Related Stories<\/b><\/p>\n \u201cPennsylvania is quite quickly becoming the epicenter of the sports world,\u201d said Anne Ryan<\/strong>, deputy secretary in the office of tourism for the commonwealth\u2019s Department of Community and Economic Development. \u201cThere is no other state in 2026 offering this amount of events.\u201d<\/p>\n The NFL Draft, PGA Championship, MLB All-Star Game, FIFA World Cup \u2014 it\u2019s all in this part of the country in 2026. And yes, within the 250th anniversary celebrations of the United States next summer there will be more than a little Pennsylvania involved.<\/p>\n \u201cWe want to tell everyone about all the things we offer here in the commonwealth,\u201d said VisitPA<\/a> Executive Director Kaitie Burger<\/strong>, \u201cand welcome them back in years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n You could even say that this year\u2019s U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, part of a VisitPA trip SportsTravel <\/em>took in June, was the opening course of a menu that started with a pepperoni roll in the Strip District and finished with a Primanti\u2019s and an IC light.<\/p>\n The countdown clock sits in the middle of Pittsburgh\u2019s stadium district, with the Steelers\u2019 Acrisure Stadium within a half-mile walk of the Pirates\u2019 PNC Park. Ticking down by the second, it\u2019s a constant reminder of the time left before the North Shore hosts the NFL Draft.<\/p>\n \u201cThe number is still high enough that it\u2019s exciting,\u201d said Jim Britt<\/strong>, vice president of SportsPittsburgh<\/a>. \u201cI’m sure as maybe we get down to two digits on there, it will drive some anxiety, but we have a remarkable team that’s working on the project from the Steelers, Visit Pittsburgh and we’re in incredible hands with the NFL.\u201d<\/p>\n The Steel City is set to bring between 500,000 and 700,000 fans to Pittsburgh between April 23\u201325, 2026<\/a>. The main portion of the event is expected to incorporate Pittsburgh\u2019s North Shore and Point State Park, as well as Acrisure Stadium.<\/p>\n \u201cWe’ve seen what they do at the Super Bowl,\u201d said Britt of the NFL. \u201cWe’ve seen what they do at the draft every year. They are the best of the best, and it’s our role in this to make sure that they have the local resources to make this an authentically Pittsburgh event.\u201d<\/p>\n The Sister Bridges-inspired steel beam holding up the countdown clock features 212 engraved notches. One side represents regional programs that make up the area\u2019s football legacy and the other showcases Pittsburgh\u2019s 90 neighborhoods. The draft marks a full circle moment for the city and the Steelers, as the beginnings of what would become the first draft took place in 1936 at the Fort Pitt Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n Pittsburgh\u2019s history may be of steel but the city is promoting its transformation into a tech and medical hub of the East Coast. That said, its history is part of its pride, from the stanchion of the old Three Rivers\u2019 Stadium that still stands near the current home of the Steelers to the team\u2019s Hall of Honor Museum. The museum, located within the stadium, stands not only as a telling of the team\u2019s history but in many ways the history of the NFL with 30 Pro Football Hall of Famers born and raised in Western PA. In addition, 11 other NFL markets and 35 NCAA Division I football programs are within a half day\u2019s drive.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are a year away from the largest event we’ve ever had,\u201d Britt said. \u201cAnd as you stand here right now, looking at this skyline, the river, you see the barges and the boats coming by, it’s impossible to not be excited about what this event will mean for the city.\u201d<\/p>\n Take one final sip of that coffee from Sheetz as you head east because once the draft is over and the calendar turns from April to May, it\u2019s going to be One Big Hot Wawa Summer.<\/p>\n First up in May is the PGA<\/a> Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, May 14\u201317, the second time the major has been at the course in Newtown Square. The club, which opened in 1928, will host the major one year after Valley Forge was the home for the PGA Tour Truist Championship<\/a> at the Philadelphia Cricket Club, the oldest country club in the United States.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll have 200,000 next year for this championship,\u201d said Mike Lewers<\/strong>, general chairman for the 2026 PGA Championship. \u201cWe sold out our daily ticket (capacity). There\u2019s a ton of pent-up demand in Philadelphia \u2014 we saw it for the Truist. We\u2019re ready for a major championship at Aronimink.\u201d<\/p>\n Ryan, while at the U.S. Open in Oakmont, said golf in Pennsylvania is a $6.3 billion industry.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s variety, it\u2019s quality \u2014 across the state, Pennsylvania plays second to no one when it comes to golf courses,\u201d Lewers said.<\/p>\n \u201c(Pennsylvania is) unapologetic and rough around the edges in the most endearing way and when it comes to golf, we bring the polish and prestige,\u201d Ryan added. \u201cThat juxtaposition is one thing that I love about Pennsylvania.\u201d<\/p>\n Golf fans can be rowdy at times, true. But there may be no greater juxtaposition than having the golf industry heading out of Philadelphia in time for the international soccer fan base that will descend upon the City of Brotherly Love for six matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup<\/a>. Five will be in the group stage and one in the Round of 16 ever-so-conveniently scheduled for the Fourth of July.<\/p>\n \u201cThe international component of FIFA World Cup is where the opportunity lies,\u201d said Meg Kane<\/strong>, host city executive for Philadelphia Soccer 2026<\/a>. \u201cWe are sharing hosting (East Coast) duties with New York\/New Jersey, Boston, Toronto. We are an incredibly attractive destination because of our accessibility.\u201d<\/p>\n Kane<\/strong> also noted the region will host a Fan Festival for 25,000 people per day at East Fairmount Park\u2019s Lemon Hill and plans are being explored to set three additional fan zones across the commonwealth. The region could also could potentially have team base camps<\/a> both in Philadelphia and nearby Atlantic City, New Jersey.<\/p>\n \u201cSeventy percent of people who will travel for the FIFA World Cup don\u2019t have tickets to a match,\u201d Ryan said. \u201cPeople are looking to be in the environment. Philadelphia, where we are located geographically, you don\u2019t get another host city (to the West) until Atlanta or Kansas City. We have a really large part of people who might want to feel that World Cup energy and experience the environment. We\u2019re going to be able to offer that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
Counting Down in Pittsburgh<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/media.sportstravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/16103900\/Pittsburgh-Countdown-Clock-scaled.jpg\")
The World Comes to Philadelphia<\/strong><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/media.sportstravelmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/16103938\/Oakmont-18-scaled.jpg\")