Soccer 101 with Philadelphia’s Official Soccer Guru
Caught World Cup fever? Now learn how to follow the game year-round.
The World Cup may have introduced you to soccer. Now what?
Which leagues should you watch? What’s the difference between the Premier League and Champions League? How does promotion and relegation work? Do you need to pick a favorite team? And seriously…what exactly is offside?
Soccer 101 is a fun, beginner-friendly introduction to the world’s game hosted at Lion Sports Bar — Philadelphia’s Home for Soccer.
No soccer knowledge required. No test at the end. Just everything you need to start following the sport.
Meet Philadelphia’s Official Soccer Guru: Jessica Malone
Jessica Malone has been following soccer around the world for nearly 30 years — and we mean around the world.
She has attended more than 200 matches in 23 countries and 114 stadiums, including men’s and women’s World Cups, Champions League, Europa League, Copa Libertadores, Women’s Euros and U.S. Men’s National Team World Cup qualifiers.
Her experiences as a traveling soccer fan have been featured by BBC Sport, FIFA and CNN, and she was elected to U.S. Soccer’s inaugural Fan Council.
She was also a FIFA Volunteer in Philadelphia for both the 2025 Club World Cup and 2026 World Cup and was selected by Lay’s as a Fan of the Match during the 2026 World Cup.
And despite all of that, Jessica doesn’t have a favorite club.
She calls herself “chaotic neutral.”
That means you aren’t coming to class to hear why you need to become an Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester United supporter. Jessica’s spent decades following clubs, leagues and competitions around the world without being tied to one of them.
In fact, one of her biggest pieces of advice for new soccer fans is simple:
Don’t rush into picking a team.
Learn the game. Watch different leagues. Discover the history, players, rivalries and fan cultures. Eventually, you may find that a team picks you.
What You’ll Learn
During this 60-minute Soccer 101, Jessica will take you through:
The basic rules of soccer — including an actually understandable explanation of offside
How domestic leagues work
Promotion and relegation
The Premier League and other major leagues around the world
International soccer and national team competitions
Club soccer vs. international soccer
What to consider before choosing a team to support
How to go from watching the World Cup every four years to following soccer year-round
Who Is This For?
New soccer fans.
Especially the thousands of Philadelphians who fell in love with the game during the 2026 World Cup and are wondering what comes next.
Maybe you watched every USA match this summer.
Maybe you found yourself cheering for a country you couldn’t find on a map six weeks earlier.
Maybe you had an incredible time watching matches with hundreds of other fans but don’t know anything about club soccer.
Or maybe you’ve been soccer-curious for years and never knew where to start.
This class is for you.
You don’t need to know the teams. You don’t need to know the players. You don’t need to own a jersey.
And you definitely don’t need to understand offside yet.
Stick Around for Soccer Office Hours
The class doesn’t have to end after 60 minutes.
Jessica will stick around afterward for informal Soccer Office Hours, where you can ask questions, get recommendations and talk soccer one-on-one.
Want help figuring out which league you might enjoy?
Trying to decide whether you should follow a Premier League club?
Want recommendations for podcasts or apps?
Want to know how people plan trips around the world to see soccer matches?
Ask the Guru.
There are no stupid soccer questions here.
Class Details
Location: Lion Sports Bar
1021 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA
Hosted by: Lion Sports Bar & Jessica Malone, Philadelphia’s Official Soccer Guru
Cost: Free
Date: Monday 8/24 & 8/31
Time: 7-8pm
Class Length: Approximately 60 minutes, followed by Soccer Office Hours
Space is limited. Sign up below to reserve your spot.
You watched the World Cup. Now learn how to become a soccer fan for the other 47 months.
Sign Up for Soccer 101