Soccer
The stadium opened on August 3, 2003 with a preseason friendly match between European soccer giants Manchester United and FC Barcelona. 68,396 people watched Manchester United win 3-1.
Some matches in the FIFA Women's World Cup were played there in 2003. In 2004, after winning the gold-medal in soccer at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the U.S. women's team conducted a “Fan Celebration Tour", playing ten matches across the United States from September to December 2004. The matches were the final national team appearances for Mia Hamm, Joy Fawcett, and Julie Foudy, all of whom retired after the tour. The team played at the Linc on November 6, 2004 where they lost 3 to 1 to Denmark in front of 14,812 spectators.
In late July and early August, 2004, Manchester United played Celtic FC and AC Milan played Chelsea FC in two friendly matches between these well known European powerhouse clubs.
On July 18, 2009, Lincoln Financial Field hosted a doubleheader quarterfinal for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. The first game was between Canada and Honduras, and the second between USA and Panama. This was the first full international appearance for the United States national soccer team in Philadelphia since a 1968 friendly against Israel at Temple Stadium.
In April 2009, Lincoln Financial Field was listed by U.S. Soccer's World Cup bid committee as one of 58 stadiums to be potential sites for World Cup matches in either 2018 or 2022. In June 2009, it was announced that Lincoln Financial Field made the cut as one of 45 out of 70 stadium game sites under continued consideration. Lincoln Financial Field made the cut again when the stadium list was reduced from 45 to 32 on August 20, 2009. It will be one of the 18 stadiums included in the United States 2018/2022 World Cup bid.
The Philadelphia Union played their home opener against D.C. United at the Linc on April 10, 2010 due to construction delays at their new stadium, PPL Park. The Union defeated D.C United, 3-2. The Union also played FC Dallas to a 1-1 tie in the second home game in franchise history at the Linc. Although having moved into its permanent venue at PPL Park, the Philadelphia Union continue to use the Linc for matches where ticket demand is expected to far exceed the full capacity at its regular home. English powerhouse club Manchester United met the Philadelphia Union during their pre-season tour on July 21, 2010 where the lost 1-0. The Union played the Spanish powerhouse club Real Madrid on July 24, 2011, where they lost 2-1.
Lincoln Financial Field also hosted the US National team's final match on home soil before the 2010 World Cup. The US defeated Turkey 2-1 on May 29, 2010.
The US mens national team returned to Lincoln Financial Field on August 10, 2011, for an international friendly match against Mexico where they tied 1-1.
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Famous quotes containing the word soccer:
“If we were doing this in the Falklands they would love it. It’s part of our heritage. The British have always been fighting wars.”
—British soccer fan. quoted in Independent (London, Dec. 23, 1988)
“Our first line of defense in raising children with values is modeling good behavior ourselves. This is critical. How will our kids learn tolerance for others if our hearts are filled with hate? Learn compassion if we are indifferent? Perceive academics as important if soccer practice is a higher priority than homework?”
—Fred G. Gosman (20th century)
“We want beans, not goals.”
—Mexican steelworkers’ banner at opening ceremony of 1986 World Cup soccer championship.