CLEVELAND — After four years, the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off in North America on Thursday with the inaugural match held in Mexico City.
As the sport continues to grow in popularity, Cleveland Pro Soccer launched a World Cup passport program.
It encourages fans to visit local bars and restaurants and matches during the tournament.
"We have a huge soccer community here in Cleveland and our goal is to get as many people out to as many different places all summer," said Noah Toumert, executive director for the Cleveland Soccer Foundation.
Businesses that are part of this program will stamp passports each time fans attend a watch party, and people who collect stamps will have a chance to win prizes during them for the championship match on July 19 in Public Square.
Just last week, Clevelanders got a small taste of the World Cup excitement with an international friendly between Brazil and Egypt.
