post-match rides from NRG Station will be free, thanks to a sponsorship from Airbnb. The no-cost trips will begin at halftime and end two hours after the final whistle.
The last train on the Wilmington/Newark Line will be delayed on match days to allow for service to Claymont Transit Center. Most Regional Rail lines will have extra late-night trips on June 19, when Brazil and Haiti kick off at 8:30 p.m., the latest start time among the local games.
For July 4, Regional Rail and the L, B and city trolley routes will have special schedules to accommodate crowds for FIFA and the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, SEPTA said. Officials said those schedules will be posted closer to the holiday.
FIFA Fan Festival, a free watch party with food, music, entertainment and other activities, will be open for the entirety of the 39-day tournament at Lemon Hill in East Fairmount Park. Starting June 14, SEPTA is increasing service on Route 32 so that buses come every 15 minutes or less on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
More evening and weekend trips are being added to Route 48 for the summer, and fans can also use routes 7 and 49 to access the Lemon Hill area, SEPTA representatives said.
In addition, Philly PHLASH, a bus service that stops at various tourist attractions, will be expanding its Downtown Loop to add a stop at Pennsylvania and Fairmount avenues, near Lemon Hill. Trips are free for anyone with a SEPTA Key card, seniors and children under 4.
