Norwegian World Cup fans “took over a section of Citi Field to cheer on the Mets” during the opener of Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Cubs, according to Collin Ward of the N.Y. POST. Norwegian fans said that the meeting was “organized on Facebook, and the Mets gave them tickets in the same section.” The Norwegian fans are in the area because their team beat Senegal 3-2 on Monday night in a World Cup game at N.Y. N.J. Stadium (N.Y. POST, 6/24).
PARTY IN THE 305: In N.Y., Patricia Mazzei wrote, “What do you get when legions of singing Scots wearing kilts meet samba-dancing Brazilians in canary yellow under the South Florida sun? One rollicking World Cup party.” The party in Miami has been “going hard for days.” Brazilians flocking to the beach on Sunday evening “turned Miami Beach into a smaller version of Rio de Janeiro’s famous Copacabana.” On Monday, Scots descended on Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood, marching behind bagpipes to Marlins Stadium for a baseball game. Then, on Tuesday afternoon, Scotland fans “took over South Beach” (N.Y. TIMES, 6/24). In Miami, Delia Sauer noted fans in “yellow and green and others dressed in plaid kilts and patterned jerseys were turned away from FIFA Fan Fest at Bayfront Park on Wednesday as the event reached capacity.” Officers on the scene said that visitors “will be able to enter only as people clear out.” Fans for Brazil and Scotland “stood in line outside the park, hoping for a chance to get through before the game concludes” (MIAMI HERALD, 6/24).
SEA OF BLUE: In Dallas, Michael Cuviello wrote “chants, drums and blue jerseys filled Harwood Park on Wednesday” as Japan supporters “turned a corner of downtown Dallas into a sea of blue” ahead of the national team’s World Cup match against Sweden on Thursday. The “Paint Dallas Blue” celebration, organized by Downtown Dallas Inc. and Japan Ultras Nippon, “brought together fans from North Texas and beyond” a day before Japan’s match at Dallas Stadium. The gathering “offered a preview of the passionate atmosphere expected Thursday night in Arlington” (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/24).
ENERGY IS HIGH: In San Jose, Delacruz & Green wrote World Cup fever “continued to grip the South Bay on Wednesday evening,” with “scores of soccer fans once again flocking to San Pedro Square in downtown San Jose for the latest in a string of highly attended watch parties.” Ahead of the 6pm matchup between Czechia and Mexico, people “paraded past Five Points, a bar near the square, waving flags with Mexico’s colors.” Nearly “everyone in sight was decked out in Mexico jerseys” (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 6/24).
GOING 3 FOR 3: In Seattle, Matt Calkins wrote Wednesday’s matchup featuring 61st-ranked Bosnia-Herzegovina against 62nd-ranked Qatar “seemed like it had potential for a humdrum Hump Day,” but nonetheless, resulted in “another sellout.” That brings Seattle’s record as a host city in this tournament to a “towering 3-0″ (SEATTLE TIMES, 6/24). In Seattle, Alexis Weisend noted, according to the nonprofit Friends of Waterfront Park, the first 11 days of the World Cup, Seattle’s Waterfront Park “saw around 451,000 total visits from almost 401,000 unique visitors.” The data comes from the analytics firm Placer.ai. Seattle’s four World Cup matches have “flooded the city with tourists and fans” (SEATTLE TIMES, 6/24).
COMING TO AN END: In K.C., Sofi Zeman noted after holding a string of events in downtown K.C., Kansas, local government officials and Visit KCK have “decided to cancel their three remaining World Cup watch parties.” The Unified Government of Wyandotte County and KCK and the nonprofit that organizes tourism activities in KCK jointly announced this week that “significantly lower than anticipated” attendance has brought an end to their “Kick it in KCK” watch parties at Memorial Hall. Visit KCK had initially planned nine watch parties between June 6 and June 24. Those events, save for one party celebrating a Mexico vs. South Korea match, “generally garnered low turnout and were held on weekday afternoons” (K.C. STAR, 6/24).
