Philadelphia Sports Guide: Championing Philly’s Teams & Sports Legacy

The City of Brotherly Love features some of the most diehard fans in North America. Philadelphia sports fans are passionate about their teams and aren’t afraid to show it. Sport events in Philadelphia are always packed and fans take on the traits of the city with their grit, determination, and hard-working mentality. The city often comes to a standstill during Philadelphia sporting events, showing the dedication Philadelphia has for its sports.

Major League / Professional Sports

Football

Philadelphia Eagles

• League: NFL
• Division: NFC East
• Founded: 1933
• Home Stadium: Lincoln Financial Field

The Eagles are arguably the most well-known team in Philadelphia and have some of the most passionate fans you’ll ever meet. When the Eagles are good, the entire city knows it. Philadelphia has had football since 1899, but the Eagles have been the city’s main love since 1933. The team has won four championships and one Super Bowl with a win in Super Bowl LII in 2017. You can’t go to many places in the city without hearing “Fly Eagles Fly” on a football Sunday. The team plays at Lincoln Financial Field in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The Eagles’ biggest rivals are the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants. Get Philadelphia Eagles tickets at Ticketmaster.

Basketball

Philadelphia 76ers

• League: NBA
• Division: Atlantic Division
• Founded: 1946
• Home Stadium: Wells Fargo Center

The Philadelphia 76ers, known to most as the Sixers, have featured some of the most talented players in the history of professional basketball. From their time in Syracuse to Philadelphia, the team has played with toughness and heart. Wilt Chamberlain, Allen Iverson, Julius Erving, Billy Cunningham, and James Harden have all worn the Philadelphia 76ers uniform. The team has won three NBA championships, the last coming in 1983. They play at Wells Fargo Center, also located in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The Sixers have a fierce rivalry with the Boston Celtics, dating back decades. Get Philadelphia 76ers tickets at Ticketmaster.

Baseball

Philadelphia Phillies

• League: MLB
• Division: NL East
• Founded: 1883
• Home Stadium: Citizens Bank Park

If you’ve ever seen the Phillie Phanatic, you’ve seen one of the most unique parts of Major League Baseball. The Phanatic is the mascot of the Philadelphia Phillies and represents the fun and exuberance of a franchise that has been around for over 140 years. The Phillies have won two World Series titles, one in 1980 and the other in 2008. Iconic names like Steve Carlton, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Richie Ashburn, Robin Roberts, Mike Schmidt, and Roy Halladay have donned the Phillies red and white. The team plays at Citizens Bank Park, which is also located in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. The Phillies have rivalries with the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Get Philadelphia Phillies tickets at Ticketmaster.

Ice Hockey

Philadelphia Flyers

• League: NHL
• Division: Metropolitan Division
• Founded: 1967
• Home Stadium: Wells Fargo Center

The Philadelphia Flyers were one of the best teams in hockey in the 1970s and 1980s. The franchise was founded during the 1967 expansion and became the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup. The team won back-to-back titles in 1974 and 1975, with the 1975 team being the last one in league history composed solely of Canadian players. The Broad Street Bullies, as they are known, reached the Stanley Cup Finals three times in the 1970s, three times in the 1980s, once in the 1990s, and once in the 2000s. They share the Wells Fargo Center with the Sixers. The Flyers have built up multiple rivalries with heated series against the Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New York Rangers. Get Philadelphia Flyers tickets at Ticketmaster.

Soccer

Philadelphia Union

• League: MLS
• Division: Eastern Conference
• Founded: 2008
• Stadium: Subaru Park

Soccer fans in eastern Pennsylvania jumped on the Philadelphia Union bandwagon in 2008 and haven’t gotten off since. After many years of development, the team played its inaugural contest in 2010 and has enjoyed solid success since. It won the Supporter’s Shield in 2020 for the best record in the MLS regular season and finished runner-up in the MLS Cup playoffs in 2022. It also finished runner-up in the 2014, 2015, and 2018 U.S. Open Cup. The team plays games at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania, on the Delaware River. The primary rivals for the Union are the New York Red Bulls and New York City FC. Get Philadelphia Union tickets at Ticketmaster.

Collegiate Sports & Other Professional Teams

The Philadelphia Wings play at the Wells Fargo Center and are members of the National Lacrosse League. Villanova basketball also plays games at Wells Fargo Center and Finneran Pavilion on its campus in Delaware County, Pa. Temple University is also located in Philadelphia and the football team plays its games at Lincoln Financial Field. The University of Pennsylvania also calls Philly home and the basketball teams play at The Palestra. The Philadelphia Big 5 schools, Saint Joseph’s, Penn, La Salle, Temple, and Villanova, have competed for years in basketball for the informal championship between schools in the city.