World Cup watch parties to take place across San Jose

San Jose officials are bringing World Cup celebrations into neighborhoods across the city through a series of free watch parties in cultural business districts, hoping to unite residents while driving visitors to local businesses during the tournament.

San Jose’s “Kick Off in the Districts” World Cup watch party series begins Thursday with a free viewing of Mexico’s match against South Africa at Eastridge Center. The series will bring watch parties to 11 cultural business districts and all 10 council districts, with events planned in Japantown, Little Saigon, Alum Rock and other commercial corridors.

“It brings together diverse cultures, different languages, different generations and different communities,” Helen Masamori, co-founder of the Directors’ Alliance San Jose, said at the news conference. “We wanted people to visit local business districts, patronize more businesses, experience different cultures and celebrate together as a community.”

The watch parties are part of a broader effort to ensure World Cup festivities reach neighborhoods across San Jose rather than being concentrated solely downtown. John Poch, executive director of the San Jose Sports Authority, said the downtown watch party hub will show all 104 World Cup matches from June 11 through July 19, in addition to the watch parties districtwide.

“The World Cup should not simply pass through San Jose. It should be experienced in San Jose,” Poch said at the news conference. “While downtown will serve as a hub, the celebration extends far beyond downtown.”

Among the upcoming events, Eastridge Center will host Thursday’s Mexico-South Africa watch party at noon. The Mexican Heritage Plaza will host watch parties for Mexico’s matches against South Korea on June 18 and Czechia on June 24.

Additional events are planned in Japantown, where fans can gather June 25 at Gordon Biersch Brewery for watch parties featuring Japan versus Sweden and the U.S. versus Turkey. Little Saigon’s Grand Century Mall will host playoff and World Cup final watch parties July 18 and July 19.

Santa Clara County Supervisor Betty Duong said the events are also an opportunity to highlight immigrant-owned businesses and the cultural districts they help sustain.

“Our immigrant communities are the heartbeat of our region, and our small business districts are the lifeblood of our economy,” Duong said at the news conference.

While some officials are emphasizing the economic and community benefits of the World Cup watch parties, attendees are already looking ahead to the matches.

Brandon Quintanilla, executive director of creative agency Early Mornings Late Nights, which is helping host Thursday’s Eastridge Center watch party, told San José Spotlight he’ll be rooting for Brazil throughout the tournament. He also wants to attend events across the city, including watch parties at San Pedro Square and Mexican Heritage Plaza.

Mayor Matt Mahan said he also will be spending the tournament visiting watch parties across the city, including events in San Pedro Square, Little Saigon and at Mexican Heritage Plaza.

While he’ll be cheering for Team USA, Mahan said he’ll also be rooting for Mexico when the two teams aren’t facing each other.

“I actually grew up in Watsonville, and so I grew up watching Mexico,” Mahan told San José Spotlight. “When the community gets so excited about it, it’s fun to watch. So I’ll be rooting for Mexico unless they’re playing the U.S.”

Contact Maryanne Casas-Perez at [email protected] or @CasasPerezRed on X.