How Ukraine's immigrant community turned Philadelphia into a soccer town

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+ Fresh Air Wild Card with Rachel Martin It's Been a Minute Embedded Get NPR+ More Podcasts & Shows Search Newsletters NPR Shop Get NPR+ Tiny Desk New Music Friday All Songs Considered Music Features Live Sessions About NPR Diversity Support Careers Press Ethics How Ukraine's immigrant community turned Philadelphia into a soccer town Long before most Americans paid attention to soccer, Philadelphia had a thriving culture of athletes and fans shaped in large part by Ukrainian immigrants.

+ National How Ukraine's immigrant community turned Philadelphia into a soccer town June 24, 20263:59 PM ET Heard on All Things Considered Brian Mann How Ukraine's immigrant community turned Philadelphia into a soccer town Listen &middot; 3:51 3:51 Transcript Toggle more options Download Embed Embed "> <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5845366/nx-s1-9823496" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Transcript Long before most Americans paid attention to soccer, Philadelphia had a thriving culture of athletes and fans shaped in large part by Ukrainian immigrants. The sport offers a rallying place for Ukrainians at a time when their home country is fighting for survival. Sponsor Message SCOTT DETROW, HOST: This summer's World Cup games are drawing big crowds. But until the 1990s, most Americans ignored soccer. Immigrant leagues and ethnic clubs helped keep the sport alive here. One of the most storied clubs was founded by Ukrainians in the 1950s. NPR's Brian Mann found the Ukie nation in Philadelphia is still going strong.

+ BRIAN MANN, BYLINE: Roman Chuprynyak, who grew up playing soccer in Ukraine, is in the locker room with his players giving one last pre-game pep talk. ROMAN CHUPRYNYAK: (Non-English language spoken). MANN: "You have to win," he tells his guys, "there's no other option." UNIDENTIFIED ATHLETE #1: (Non-English language spoken). UNIDENTIFIED ATHLETE #2: (Non-English language spoken). (SOUNDBITE OF WHISTLE BLOWING) MANN: They take to the field in this suburb just outside Philadelphia, wearing the blue and yellow colors of Ukraine. This isn't World Cup play. That's happening in the big stadium 45 minutes away. These are local ethnic soccer clubs - guys with day jobs with roots in Belarus, playing on the home pitch of the Ukrainian club called Tryzub where Chuprynyak is a coach and a player. CHUPRYNYAK: So everybody calls us Ukies. This club has been proven through times - 75 years been here. MANN: These days, Tryzub - the club's name means trident, that's Ukraine's national symbol - focuses on amateur league play. But in the '50s and '60s, the club fielded a powerhouse pro team called the Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals. Ukrainian refugees fleeing World War II and Stalin's oppression helped the Ukies win a bunch of national championships in the U.S. at a time when the sport was still mostly eclipsed by football, baseball and basketball. IANA PASHAEVA: Nobody cared about it in '60s except, you know, Ukrainians and this other ethnic teams. MANN: That's Iana Pashaeva, who made a documentary about Philadelphia's Ukrainian soccer culture. Her film tracks how Tryzub members started training camps across the country. They coached national teams, helping lay the foundation of modern American soccer. The club also became a focus of Ukrainian life here in Philadelphia. PASHAEVA: It's more than just about sports and soccer. It's about community and belonging and pride. (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) UNIDENTIFIED CHILDREN: (Singing in non-English language). MANN: On this summer day, there's soccer on the club grounds, but there's also a cultural festival - kids singing Ukraine's national anthem, dancing in bright embroidered shirts. (SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC) MANN: Watching in the crowd is a man in dark robes with a long white beard. Father Taras Naumenko is a Ukrainian Orthodox priest, and it turns, out also a passionate soccer goalie. TARAS NAUMENKO: I am one of the chaplains of the club. I'm a soccer player, and I still play in a men's league. MANN: Naumenko says Ukrainian soccer in Philadelphia is more important than ever, bringing people together after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He gestures at families picnicking on the grass. NAUMENKO: There are many people in this community who've lost relatives - brothers, nephews, father, sons. MANN: Back on the field, the Ukrainians have taken the lead. (CHEERING) MANN: Roman Chuprynyak says with Philadelphia hosting World Cup games, he's proud Tryzub played a role establishing soccer in America. He also thinks the club's history sends a message his culture won't be erased. CHUPRYNYAK: It's a Ukie nation, Ukie family. There is going to be no letting that go. That's just going to stick here forever. UNIDENTIFIED ATHLETE #3: (Non-English language spoken). UNIDENTIFIED ATHLETE #4: (Non-English language spoken). UNIDENTIFIED ATHLETE #3: (Non-English language spoken). MANN: On this afternoon, Chuprynyak and his Ukrainian side take the win in front of their home crowd, 4 goals to nothing. Brian Mann, NPR News, Philadelphia. (SOUNDBITE OF TAY IWAR SONG, "REFLECTION STATION") Copyright &copy; 2026 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts may vary. 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