Long before the World Cup, Ukrainian immigrants built a soccer powerhouse in Philly

Published June 25, 2026 · Category: News

Overview

Oleksandr "Sasha" Ostapchuk (left) heads a ball while playing for a tournament squad of the Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals soccer team in a match against a club with roots in Belarus at Tryzub Ukrainian American Sport Center in North Wales, Pa., on June 21.

World Cup games are underway in Philadelphia. Long before Americans caught the world's soccer craze, Ukrainian migrants made Philly a soccer town. Today, the sport helps sustain their culture.

Details

(Image credit: Rachel Wisniewski for NPR)

Source

Originally published at www.npr.org.

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