World Cup fans celebrate America's 250th birthday in Philadelphia and Houston

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Fireworks crackled and jets roared ahead of the France-Paraguay World Cup game in Philadelphia on Saturday as fans celebrated the double joy of soccer's biggest tournament on home soil and the 250th anniversary of American independence in the nation's birthplace.

A pregame show celebrating the city's history included Tony Award winner Idina Menzel singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” a star-shaped stage. The Philadelphia-formed hip-hop band The Roots also performed, backed by dancers, including a “Lady Liberty” draped in a monumental gown, and fireworks in red, white and blue. The Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale then sang an a cappella rendition of “America the Beautiful.”

Fans clad in the wavy, flag-inspired stripes of the U.S. national team chanted “USA!” next to France and Paraguay supporters — all of them in the red, white and blue colors of the flags of all three countries. Their chants in the sweltering afternoon heat were only muffled by the roar of a flyover of VFA-11 and VFA-81 squadrons from Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Virginia. On the field, banners were unfurled to reveal words from the Declaration of Independence, which was adopted by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776.

America’s 250th birthday was also celebrated in Houston, where Morocco beat Canada earlier Saturday in the World Cup Round of 16. About 45 minutes before the game, video boards featured a message from astronauts aboard the International Space Station wishing fans a happy July Fourth.

Later, a circular banner with the number 250 and stars and stripes printed on it was unfurled at midfield as “America the Beautiful” played. “The Star-Spangled Banner” was then performed before the banner was removed so that the flags of Canada and Morocco could be placed on the field for their national anthems.

AP Sports Writer Kristie Rieken in Houston contributed to this report.

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

A banner commemorating the 250 years since the founding of the United States is seen before the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Canada and Morocco in Houston, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Smith

Fireworks explode over the stadium during a pregame ceremony before the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Paraguay and France in Philadelphia, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Planes fly over the stadium during a pregame ceremony before the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Paraguay and France in Philadelphia, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)

Idina Menzel sings the "Star-Spangled Banner", the United States' national anthem, before the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Paraguay and France in Philadelphia, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)

Idina Menzel sings the U.S. national anthem ahead of the World Cup round of 16 soccer between Paraguay and France match in Philadelphia, Saturday, July 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer charged with shooting and wounding a man during the crackdown in Minneapolis then lying about it, could walk free from a Texas jail if a federal judge does not intervene Wednesday.

Christian Castro is charged in Minnesota with assault and falsely reporting a crime in the Jan. 14 shooting of 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis. Minnesota authorities have sought Castro’s extradition since his arrest, but he remains in custody in Brownsville, Texas, a city bordering Mexico.

Under Texas law, Castro must be released after 90 days of detention, which is Thursday.

Minnesota's lawsuit asks U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. to order Castro's extradition and prevent the Cameron County sheriff from releasing him. The judge said Tuesday he was not inclined to stop the sheriff from releasing Castro, but that he would respond to the temporary restraining order on Wednesday.

Texas filed a motion late Tuesday asking for Minnesota's case to be dismissed.

Castro is accused of firing a gun through the front door of a Minneapolis home, shooting Sosa-Celis in the leg. Prosecutors say Castro also falsely accused Sosa-Celis and another man of attacking an ICE officer with a broom handle and a snow shovel.

At a federal hearing in Brownsville on Tuesday, attorneys with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office argued it would be hard to compel Castro to face charges in their state if he is released, and they fear Castro may flee the country, citing his phone conversations with a woman who lives in Mexico.

Attorneys representing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s office said he had not decided whether to deny or grant Minnesota’s extradition request and therefore the lawsuit was premature.

“I think ripeness is a significant issue,” Rodriguez told attorneys.

Abbott ordered an internal state investigation to determine if Castro can be legally considered a “fugitive.” Trevor W. Ezell, Abbott’s general counsel, also questioned whether the court could impose a deadline for the governor to respond to an extradition request.

“There’s nothing legally left for them to investigate,” Kimberly Ann Svendsen, an attorney representing the Minnesota attorney general, told the judge.

Abbott said last week he would not respond to the extradition request, citing the ongoing investigation into fraud in government social service programs in Minnesota, which President Donald Trump used to justify his immigration crackdown there.

FILE - Hennepin County attorney Mary Moriarty holds up a document containing charges against ICE agent Christian Castro during a news conference at the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, on Monday, May 18, 2026. (Renée Jones Schneider/Minnesota Star Tribune via AP,File)

FILE - A federal agent wears an Immigration and Customs Enforcement badge in New York, June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)