A record soccer crowd sees Liverpool win exhibition at the Linc

Premier League giants Liverpool and Arsenal faced off in a 2-1 win for Liverpool on Wednesday night in front of a packed crowd of 69,879 at Philly’s Lincoln Financial Stadium, a sellout and a record soccer turnout for the venue.

The match, part of a three-game Rivals in Red USA 2024 Tour that also included Manchester United, drew fans of England’s top soccer league to South Philly.

Joe DeVito and his family of Arsenal fans came from Middletown, N.J., for the game. They were also at last year’s weekend of Premier League exhibition games, which hosted over 105,000 fans for three matches over two days. The Gunners weren’t involved that weekend, so this year was extra special.

“It’s a great experience, a lot of people here,” DeVito said. “I think there’s a lot more people here than there was last year for the doubleheader.”

Since Philadelphia was announced as one of the 16 host cities for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, the Linc has also hosted international friendlies between Mexico and Germany, then Argentina against El Salvador.

Local fan groups for both Arsenal and Liverpool had been coordinating with the teams and other media to have events around the city where fans could get closer to players, legends and others linked to each club. It also helped to showcase how the locals brought their own Philly twist to soccer fandom.

“Philadelphia has a great soccer culture,” said Andy Kuriatnikov, co-chair of the Official Liverpool Supporters Club of Philadelphia. “I think that Liverpool saw that, that’s why they brought the team here. I think Arsenal saw that, that’s why they brought their team here. And I think that’s why we’re going to be hosting a few World Cup games in a couple years.”

The stadium crowd was a sea of red obscuring the Eagles green seats. Arsenal were the away side, so deferred to its black away uniforms, or kits. Both sides started about as strong a side as they could with the players available on the tour. Many big names were getting a well-deserved rest after competing for their national teams in the UEFA European Championship and The CONMEBOL Copa América earlier in the summer.

The referee’s whistle to kick off the game was backed up by red fireworks at the top of the stadium.

Liverpool’s star Egyptian winger, Mohamed Salah, opened the scoring in the 13th minute, running onto a chipped pass by Harvey Elliott over Arsenal’s defensive line and slotting a shot past Gunners goalkeeper Karl Hein.

Fábio Carvalho doubled the Reds’ lead in the 34th minute, from Elliott’s second assist of the night. 

Arsenal clawed back a goal in the 40th minute when German forward Kai Havertz tapped in a deflected pass under Republic of Ireland keeper Caoimhín Kelleher.

After an interactive halftime light show involving phones in the crowd and Bill Conti’s “Gonna Fly Now” from “Rocky,” the game saw few chances, with Arsenal substitute Fabio Vieira forcing the first save in the 68th minute. Arsenal decided not to field its latest big-name signing, Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori, who joined earlier this week from Bologna for $53.9 million.

Liverpool almost made it 3-1 before full time when Harvey Blair teed up Treymaurice Nyoni, but the Arsenal goalkeeper saved the shot and kept the final score 2-1. Liverpool’s victory didn’t come with the traditional singing of the club song “You’ll Never Walk Alone” that plays at its home stadium.

After the game, both coaches were full of praise for the stadium and the crowd.

“It’s a beautiful stadium, it created a great atmosphere,” Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta said.

“It’s been a good tour for us,” Arne Slot, Liverpool’s manager, added. “Facilities are great. You can see the fans loving us playing here. And we love to play here as well, especially if the result keep going like this.”

American soccer fans will get one more chance to see Liverpool when the team plays Man United in the final match of the Rivals in Red tour on Aug. 3 in Columbia, S.C. Arsenal closes out its preseason back in London.

The Premier League begins play on Friday, Aug. 16, so the region’s fans will again have to catch it on their televisions or at the bars willing to open early for the morning matches. But this season many will be able to recount seeing Mo Salah, Martin Ødegaard, and Diogo Jota in person.