Hundreds Gather for Team USA Watch Party in Santa Clara
Hundreds gathered in santa clara-area San Jose on Friday night to watch Team USA's debut World Cup match at San Pedro Square. The crowd came together as the 2026 FIFA World Cup got underway and the Bay Area prepared for six matches at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.
San Pedro Square in San Jose
Oscar Rodriguez said, "It means a lot for everybody. You know different cultures, different people celebrating as one team. That's the best thing about this," as fans filled the public space. Ethan Mutchnik, another fan at the gathering, said, "I'm excited just to see what we're able to do. It's a new US generation led by Pochettino, who is an Argentine head coach, so it'll be very cool to see if he can give us some success," while Team USA played Paraguay at 6 p.m. Friday at SoFi Stadium.
Denise Sandel said she flew in from Argentina to visit her sister and nephew and see some games. Sandel said, "We have some tickets for the other group match from Argentina next week. We're going to the Levi's Stadium," tying the San Jose gathering to a wider tournament path that already includes Santa Clara on the schedule.
Bay Area viewing locations
Fans can start watching matches for free from more than 30 locations around the Bay Area on June 11. The list includes Thrive City at Chase Center, China Basin at Mission Rock near the San Francisco Giants' ballpark, PIER 39, Raimondi Park in Oakland, and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
Zaileen Janmohamed, president and CEO of the Bay Area Host Committee, said, "The FIFA World Cup 2026 is about bringing communities together and celebrating the beautiful game in every corner of our region," and added, "We're harnessing the breadth, diversity, and natural beauty of the entire Bay Area to ensure that no matter where you live or visit, you'll have access to fun, community celebrations. This regional approach reflects our commitment to inclusivity and gives every county and community the opportunity to activate and be part of this historic moment."
Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara
The U.S. will host 78 matches during the tournament, with six of them at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. The venue will be known as the San Francisco Bay Area stadium during the tournament, linking the watch parties from San Jose to the matches that will draw crowds into Santa Clara itself.
That local spread is what turns Friday night's San Pedro Square gathering into more than a one-off viewing. Fans who missed the San Jose crowd will still have free Bay Area places to watch, and travelers like Sandel already have a ticket path into next week's Argentina group match at Levi's Stadium.
