Copy linkFacebookXPinterestEmailShare this article 0Join the conversationFollow usAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleNewsletterSubscribe to our newsletterYou've probably noticed already at this World Cup that America bloody loves a bit of pageantry - and their celebrations will be in full flow at Saturday's games.Both Canada's meeting with Morocco in Houston and Paraguay's clash with France in the round of 16 will be preceded by special ceremonies inside the stadium to mark the United States Semiquincentennial.To which you may be wondering....what's a semiquincentennial when it's at home?America's 4th July celebrations explainedYou no doubt be aware that America celebrates Independence Day every 4th July, in recognition of the 1996 release of the Will Smith summer blockbuster of the same name the 1776 ratification of the Declaration of Independence.That document is what the United States of America was founded upon as an independent country, with the founding fathers formally announcing themselves as a self-governed nation who were no longer under British rule. You may like The Big United States Soccer Quiz: Can you get 20 correct answers? JULES BREACH: The USA knows how to put on a sporting event and the World Cup is the biggest of them all and there will be no escaping the crazy, gripping, emotional entertainment this summer 26 reasons why World Cup 2026 will be historic That came just over a year into the eight-year American Revolutionary War, which saw Patriot forces led by George Washington fighting the British Army for the right to become their own country - successfully, in the end, of course.Washington went on to become the first president of the United States, and the rest is history. Go and watch the first act of Hamilton if you want to learn more. It's not the most authoritative source but it's definitely the most entertaining.Get FourFourTwo NewsletterThe best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.That meant that 4th July - as Americans for some reason call it, despite generally doing dates in the format 'July 4' - is celebrated every year, with the day acting as something like a cross between Guy Fawkes Night and Bastille Day: a celebration of national pride, with barbecues and fireworks.This year's celebrations are extra special, because it marks the 250th anniversary of the original 4th July. Those with a basic grasp of Latin (who, we presume, also work at Curry's) will have worked out the semi = half, quin = five, cent = hundred, and ennial = year - hence semiquincentennial.It's no accident that Philadelphia was selected as one of the venues to host a World Cup game on the day, either. It was in that very city that the Declaration of Independence was adopted on 4th July, 1776. What to read next Pick your perfect World Cup 2026 look with FourFourTwo's kit picker ORDER your FourFourTwo World Cup 2026 wall chart the ultimate tournament tracker Quiz! Can you name every player at World Cup 2026 with over 100 caps? That makes the City of Brotherly Love the city most closely associated with the birth of the United States.Houston holds no particular historical significance in that regard, but you can always rely on Texas to go big on...well, everything, but ceremony included.A parade planned in Philadelphia on Friday unfortunately had to be cancelled due to to an extreme heatwave, with temperatures in the city hitting 40 degrees Celsius, as they wouldn't put it.That's right, America. You might have won the war for independence, but we shall have our revenge by railing against your inexplicable persistent use of the Fahrenheit scale. And that's the real quiz.TOPICSWorld CupWorld Cup 2026Steven ChickenSocial Links NavigationSteven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication,WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.
