Citizens Bank Park to host Unity Cup final on Saturday

Citizens Bank Ballpark will host a soccer game for the first time in its 12-year history on Saturday, as the inaugural Philadelphia International Unity Cup crowns its first champion.

Teams representing Liberia and Ivory Coast will play for the privilege of hoisting the cup for the first time in the championship game at 6 p.m., but a whole day of activities is planned beginning with a festival at noon.

Admission to the festival and game are free. Ditto for parking.

Thirty-two teams of players from the city representing countries around the globe kicked off the tournament – an idea launched out of Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration – back in September. The goal: to celebrate the rich cultural diversity of the “City of Brotherly Love.”

Ivory Coast advanced out of Group A with Honduras, Germany and Cambodia while Liberia advanced out of a Group C that included Spain, Colombia and Myanmar. Ivory Coast got past Mexico, Sierra Leone and Ukraine in the knockouts while Liberia knocked out Ireland, Jamaica and Germany en route to the final.

While the championship game will be the main event, there will also be a youth game at 4:15 p.m. of players representing the participating nations.

For more information on all the days activities and the tournament, visit unitycup.phila.gov.