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"content": "\u003cp>The U.S. men’s national soccer team has been eliminated from the 2026 World Cup, and the global tournament’s six \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101913251/the-world-cup-heads-to-california\">Bay Area\u003c/a> matches have wrapped. The games at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara brought hundreds of thousands of visitors — and an estimated economic impact of $555 million — to the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But while the tournament promised to put the region at the center of global soccer, many residents know: the sport already thrives here year-round.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it’s not just at the pro level. While the region’s two top division teams, San José Earthquakes and Bay FC, fill up PayPal Park with tens of thousands of fans, fields across the region are packed on any given weekend with local teams and their devoted fans, reflecting a soccer culture that long predates the World Cup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if you missed the big matches, soccer fans — or anyone curious about the sport and the community around it — can still find plenty of Bay Area teams to root for. Keep reading to learn more about just some of these soccer teams that proudly represent our region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Oakland Roots\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Where else could you see E-40 perform at a soccer halftime show than in Oakland?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area hip-hop legend played some of his biggest hits to thousands of fans at the home opener for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13987541/the-\">Oakland Roots\u003c/a> at the Coliseum earlier this year. The club — playing since 2019 and currently competing in the men’s USL Championship league — is now fighting for a spot in the playoffs. Many fans say that rooting for the team reminds them of when the Raiders and A’s played in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12032644\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12032644 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250322_Roots_8209.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250322_Roots_8209.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250322_Roots_8209-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250322_Roots_8209-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250322_Roots_8209-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250322_Roots_8209-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250322_Roots_8209-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">More than 26,000 fans packed the Oakland Roots home opener at the Oakland Coliseum on March 22, 2025, in Oakland, California. This was the first Roots game played in the storied stadium. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s good for us to have some sports here again,” said Oakland resident Tatiana Wells. While she did not play soccer growing up, she said that the sport finally caught her attention when the Roots proudly claimed the Town.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her recommendation to other Oaklanders? “Start following soccer and follow our local club!”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Oakland Soul\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In 2023, the Roots launched Oakland Soul, currently competing in the women’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.uslwleague.com/league-teams\">USL W League\u003c/a>. The team finished third in its division, outperforming more well-established teams. The team had some fantastic performances this season, winning 6-0 against Marin FC Siren on June 17.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At an Oakland Soul game, you see so many families coming out because they want to enjoy the sunshine on a Sunday afternoon,” said Tommy Hodul, vice president of public relations for the Roots and Soul. “And it’s a beautiful experience.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076747\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076747\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/OaklandSoulGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/OaklandSoulGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/OaklandSoulGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/OaklandSoulGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aaliyah Schinaman #5 of the Oakland Soul SC fights for a loose ball with Jessie Halladay #3 of the San Francisco Glens during a USL W League playoff game between Oakland Soul SC and San Francisco Glens at Skyline College on July 7, 2023, in San Bruno, California. \u003ccite>(Doug Zimmerman/ISI Photos/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Thanks to USL W League rules, Soul can build their roster with student-athletes from the Bay Area’s universities. That gives local players a big opportunity to develop their talent before going pro. Santa Clara-raised Shae Murison became Soul’s top scorer last season and is now set to join the Utah Royals FC in the National Women’s Soccer League.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oakland Soul’s regular season schedule for next year is set to start in May.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>San Francisco City FC\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Have you seen folks walking around with a soccer jersey that boldly features the \u003ca href=\"https://themunistore.com/blogs/news/theworm?srsltid=AfmBOorFEiLSbPQVlazXmofpz_-yrf5wYzA6CQ_j08Gn5GUtbBHmF-DB\">Muni logo\u003c/a>?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s the jersey for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084932/as-the-bay-area-prepares-for-world-cup-a-san-francisco-team-looks-for-a-way-forward\">San Francisco City FC\u003c/a>, which plays in the semi-professional men’s USL League Two. Most players are students at nearby universities — cheered on by an extensive network of supporters that resembles what you’d see in Latin American and European clubs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12084946\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12084946\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Players from the San Francisco City Football Club face off with the opposing Davis Legacy Soccer Club during a game at Kezar Stadium on May 17. 2026. \u003ccite>(Aryk Copley for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Filmmaker Daniel Díaz moved to San Francisco from London five years ago and wanted to find a club that he could build a relationship with, like what he already has with his favorite British team, Tottenham Hotspur. Back in London, Díaz and other Tottenham fans fill up the stadium singing, “When the Spurs go marching in,” to the tune of “When the Saints Go Marching In.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think the moment that really tugged on my heartstrings was hearing San Francisco City fans singing their song, ‘When the fog comes rolling in,’” Díaz said. “That was the moment I knew that this is my club, that I’m in the right place.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12084943\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12084943\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Goalkeeper for the Davis Legacy Soccer Club leaps to block a shot during a warmup for their game against the San Francisco City Football Club at Kezar Stadium on May 17. 2026. \u003ccite>(Aryk Copley for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Outside the field, San Francisco City fans are particularly creative in building community. Their jerseys each year feature San Francisco landmarks beloved by locals: Sutro Tower, the Japantown Peace Pagoda and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/C4-7sQ0La2C/\">parrots of Telegraph Hill\u003c/a>. The club has even organized several \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/hop-muni-beer-crawl\">pub crawls\u003c/a> with the city’s Municipal Transportation Agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many fans have team memberships, which give them the right to vote on almost every major decision. Similar to how professional teams in Germany operate, SF City runs on a \u003ca href=\"https://www.dw.com/en/the-501-rule-in-german-football-what-you-need-to-know/a-72952820\">50+1 ownership model\u003c/a>, where club members hold a majority of team shares.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With 10 wins (and only one loss and one draw), SF City FC has dominated its division this season. The team has two \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfcityfc.com/schedule\">regular-season matches left\u003c/a> and has a strong chance of advancing to the playoffs, representing Northern California in the national USL League Two tournament.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Afghan Premier FC\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For more than 30 years, Afghan Premier Football Club has developed soccer talent in Fremont — home to one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12053196/how-fremont-became-a-hub-for-afghan-americans\">largest Afghan communities\u003c/a> in the nation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Fremont was the hub for Afghan refugees in the late ’80s and early ’90s,” said Afghan Premier FC coach Musa Mojaddedi, who first joined the team as a player more than two decades ago. “There were even parts of Fremont known as ‘Little Kabul.’”[aside postID=news_12088892 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA00995_TV-KQED.jpg']Among the Afghan families settling down in the East Bay, there were also young men who loved soccer and wanted to keep playing in their new home. That’s how Afghan Premier FC — then known as Afghan Soccer Club — was born in 1991. The team travelled extensively around the world playing against other clubs in the Afghan diaspora, but it wouldn’t be until 2024 that Afghan Premier FC joined a semi-professional league in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The team is not just open to Afghan players,” said Mojaddedi. “It’s open to diversity, no matter your race, culture, background, or religion.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, the team joined the \u003ca href=\"https://www.theleaguefc.com/our-clubs-west\">League for Clubs\u003c/a> — and while Mojaddedi is excited about playing against teams from all over the state, he points out that the team relies heavily on its community to survive. “We try to raise funds from local sponsors as much as we can, from donations, from friends, family,” he said, “because most players are college students.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Afghan Premier’s home field is at Fremont’s Ohlone College, and while their league’s season began earlier, the team postponed their games till the first week of April to accommodate the players observing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073604/2026-ramadan-mubarak-where-to-find-iftar-suhoor-san-francisco-bay-area\">holy month of Ramadan\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the team advanced to the semifinals in this season’s playoffs, it fell against Roseville’s Iron Rose FC on June 27.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>El Farolito SC\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If this team’s name sounds familiar to you, that’s because, yes: it’s named after the longstanding San Francisco-based taquería chain El Farolito.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The restaurant’s founder, Salvador López, started the team back in 1985, and players sport a bright yellow and blue soccer kit — the same color palette you’ll see in any of the El Farolito taquerías. The team competes in the semi-professional National Premier Soccer League and features many players with previous experience at the professional level in Latin America.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The people who are behind the taquerías and everybody who’s part of the soccer team, we’re a big family,” said Santiago López, who now leads the team after his father’s passing in 2021. “We have a big responsibility representing this name and the Mission District.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076742\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076742\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/ElFarolitoSoccerGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/ElFarolitoSoccerGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/ElFarolitoSoccerGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/ElFarolitoSoccerGetty-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ramón Córdoba, #4 of El Farolito, huddles with his teammates in the locker room before a 2025 U.S. Open Cup Third Round game against Sacramento Republic at Heart Health Park on April 16, 2025, in Sacramento, California. \u003ccite>(Doug Zimmerman/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>El Farolito made it all the way to the NPSL National Championship final last year but lost 3-2 to Hickory FC from North Carolina. But López is confident in his team, who have also won their conference title four years in a row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re not a club that just wants to sit in the same spot and just compete locally,” he said. “Fans might see a new local talent that eventually turns pro.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>El Farolito is currently at the top of its division in the NPSL and will play in its conference semifinals on Friday. If the team wins, it could potentially play against the Oakland Stompers — another historic Bay Area soccer institution — in a bid to claim the title of the best NPSL squad in the region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story has been updated to reflect that San Francisco City FC’s season opener against San Juan SC will be played at San Francisco State University’s Cox Stadium.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The U.S. men’s national soccer team has been eliminated from the 2026 World Cup, and the global tournament’s six \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101913251/the-world-cup-heads-to-california\">Bay Area\u003c/a> matches have wrapped. The games at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara brought hundreds of thousands of visitors — and an estimated economic impact of $555 million — to the Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But while the tournament promised to put the region at the center of global soccer, many residents know: the sport already thrives here year-round.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And it’s not just at the pro level. While the region’s two top division teams, San José Earthquakes and Bay FC, fill up PayPal Park with tens of thousands of fans, fields across the region are packed on any given weekend with local teams and their devoted fans, reflecting a soccer culture that long predates the World Cup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if you missed the big matches, soccer fans — or anyone curious about the sport and the community around it — can still find plenty of Bay Area teams to root for. Keep reading to learn more about just some of these soccer teams that proudly represent our region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Oakland Roots\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Where else could you see E-40 perform at a soccer halftime show than in Oakland?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Bay Area hip-hop legend played some of his biggest hits to thousands of fans at the home opener for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13987541/the-\">Oakland Roots\u003c/a> at the Coliseum earlier this year. The club — playing since 2019 and currently competing in the men’s USL Championship league — is now fighting for a spot in the playoffs. Many fans say that rooting for the team reminds them of when the Raiders and A’s played in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12032644\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12032644 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250322_Roots_8209.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250322_Roots_8209.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250322_Roots_8209-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250322_Roots_8209-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250322_Roots_8209-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250322_Roots_8209-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/20250322_Roots_8209-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">More than 26,000 fans packed the Oakland Roots home opener at the Oakland Coliseum on March 22, 2025, in Oakland, California. This was the first Roots game played in the storied stadium. \u003ccite>(David M. Barreda/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s good for us to have some sports here again,” said Oakland resident Tatiana Wells. While she did not play soccer growing up, she said that the sport finally caught her attention when the Roots proudly claimed the Town.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her recommendation to other Oaklanders? “Start following soccer and follow our local club!”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Oakland Soul\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In 2023, the Roots launched Oakland Soul, currently competing in the women’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.uslwleague.com/league-teams\">USL W League\u003c/a>. The team finished third in its division, outperforming more well-established teams. The team had some fantastic performances this season, winning 6-0 against Marin FC Siren on June 17.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At an Oakland Soul game, you see so many families coming out because they want to enjoy the sunshine on a Sunday afternoon,” said Tommy Hodul, vice president of public relations for the Roots and Soul. “And it’s a beautiful experience.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076747\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076747\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/OaklandSoulGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/OaklandSoulGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/OaklandSoulGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/OaklandSoulGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aaliyah Schinaman #5 of the Oakland Soul SC fights for a loose ball with Jessie Halladay #3 of the San Francisco Glens during a USL W League playoff game between Oakland Soul SC and San Francisco Glens at Skyline College on July 7, 2023, in San Bruno, California. \u003ccite>(Doug Zimmerman/ISI Photos/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Thanks to USL W League rules, Soul can build their roster with student-athletes from the Bay Area’s universities. That gives local players a big opportunity to develop their talent before going pro. Santa Clara-raised Shae Murison became Soul’s top scorer last season and is now set to join the Utah Royals FC in the National Women’s Soccer League.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oakland Soul’s regular season schedule for next year is set to start in May.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>San Francisco City FC\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Have you seen folks walking around with a soccer jersey that boldly features the \u003ca href=\"https://themunistore.com/blogs/news/theworm?srsltid=AfmBOorFEiLSbPQVlazXmofpz_-yrf5wYzA6CQ_j08Gn5GUtbBHmF-DB\">Muni logo\u003c/a>?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s the jersey for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084932/as-the-bay-area-prepares-for-world-cup-a-san-francisco-team-looks-for-a-way-forward\">San Francisco City FC\u003c/a>, which plays in the semi-professional men’s USL League Two. Most players are students at nearby universities — cheered on by an extensive network of supporters that resembles what you’d see in Latin American and European clubs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12084946\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12084946\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-05-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-05-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-05-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-05-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Players from the San Francisco City Football Club face off with the opposing Davis Legacy Soccer Club during a game at Kezar Stadium on May 17. 2026. \u003ccite>(Aryk Copley for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Filmmaker Daniel Díaz moved to San Francisco from London five years ago and wanted to find a club that he could build a relationship with, like what he already has with his favorite British team, Tottenham Hotspur. Back in London, Díaz and other Tottenham fans fill up the stadium singing, “When the Spurs go marching in,” to the tune of “When the Saints Go Marching In.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think the moment that really tugged on my heartstrings was hearing San Francisco City fans singing their song, ‘When the fog comes rolling in,’” Díaz said. “That was the moment I knew that this is my club, that I’m in the right place.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12084943\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12084943\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/05/260522-SF-City-FC-vs.-Davis-Legacy-AC-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Goalkeeper for the Davis Legacy Soccer Club leaps to block a shot during a warmup for their game against the San Francisco City Football Club at Kezar Stadium on May 17. 2026. \u003ccite>(Aryk Copley for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Outside the field, San Francisco City fans are particularly creative in building community. Their jerseys each year feature San Francisco landmarks beloved by locals: Sutro Tower, the Japantown Peace Pagoda and the \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/C4-7sQ0La2C/\">parrots of Telegraph Hill\u003c/a>. The club has even organized several \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfmta.com/hop-muni-beer-crawl\">pub crawls\u003c/a> with the city’s Municipal Transportation Agency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many fans have team memberships, which give them the right to vote on almost every major decision. Similar to how professional teams in Germany operate, SF City runs on a \u003ca href=\"https://www.dw.com/en/the-501-rule-in-german-football-what-you-need-to-know/a-72952820\">50+1 ownership model\u003c/a>, where club members hold a majority of team shares.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With 10 wins (and only one loss and one draw), SF City FC has dominated its division this season. The team has two \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfcityfc.com/schedule\">regular-season matches left\u003c/a> and has a strong chance of advancing to the playoffs, representing Northern California in the national USL League Two tournament.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Afghan Premier FC\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For more than 30 years, Afghan Premier Football Club has developed soccer talent in Fremont — home to one of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12053196/how-fremont-became-a-hub-for-afghan-americans\">largest Afghan communities\u003c/a> in the nation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Fremont was the hub for Afghan refugees in the late ’80s and early ’90s,” said Afghan Premier FC coach Musa Mojaddedi, who first joined the team as a player more than two decades ago. “There were even parts of Fremont known as ‘Little Kabul.’”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Among the Afghan families settling down in the East Bay, there were also young men who loved soccer and wanted to keep playing in their new home. That’s how Afghan Premier FC — then known as Afghan Soccer Club — was born in 1991. The team travelled extensively around the world playing against other clubs in the Afghan diaspora, but it wouldn’t be until 2024 that Afghan Premier FC joined a semi-professional league in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The team is not just open to Afghan players,” said Mojaddedi. “It’s open to diversity, no matter your race, culture, background, or religion.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Last year, the team joined the \u003ca href=\"https://www.theleaguefc.com/our-clubs-west\">League for Clubs\u003c/a> — and while Mojaddedi is excited about playing against teams from all over the state, he points out that the team relies heavily on its community to survive. “We try to raise funds from local sponsors as much as we can, from donations, from friends, family,” he said, “because most players are college students.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Afghan Premier’s home field is at Fremont’s Ohlone College, and while their league’s season began earlier, the team postponed their games till the first week of April to accommodate the players observing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12073604/2026-ramadan-mubarak-where-to-find-iftar-suhoor-san-francisco-bay-area\">holy month of Ramadan\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While the team advanced to the semifinals in this season’s playoffs, it fell against Roseville’s Iron Rose FC on June 27.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>El Farolito SC\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If this team’s name sounds familiar to you, that’s because, yes: it’s named after the longstanding San Francisco-based taquería chain El Farolito.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The restaurant’s founder, Salvador López, started the team back in 1985, and players sport a bright yellow and blue soccer kit — the same color palette you’ll see in any of the El Farolito taquerías. The team competes in the semi-professional National Premier Soccer League and features many players with previous experience at the professional level in Latin America.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The people who are behind the taquerías and everybody who’s part of the soccer team, we’re a big family,” said Santiago López, who now leads the team after his father’s passing in 2021. “We have a big responsibility representing this name and the Mission District.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12076742\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12076742\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/ElFarolitoSoccerGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/ElFarolitoSoccerGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/ElFarolitoSoccerGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/03/ElFarolitoSoccerGetty-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ramón Córdoba, #4 of El Farolito, huddles with his teammates in the locker room before a 2025 U.S. Open Cup Third Round game against Sacramento Republic at Heart Health Park on April 16, 2025, in Sacramento, California. \u003ccite>(Doug Zimmerman/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>El Farolito made it all the way to the NPSL National Championship final last year but lost 3-2 to Hickory FC from North Carolina. But López is confident in his team, who have also won their conference title four years in a row.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re not a club that just wants to sit in the same spot and just compete locally,” he said. “Fans might see a new local talent that eventually turns pro.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>El Farolito is currently at the top of its division in the NPSL and will play in its conference semifinals on Friday. If the team wins, it could potentially play against the Oakland Stompers — another historic Bay Area soccer institution — in a bid to claim the title of the best NPSL squad in the region.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story has been updated to reflect that San Francisco City FC’s season opener against San Juan SC will be played at San Francisco State University’s Cox Stadium.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "US Fans Rejoice as Team Beats Bosnia in Bay Area World Cup Match",
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"headTitle": "US Fans Rejoice as Team Beats Bosnia in Bay Area World Cup Match | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Thousands of soccer fans, young and old, seasoned and new, flooded the streets of Santa Clara on Wednesday in their red, white and blue finest as the U.S. Men’s National Team won an elimination match at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/levis-stadium\">Levi’s Stadium\u003c/a> against Bosnia-Herzegovina’s squad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The knockout game marked the first time the men’s team, which trounced Bosnia 2-0, has played a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083101/world-cup-2026-bay-area-games-where-is-fifa-world-cup-santa-clara-levis-stadium-tickets-fan-zone-watch-parties\">World Cup match in the Bay Area\u003c/a> in 32 years and added a layer of drama and excitement to what was the last of this tournament’s games hosted locally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Naseem Farooqi, decked out in an American flag t-shirt, a cowboy hat and boots, smoked a celebratory cigar outside the stadium after the game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We were able to pull through and execute when we needed to,” the Rancho Cucamonga resident said. “It’s a freaking good time, man.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Casandra Rojas agreed. The 26-year-old Redwood City resident came to the game with her dad, Rudy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re a Latino family, so soccer truly means everything to us,” she said. “It’s part of our culture, part of who we are. It runs in our family.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089716\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089716\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-43-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-43-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-43-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-43-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Casandra Rojas and her father Rudy Rojas leave the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia Herzegovina at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Even the tournament’s youngest attendees recognized they were witnessing something special.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is like a golden age of players,” said Sammy Oltmans, an 11-year-old San Francisco resident and self-described big soccer fan. “It’s very fun to watch … every fan is cheering their loudest.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Levi’s, which was temporarily\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086949/levis-stadium-is-no-more-san-francisco-bay-area-stadium-hosts-world-cup\"> renamed the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium\u003c/a> for the World Cup, previously hosted group stage matches, largely between teams that don’t garner as much attention on the world stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089674\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089674 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-18-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-18-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-18-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-18-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">U.S. national men’s team soccer fans march toward the San Francisco Bay Area stadium for the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Fans of the U.S. team were thrilled the Stars and Stripes earned a chance to play at Levi’s and will play Belgium next week in a Round of 16 elimination game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a parking lot near Levi’s ahead of the match, thousands of American Outlaws, an unofficial support group of the team, celebrated, ate burritos, chanted, “USA, USA,” and sang anthems like John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and Woody Guthrie’s “When The Yanks Go Marching In.” The group’s drummers and horn players kept spirits high before much of the crowd headed out for a drumline-led march to the stadium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jacob Wong, a 29-year-old San Francisco resident, took the day off to attend the game.[aside postID=news_12089314 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Dubioza-Kolektiv-Getty-1.jpg']“It’s kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Wong, who was certain the U.S. would win “by 100.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can feel the energy,” he said. “Everyone is excited.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It feels like Christmas morning,” said Joe Duffy, who, along with two friends, each paid $3,000 to sit in nosebleed seats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While they were smaller in number, Bosnia fans were equally as excited to see their team take the pitch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a homeland versus a motherland,” said Lejla Kuhinja, who was born and raised in Bosnia before moving to the U.S. in 1995 at age 16.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Gilroy resident had hoped Bosnia would come out ahead. “It’s definitely amazing to see our little country make it here,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Armina Husic said the “love and happiness” of Bosnia’s local appearance in the World Cup was a welcome change of pace. “For many years, our country was recognized for war and suffering,” she said, referring to the civil war that gripped the country in the early 1990s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The women tried to snag last-minute tickets to the game but had backup plans to go to a nearby bar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089712\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089712 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-31-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-31-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-31-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-31-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bosnia fans watch the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Clara’s Junction, near the San Francisco Bay Area stadium, in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To the north, bars in San Francisco were packed with soccer fans. Revelers at Standard Deviant Brewing in the Mission District cheered after the U.S. clinched its spot in the Round of 16.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Exciting!” Quinn Reilly said. “We had a good time!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many attendees making the trek to Santa Clara, heeding warnings about road closures and traffic, took public transportation to the game and local transit authorities said they were prepared for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084960/world-cup-tickets-levis-stadium-santa-clara-parking-bart-vta-capitol-corridor\">an influx of riders\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089671\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089671\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-12-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-12-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-12-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-12-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">U.S. national men’s team soccer fans march toward the San Francisco Bay Area stadium for the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Caltrain said it saw a 20% increase in ridership on game days and expected even larger crowds for the U.S. match. The agency was running two additional trains before the game and said it was keeping additional trains on standby to accommodate post-game crowds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Raj Patel flew into town from Atlanta and rode the train from San Francisco with his college roommate, Sid Balireddy. The pair were luckier than Duffy’s crew. They scored tickets for $800.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t get this kind of thing in Atlanta,” Patel said of Caltrain. “A lot of other places could do with something like this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089709\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089709 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-27-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-27-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-27-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-27-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A robot dances in front of the San Francisco Bay Area stadium before the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Their train, full of boisterous fans, some of them sharing beers with new friends, experienced a brief delay in Menlo Park for what a conductor said was a quick “reset,” but continued on its way after a few minutes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, which has a light rail stop near the stadium, said it was expecting a record ridership day and was running supplemental bus service ahead of the game because trains were full.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>VTA said it had about 80 train cars available after the game and planned to run them one behind the other to move people as quickly as possible. Trains were crowded after the game, but the platform was orderly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089705\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089705 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-32-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-32-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-32-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-32-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brian Zander, a USA men’s national soccer team fan, wears a bald eagle costume during the FIFA World Cup knockout game between USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina at a watch party at Thrive City in San Francisco on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Outside the stadium wasn’t the only place bursting with fans in the South Bay. Interest in soccer appears to be \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084932/as-the-bay-area-prepares-for-world-cup-a-san-francisco-team-looks-for-a-way-forward\">growing in the Bay Area\u003c/a>, if the huge crowds gathering for watch parties in places like San Pedro Square in downtown San José are any indication, much to the delight of local boosters and businesses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Closed streets, massive TV screens and special permission from the city to allow outdoor drinking have drawn in several thousand to tens of thousands of people per match, with some of the most popular games, including Wednesday’s U.S. match, bringing people to the area hours ahead of kickoff to nab spots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brian Kurtz, CEO of the San José Downtown Association, said watch parties exceeded expectations. He chalked up much of the success to the increasing popularity of soccer and the diversity of the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089703\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089703\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-16-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-16-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-16-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-16-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A USA men’s national soccer team fan watches the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina during a watch party at Thrive City in San Francisco on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The World Cup celebrates culture, it celebrates countries, diversity and heritage. And what we’re seeing in downtown, in a city where more than 40% of our population is foreign-born, is that coming to real life,” Kurtz said. “And I see this as something that’s only going to grow and grow as the years go on.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There have been some tense moments near watch parties, however. One man was killed, and another was critically wounded on Sunday in\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089204/1-dead-1-critically-hurt-in-downtown-san-jose-shooting\"> a shooting\u003c/a> just blocks from San Pedro Square.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In San Francisco, SPARK Social on Wednesday abruptly canceled all of its remaining watch parties “in the interest of protecting the safety of our guests, staff, vendors, and community” after two people were wounded in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/mission-bay-shooting-two-injured-22328065.php\">shooting in the area\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089702\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089702 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Irma Aguirre shows off her Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina nails ahead of the World Cup knockout game between USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina at a watch party at Thrive City in San Francisco on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie acknowledged the incident but said police responded quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We feel like our city is incredibly safe and people should feel welcome to come out to our watch parties,” he said during a halftime interview with KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lurie, who was attending the game, called the U.S.’s goal in the first half “electric.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089704\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089704\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-31-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-31-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-31-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-31-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">USA men’s national soccer team fan Patty Lewis, 69, cheers after the United States scored its second goal in the second half of the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina during a watch party at Thrive City in San Francisco on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s just epic,” he said. “This is a culmination of a great first three weeks of the World Cup and to have the U.S. here, we couldn’t have asked for a better wrap-up in terms of hosting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, the atmosphere surrounding the game near the stadium and at watch parties across the region has been upbeat and friendly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A sea of red, white and blue jerseys took over the Chase Center courtyard in the Mission Bay neighborhood of San Francisco on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089713\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089713\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-33-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-33-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-33-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-33-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jose Martinez, known as Mr. Cheez, prepares food down the street from the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia Herzegovina at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Visitors hoping to experience some of the excitement happening in the South Bay found what they were looking for, with fans donning face paint, downing beers and, in some cases, dressing as founding fathers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carissa Umanzor traveled across the bay from Martinez to join the party dressed as George Washington and cheered with a drum in hand. She’s been following the tournament closely and went to two earlier matches at Levi’s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is once in a lifetime,” Umanzor said. “I’ve been watching all the videos of people who are coming from other countries and then seeing another perspective of people’s experience in America, and I love that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089663\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089663 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left: Tenzin Nima, Tenzin Samten, Deckyi Dolma and Jigme Rapgyal, rooting for Team USA pose for a photo ahead of the World Cup knockout game between USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina at Thrive City in San Francisco on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tenzin Samten, 23, arrived more than two hours early to get a seat in front of the mega screen broadcasting World Cup games at Thrive City outside Chase Center. After picking up food nearby, Samten, who was watching with his parents and sister, eagerly waited for the U.S. kickoff as the Senegal versus Belgium game played. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It feels more fun to come out and support the team when they’re close by,” the Richmond resident said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dolores LeDesma, 69, sat in a folding chair alongside her son Jarmar, 41, at Chase. The two are major fans of Arsenal FC and have been enjoying seeing the tournament so close to home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089661\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089661\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">James Talcott, 69, rooting for Team USA, poses for a photo at Thrive City, ahead of the World Cup knockout game between USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina, in San Francisco on July 1, Stanford Stadium 2026. Talcott also attended a few games held at Stanford Stadium during the 1994 World Cup. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I’m a proud Native American Indian of the Navajo tribe, and I can’t believe that there’s so many diverse people and different cultures that are coming together for the World Cup,” LeDesma said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>James Talcott, 69, also strolled through the Thrive City watch party early on Wednesday to get some food and find a seat before the 5 p.m. kickoff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Tenderloin resident was thrilled to watch the U.S. play and see the Bay Area hosting games. He recalled attending World Cup matches when the tournament took place at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088203/how-the-1994-world-cup-helped-spark-soccers-rise-in-the-bay-area\">Stanford University in 1994\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089715\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089715\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fans leave the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s been great, but I’ll tell you what, I went to the one they had 30 years ago here, at Stanford. And I remember the tickets were free. Now they’re talking about tickets like $3,000,” he said. “I mean, come on.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088896/world-cup-tickets-us-mens-national-soccer-team-bay-area-july-1-bosnia-herzegovina-levis-stadium\">Ticket prices\u003c/a> weren’t the only thing spiking. Just a five-minute walk from Levi’s is the Hilton Santa Clara, which recently completed a renovation and hosts a “TailG8 Zone” for the public to gather, eat and drink before and after major events at the stadium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sales and marketing director Kunal Khandwala said it had been difficult to predict what bookings would be like for FIFA World Cup matches because so many factors, including inflation, war, politics and travel restrictions, could influence how many fans were attending various games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089717\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089717\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-45-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-45-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-45-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-45-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Naseem Farooqi leaves the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia Herzegovina at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But Khandwala said he saw a lot of demand with the U.S. team playing a match locally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We just picked up a lot more rooms over this past weekend. Once, I guess, the final teams were announced, people got more excited, and they started picking up hotel rooms and last-minute ticket sales at the stadium as well,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rooms for Wednesday night at the hotel appeared sold out this week. Rates for a standard room on Tuesday night began around $500 and increased to more than $1,000 for a suite, according to the website.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Thousands of soccer fans, young and old, seasoned and new, flooded the streets of Santa Clara on Wednesday in their red, white and blue finest as the U.S. Men’s National Team won an elimination match at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/levis-stadium\">Levi’s Stadium\u003c/a> against Bosnia-Herzegovina’s squad.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The knockout game marked the first time the men’s team, which trounced Bosnia 2-0, has played a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083101/world-cup-2026-bay-area-games-where-is-fifa-world-cup-santa-clara-levis-stadium-tickets-fan-zone-watch-parties\">World Cup match in the Bay Area\u003c/a> in 32 years and added a layer of drama and excitement to what was the last of this tournament’s games hosted locally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Naseem Farooqi, decked out in an American flag t-shirt, a cowboy hat and boots, smoked a celebratory cigar outside the stadium after the game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We were able to pull through and execute when we needed to,” the Rancho Cucamonga resident said. “It’s a freaking good time, man.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Casandra Rojas agreed. The 26-year-old Redwood City resident came to the game with her dad, Rudy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re a Latino family, so soccer truly means everything to us,” she said. “It’s part of our culture, part of who we are. It runs in our family.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089716\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089716\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-43-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-43-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-43-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-43-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Casandra Rojas and her father Rudy Rojas leave the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia Herzegovina at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Even the tournament’s youngest attendees recognized they were witnessing something special.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is like a golden age of players,” said Sammy Oltmans, an 11-year-old San Francisco resident and self-described big soccer fan. “It’s very fun to watch … every fan is cheering their loudest.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Levi’s, which was temporarily\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086949/levis-stadium-is-no-more-san-francisco-bay-area-stadium-hosts-world-cup\"> renamed the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium\u003c/a> for the World Cup, previously hosted group stage matches, largely between teams that don’t garner as much attention on the world stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089674\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089674 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-18-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-18-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-18-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-18-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">U.S. national men’s team soccer fans march toward the San Francisco Bay Area stadium for the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Fans of the U.S. team were thrilled the Stars and Stripes earned a chance to play at Levi’s and will play Belgium next week in a Round of 16 elimination game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a parking lot near Levi’s ahead of the match, thousands of American Outlaws, an unofficial support group of the team, celebrated, ate burritos, chanted, “USA, USA,” and sang anthems like John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and Woody Guthrie’s “When The Yanks Go Marching In.” The group’s drummers and horn players kept spirits high before much of the crowd headed out for a drumline-led march to the stadium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jacob Wong, a 29-year-old San Francisco resident, took the day off to attend the game.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“It’s kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Wong, who was certain the U.S. would win “by 100.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You can feel the energy,” he said. “Everyone is excited.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It feels like Christmas morning,” said Joe Duffy, who, along with two friends, each paid $3,000 to sit in nosebleed seats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While they were smaller in number, Bosnia fans were equally as excited to see their team take the pitch.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a homeland versus a motherland,” said Lejla Kuhinja, who was born and raised in Bosnia before moving to the U.S. in 1995 at age 16.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Gilroy resident had hoped Bosnia would come out ahead. “It’s definitely amazing to see our little country make it here,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Armina Husic said the “love and happiness” of Bosnia’s local appearance in the World Cup was a welcome change of pace. “For many years, our country was recognized for war and suffering,” she said, referring to the civil war that gripped the country in the early 1990s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The women tried to snag last-minute tickets to the game but had backup plans to go to a nearby bar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089712\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089712 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-31-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-31-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-31-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-31-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bosnia fans watch the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Clara’s Junction, near the San Francisco Bay Area stadium, in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To the north, bars in San Francisco were packed with soccer fans. Revelers at Standard Deviant Brewing in the Mission District cheered after the U.S. clinched its spot in the Round of 16.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Exciting!” Quinn Reilly said. “We had a good time!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many attendees making the trek to Santa Clara, heeding warnings about road closures and traffic, took public transportation to the game and local transit authorities said they were prepared for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084960/world-cup-tickets-levis-stadium-santa-clara-parking-bart-vta-capitol-corridor\">an influx of riders\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089671\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089671\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-12-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-12-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-12-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-12-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">U.S. national men’s team soccer fans march toward the San Francisco Bay Area stadium for the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Caltrain said it saw a 20% increase in ridership on game days and expected even larger crowds for the U.S. match. The agency was running two additional trains before the game and said it was keeping additional trains on standby to accommodate post-game crowds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Raj Patel flew into town from Atlanta and rode the train from San Francisco with his college roommate, Sid Balireddy. The pair were luckier than Duffy’s crew. They scored tickets for $800.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We don’t get this kind of thing in Atlanta,” Patel said of Caltrain. “A lot of other places could do with something like this.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089709\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089709 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-27-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-27-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-27-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-27-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A robot dances in front of the San Francisco Bay Area stadium before the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Their train, full of boisterous fans, some of them sharing beers with new friends, experienced a brief delay in Menlo Park for what a conductor said was a quick “reset,” but continued on its way after a few minutes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, which has a light rail stop near the stadium, said it was expecting a record ridership day and was running supplemental bus service ahead of the game because trains were full.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>VTA said it had about 80 train cars available after the game and planned to run them one behind the other to move people as quickly as possible. Trains were crowded after the game, but the platform was orderly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089705\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089705 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-32-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-32-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-32-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-32-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brian Zander, a USA men’s national soccer team fan, wears a bald eagle costume during the FIFA World Cup knockout game between USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina at a watch party at Thrive City in San Francisco on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Outside the stadium wasn’t the only place bursting with fans in the South Bay. Interest in soccer appears to be \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084932/as-the-bay-area-prepares-for-world-cup-a-san-francisco-team-looks-for-a-way-forward\">growing in the Bay Area\u003c/a>, if the huge crowds gathering for watch parties in places like San Pedro Square in downtown San José are any indication, much to the delight of local boosters and businesses.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Closed streets, massive TV screens and special permission from the city to allow outdoor drinking have drawn in several thousand to tens of thousands of people per match, with some of the most popular games, including Wednesday’s U.S. match, bringing people to the area hours ahead of kickoff to nab spots.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brian Kurtz, CEO of the San José Downtown Association, said watch parties exceeded expectations. He chalked up much of the success to the increasing popularity of soccer and the diversity of the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089703\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089703\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-16-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-16-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-16-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-16-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A USA men’s national soccer team fan watches the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina during a watch party at Thrive City in San Francisco on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The World Cup celebrates culture, it celebrates countries, diversity and heritage. And what we’re seeing in downtown, in a city where more than 40% of our population is foreign-born, is that coming to real life,” Kurtz said. “And I see this as something that’s only going to grow and grow as the years go on.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There have been some tense moments near watch parties, however. One man was killed, and another was critically wounded on Sunday in\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12089204/1-dead-1-critically-hurt-in-downtown-san-jose-shooting\"> a shooting\u003c/a> just blocks from San Pedro Square.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In San Francisco, SPARK Social on Wednesday abruptly canceled all of its remaining watch parties “in the interest of protecting the safety of our guests, staff, vendors, and community” after two people were wounded in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/mission-bay-shooting-two-injured-22328065.php\">shooting in the area\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089702\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089702 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Irma Aguirre shows off her Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina nails ahead of the World Cup knockout game between USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina at a watch party at Thrive City in San Francisco on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie acknowledged the incident but said police responded quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We feel like our city is incredibly safe and people should feel welcome to come out to our watch parties,” he said during a halftime interview with KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lurie, who was attending the game, called the U.S.’s goal in the first half “electric.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089704\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089704\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-31-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-31-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-31-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-31-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">USA men’s national soccer team fan Patty Lewis, 69, cheers after the United States scored its second goal in the second half of the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina during a watch party at Thrive City in San Francisco on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s just epic,” he said. “This is a culmination of a great first three weeks of the World Cup and to have the U.S. here, we couldn’t have asked for a better wrap-up in terms of hosting.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Overall, the atmosphere surrounding the game near the stadium and at watch parties across the region has been upbeat and friendly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A sea of red, white and blue jerseys took over the Chase Center courtyard in the Mission Bay neighborhood of San Francisco on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089713\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089713\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-33-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-33-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-33-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-33-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jose Martinez, known as Mr. Cheez, prepares food down the street from the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia Herzegovina at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Visitors hoping to experience some of the excitement happening in the South Bay found what they were looking for, with fans donning face paint, downing beers and, in some cases, dressing as founding fathers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Carissa Umanzor traveled across the bay from Martinez to join the party dressed as George Washington and cheered with a drum in hand. She’s been following the tournament closely and went to two earlier matches at Levi’s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is once in a lifetime,” Umanzor said. “I’ve been watching all the videos of people who are coming from other countries and then seeing another perspective of people’s experience in America, and I love that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089663\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089663 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-4-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-4-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-4-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-4-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left: Tenzin Nima, Tenzin Samten, Deckyi Dolma and Jigme Rapgyal, rooting for Team USA pose for a photo ahead of the World Cup knockout game between USA and Bosnia-Herzegovina at Thrive City in San Francisco on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Tenzin Samten, 23, arrived more than two hours early to get a seat in front of the mega screen broadcasting World Cup games at Thrive City outside Chase Center. After picking up food nearby, Samten, who was watching with his parents and sister, eagerly waited for the U.S. kickoff as the Senegal versus Belgium game played. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It feels more fun to come out and support the team when they’re close by,” the Richmond resident said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Dolores LeDesma, 69, sat in a folding chair alongside her son Jarmar, 41, at Chase. The two are major fans of Arsenal FC and have been enjoying seeing the tournament so close to home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089661\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089661\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-2-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-2-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-2-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/20260701_WORLDCUPUSA_GC-2-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">James Talcott, 69, rooting for Team USA, poses for a photo at Thrive City, ahead of the World Cup knockout game between USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina, in San Francisco on July 1, Stanford Stadium 2026. Talcott also attended a few games held at Stanford Stadium during the 1994 World Cup. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I’m a proud Native American Indian of the Navajo tribe, and I can’t believe that there’s so many diverse people and different cultures that are coming together for the World Cup,” LeDesma said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>James Talcott, 69, also strolled through the Thrive City watch party early on Wednesday to get some food and find a seat before the 5 p.m. kickoff.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Tenderloin resident was thrilled to watch the U.S. play and see the Bay Area hosting games. He recalled attending World Cup matches when the tournament took place at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088203/how-the-1994-world-cup-helped-spark-soccers-rise-in-the-bay-area\">Stanford University in 1994\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089715\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089715\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-41-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fans leave the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s been great, but I’ll tell you what, I went to the one they had 30 years ago here, at Stanford. And I remember the tickets were free. Now they’re talking about tickets like $3,000,” he said. “I mean, come on.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088896/world-cup-tickets-us-mens-national-soccer-team-bay-area-july-1-bosnia-herzegovina-levis-stadium\">Ticket prices\u003c/a> weren’t the only thing spiking. Just a five-minute walk from Levi’s is the Hilton Santa Clara, which recently completed a renovation and hosts a “TailG8 Zone” for the public to gather, eat and drink before and after major events at the stadium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sales and marketing director Kunal Khandwala said it had been difficult to predict what bookings would be like for FIFA World Cup matches because so many factors, including inflation, war, politics and travel restrictions, could influence how many fans were attending various games.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089717\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089717\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-45-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-45-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-45-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/07/260701-WORLDCUPUSALEVIS-45-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Naseem Farooqi leaves the FIFA World Cup game between the USA and Bosnia Herzegovina at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on July 1, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But Khandwala said he saw a lot of demand with the U.S. team playing a match locally.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We just picked up a lot more rooms over this past weekend. Once, I guess, the final teams were announced, people got more excited, and they started picking up hotel rooms and last-minute ticket sales at the stadium as well,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rooms for Wednesday night at the hotel appeared sold out this week. Rates for a standard room on Tuesday night began around $500 and increased to more than $1,000 for a suite, according to the website.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "US Men’s Team Returns to Bay Area World Cup Stage, 32 Years After Historic Stanford Match",
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"content": "\u003cp>Much has changed since the last time the U.S. Men’s National Team played a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/world-cup\">World Cup\u003c/a> match in the Bay Area — on July 4, 1994, at Stanford Stadium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Professional soccer didn’t yet have a strong foothold here. Ticket prices have soared. Fanbases have grown. Stadiums have sprung up across the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But those who attended, played in the game, or helped bring the event to life, say the California-hosted World Cup matches at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, and the U.S. team’s Round of 16 game against soccer powerhouse Brazil at Stanford University drew sellout crowds and helped \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087770/how-the-bay-area-helped-shape-u-s-soccer-ahead-of-the-2026-world-cup\">drive interest in the sport\u003c/a> for generations to come.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was fantastic to see the turnout for all of these games and to see how much support we got from our home fans,” Cobi Jones, who played for the men’s team at the time, said in an interview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the current squad advances and gears up for a knockout game at the\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086949/levis-stadium-is-no-more-san-francisco-bay-area-stadium-hosts-world-cup\"> temporarily renamed Levi’s Stadium\u003c/a> on July 1, Jones said the reaction from fans all those years ago showed the sport was “building” in the U.S., and laid the groundwork for the event’s popularity today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would say that ‘94 team was the foundation for everything going forward,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087233\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087233\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_013-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_013-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_013-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_013-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ray Purpur looks through photographs and memorabilia from the 1994 FIFA World Cup in his office at Stanford University on June 11, 2026. Stanford Stadium hosted World Cup matches during the tournament. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Long before the games could be played at Stanford Stadium, an aging facility built in 1921, it had to be prepared to host professional soccer matches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The job was a big undertaking, and for Ray Purpur, who was hired in January 1994 as a deputy director of athletics overseeing facilities, it was a feat he won’t forget.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m glad I didn’t realize everything that had to go into it, or I may not have made it,” Purpur said with a chuckle during an interview in his office. “Stanford Stadium was almost a perfect candidate on paper. There was a lot of seats, there was a whole lot of parking, the field was an incredible field.”[aside postID=arts_13990640 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/20260528-WORLDCUPBARS-JY-02-KQED.jpg']But some things needed upgrades, like old wooden seating that needed to be removed and replaced with more comfortable metal-clad seats. The press box also needed a major overhaul to accommodate an influx of media, and much like today’s game, FIFA had specifications for the playing field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And they, kind of late in the game, decided that the crown [the rise in the center of the field] was too much, so we went in, and we scalped the crown off of it and flattened the field just slightly,” Purpur said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once the games were underway, he said the massive crowds were something he had never witnessed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I hadn’t been to a game that big before. There were very few photos of Stanford football being sold out like that,” he said. “And every seat was full.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Michael Mastrocola, a San José native and soccer fan, joined the USA94 organizing committee in the Bay Area, which helped to get Stanford selected as a host site.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said the pieces for a dramatic, entertaining game between the U.S. and Brazil were already in place, as the Brazilian team’s World Cup base camp was in Los Gatos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088814\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088814\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-661359852-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-661359852-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-661359852-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-661359852-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A general view of Stanford Stadium during the Brazil-USA World Cup game at Stanford in Palo Alto on July 4, 1994. \u003ccite>(Peter Robinson/PA Images via Getty Ima)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Diehard supporters of the team \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/los-gatos-looks-toward-renewal-of-world-cup-madness/\">flooded \u003c/a>the small South Bay town.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When Brazil came to Los Gatos, it was insane. Everything was yellow and green. They were samba [dancing] all through the streets of Los Gatos, and they really lit the city up,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Independence Day, the gameplay and the Stanford venue didn’t disappoint.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Everywhere you went, it was red, white and blue mixed in with the sea of the Sambas, of course,” he said, referring to U.S. and Brazil supporters, filling 84,000 seats. “It was electric.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When they introduced the players, you could just see the glow on people’s faces,” he said. “I remember walking out looking at the turf and the turf was like a carpet. You know, it was perfectly green and bright and manicured.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>International professional soccer was still “a baby brother to football and basketball and Super Bowls,” Mastrocola said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It wasn’t lost on the U.S. players that a strong showing against a three-time World Cup champion like Brazil could boost their credibility on an international stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088819\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088819\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-233338-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1299\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-233338-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-233338-KQED-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-233338-KQED-1536x998.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Happy Brazilian fans celebrate during Brazil’s 2-0 victory over Russian in World Cup game at Stanford in Palo Alto on June 20, 1994. \u003ccite>(Steve Dunn/ALLSPORT via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We were weathering the storm,” Jones said, recalling the matchup and some of Brazil’s best players. “Because they had such talent in the Romários, the Bebetos, the Dungas all over the field.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Brazil won the game, scoring a goal late in the match. But Mastrocola said the U.S. team proved themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They had good coaching. They had great excitement and enthusiasm,” he said. “They wanted to make the USA proud, and they did.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the rise in soccer professionalization and interest domestically has also tracked with the increasing price of admission for major tournaments like the World Cup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Admission to the group stage games for the current World Cup generally costs fans a minimum of several hundred dollars per ticket, and tickets to the later stages and final matches are akin to buying seats at the Super Bowl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tickets for the U.S. game on July 1 are currently reselling on the FIFA official marketplace for a minimum of several thousand dollars, and listing as high as more than $20,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088815\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088815\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-1129411309-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1325\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-1129411309-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-1129411309-KQED-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-1129411309-KQED-1536x1018.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cobi Jones of USA chases down the ball in the Brazil-USA World Cup game at Stanford in Palo Alto on July 4, 1994. \u003ccite>(Mark Leech/Offside/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It really is ring-fenced around those who can afford these kinds of very high prices,” said Matthew Atencio, a professor of kinesiology and co-director of the Center for Sport and Social Justice at California State University East Bay. “So many of your kids in the Bay Area who love the game or might be interested or curious about the matches that are being hosted are not able to go to those, and I’m disappointed in that aspect.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Atencio drove down from Washington state to see Brazil take on Cameroon at Stanford in 1994. Tickets were less than $100, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For young fans like Atencio and his friends, who played soccer at the time, those in-person experiences with the game were inspirational and influential.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That was a real catalyst to us still wanting to be part of the game. And it drove us to keep playing, it drove us to keep coaching,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’d go on to play on teams and in leagues around the world. He noted players now have many more avenues to play domestically, whether in college, academies, or semi-professionally in various leagues that were not around in the ‘90s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mastrocola, who sold ticket and hospitality packages around the World Cup in 1994, said he’s happy soccer has taken off, but sad to see prices shooting up so high.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087234\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087234\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_015-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_015-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_015-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_015-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ray Purpur, Stanford’s deputy athletics director, sits with photographs and memorabilia from the 1994 FIFA World Cup in his office at Stanford University on June 11, 2026. Purpur helped oversee preparations when Stanford Stadium hosted matches during the tournament. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The World Cup has become quite corporate,” he said. “You can tell by the price of tickets, it’s not for the fan, it doesn’t seem like it’s for the fans anymore.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Atencio said he’s encouraged to see how community-based organizations have stepped up with grassroots soccer programs to help sustain the sport for youth and in lower-income communities, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086356/an-oakland-soccer-program-helps-immigrant-youth-find-belonging\">Soccer Without Borders\u003c/a>, Street Soccer USA and 3v3 soccer tournaments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel like they’re really on the line of how this sport can be for the masses, for the people, and especially for people who simply can’t afford to be part of a pay-to-play system,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/kmizuguchi\">\u003cem>Keith Mizuguchi\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/agonzalez\">\u003cem>Alex Gonzalez\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Much has changed since the last time the U.S. Men’s National Team played a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/world-cup\">World Cup\u003c/a> match in the Bay Area — on July 4, 1994, at Stanford Stadium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Professional soccer didn’t yet have a strong foothold here. Ticket prices have soared. Fanbases have grown. Stadiums have sprung up across the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But those who attended, played in the game, or helped bring the event to life, say the California-hosted World Cup matches at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, and the U.S. team’s Round of 16 game against soccer powerhouse Brazil at Stanford University drew sellout crowds and helped \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087770/how-the-bay-area-helped-shape-u-s-soccer-ahead-of-the-2026-world-cup\">drive interest in the sport\u003c/a> for generations to come.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was fantastic to see the turnout for all of these games and to see how much support we got from our home fans,” Cobi Jones, who played for the men’s team at the time, said in an interview.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the current squad advances and gears up for a knockout game at the\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086949/levis-stadium-is-no-more-san-francisco-bay-area-stadium-hosts-world-cup\"> temporarily renamed Levi’s Stadium\u003c/a> on July 1, Jones said the reaction from fans all those years ago showed the sport was “building” in the U.S., and laid the groundwork for the event’s popularity today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I would say that ‘94 team was the foundation for everything going forward,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087233\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087233\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_013-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_013-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_013-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_013-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ray Purpur looks through photographs and memorabilia from the 1994 FIFA World Cup in his office at Stanford University on June 11, 2026. Stanford Stadium hosted World Cup matches during the tournament. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Long before the games could be played at Stanford Stadium, an aging facility built in 1921, it had to be prepared to host professional soccer matches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The job was a big undertaking, and for Ray Purpur, who was hired in January 1994 as a deputy director of athletics overseeing facilities, it was a feat he won’t forget.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m glad I didn’t realize everything that had to go into it, or I may not have made it,” Purpur said with a chuckle during an interview in his office. “Stanford Stadium was almost a perfect candidate on paper. There was a lot of seats, there was a whole lot of parking, the field was an incredible field.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But some things needed upgrades, like old wooden seating that needed to be removed and replaced with more comfortable metal-clad seats. The press box also needed a major overhaul to accommodate an influx of media, and much like today’s game, FIFA had specifications for the playing field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And they, kind of late in the game, decided that the crown [the rise in the center of the field] was too much, so we went in, and we scalped the crown off of it and flattened the field just slightly,” Purpur said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once the games were underway, he said the massive crowds were something he had never witnessed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I hadn’t been to a game that big before. There were very few photos of Stanford football being sold out like that,” he said. “And every seat was full.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Michael Mastrocola, a San José native and soccer fan, joined the USA94 organizing committee in the Bay Area, which helped to get Stanford selected as a host site.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said the pieces for a dramatic, entertaining game between the U.S. and Brazil were already in place, as the Brazilian team’s World Cup base camp was in Los Gatos.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088814\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088814\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-661359852-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-661359852-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-661359852-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-661359852-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A general view of Stanford Stadium during the Brazil-USA World Cup game at Stanford in Palo Alto on July 4, 1994. \u003ccite>(Peter Robinson/PA Images via Getty Ima)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Diehard supporters of the team \u003ca href=\"https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/los-gatos-looks-toward-renewal-of-world-cup-madness/\">flooded \u003c/a>the small South Bay town.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When Brazil came to Los Gatos, it was insane. Everything was yellow and green. They were samba [dancing] all through the streets of Los Gatos, and they really lit the city up,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Independence Day, the gameplay and the Stanford venue didn’t disappoint.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Everywhere you went, it was red, white and blue mixed in with the sea of the Sambas, of course,” he said, referring to U.S. and Brazil supporters, filling 84,000 seats. “It was electric.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When they introduced the players, you could just see the glow on people’s faces,” he said. “I remember walking out looking at the turf and the turf was like a carpet. You know, it was perfectly green and bright and manicured.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>International professional soccer was still “a baby brother to football and basketball and Super Bowls,” Mastrocola said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It wasn’t lost on the U.S. players that a strong showing against a three-time World Cup champion like Brazil could boost their credibility on an international stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088819\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088819\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-233338-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1299\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-233338-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-233338-KQED-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-233338-KQED-1536x998.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Happy Brazilian fans celebrate during Brazil’s 2-0 victory over Russian in World Cup game at Stanford in Palo Alto on June 20, 1994. \u003ccite>(Steve Dunn/ALLSPORT via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We were weathering the storm,” Jones said, recalling the matchup and some of Brazil’s best players. “Because they had such talent in the Romários, the Bebetos, the Dungas all over the field.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Brazil won the game, scoring a goal late in the match. But Mastrocola said the U.S. team proved themselves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They had good coaching. They had great excitement and enthusiasm,” he said. “They wanted to make the USA proud, and they did.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the rise in soccer professionalization and interest domestically has also tracked with the increasing price of admission for major tournaments like the World Cup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Admission to the group stage games for the current World Cup generally costs fans a minimum of several hundred dollars per ticket, and tickets to the later stages and final matches are akin to buying seats at the Super Bowl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tickets for the U.S. game on July 1 are currently reselling on the FIFA official marketplace for a minimum of several thousand dollars, and listing as high as more than $20,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088815\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088815\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-1129411309-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1325\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-1129411309-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-1129411309-KQED-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GETTYIMAGES-1129411309-KQED-1536x1018.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cobi Jones of USA chases down the ball in the Brazil-USA World Cup game at Stanford in Palo Alto on July 4, 1994. \u003ccite>(Mark Leech/Offside/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It really is ring-fenced around those who can afford these kinds of very high prices,” said Matthew Atencio, a professor of kinesiology and co-director of the Center for Sport and Social Justice at California State University East Bay. “So many of your kids in the Bay Area who love the game or might be interested or curious about the matches that are being hosted are not able to go to those, and I’m disappointed in that aspect.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Atencio drove down from Washington state to see Brazil take on Cameroon at Stanford in 1994. Tickets were less than $100, he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For young fans like Atencio and his friends, who played soccer at the time, those in-person experiences with the game were inspirational and influential.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That was a real catalyst to us still wanting to be part of the game. And it drove us to keep playing, it drove us to keep coaching,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’d go on to play on teams and in leagues around the world. He noted players now have many more avenues to play domestically, whether in college, academies, or semi-professionally in various leagues that were not around in the ‘90s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mastrocola, who sold ticket and hospitality packages around the World Cup in 1994, said he’s happy soccer has taken off, but sad to see prices shooting up so high.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087234\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087234\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_015-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_015-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_015-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061126World-Cup_-Stanford-1994_GH_015-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ray Purpur, Stanford’s deputy athletics director, sits with photographs and memorabilia from the 1994 FIFA World Cup in his office at Stanford University on June 11, 2026. Purpur helped oversee preparations when Stanford Stadium hosted matches during the tournament. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“The World Cup has become quite corporate,” he said. “You can tell by the price of tickets, it’s not for the fan, it doesn’t seem like it’s for the fans anymore.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Atencio said he’s encouraged to see how community-based organizations have stepped up with grassroots soccer programs to help sustain the sport for youth and in lower-income communities, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086356/an-oakland-soccer-program-helps-immigrant-youth-find-belonging\">Soccer Without Borders\u003c/a>, Street Soccer USA and 3v3 soccer tournaments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel like they’re really on the line of how this sport can be for the masses, for the people, and especially for people who simply can’t afford to be part of a pay-to-play system,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/kmizuguchi\">\u003cem>Keith Mizuguchi\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/agonzalez\">\u003cem>Alex Gonzalez\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "World Cup Fans Are Singing a Song That Mentions the Golden Gate Bridge. What Does It Mean?",
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"content": "\u003cp>Deep in a crowd of blue jerseys, Katja Vuksanović of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/novato\">Novato\u003c/a> was riding an amazing high: Bosnia-Herzegovina had just won its match 3-1 against Qatar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, the country has moved on to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088896/world-cup-tickets-us-mens-national-soccer-team-bay-area-july-1-bosnia-herzegovina-levis-stadium\">knockout stage\u003c/a> – the furthest they have ever reached in the FIFA World Cup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was just a sea of blue,” said Vuksanović, who went to the June 24 match with a friend. “We didn’t expect anything like that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We both started crying: ‘Oh my god, our people. We’re all here together,’” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seattle Stadium shook as fans jumped and cheered. And then, a throwback song from 2011 blasted through the speakers: \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a5BJxrarL0\">“USA” by Bosnian group Dubioza Kolektiv\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People went crazy for it,” she said. “It was really such a beautiful moment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lyrics? “\u003cem>I can no longer wait / Take me to United States / take me to Golden Gate / I will assimilate\u003c/em>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089458\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089458\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-BOSNIA-SONG-DIP-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-BOSNIA-SONG-DIP-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-BOSNIA-SONG-DIP-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-BOSNIA-SONG-DIP-KQED-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Katja Vuksanović of Novato went to the June 24 Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Qatar match in Seattle, wearing a shirt that she bedazzled for the game. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Katja Vuksanović)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Now, Bosnia-Herzegovina will be heading to the Golden Gate Bridge – or, at least, close to it – with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088896/world-cup-tickets-us-mens-national-soccer-team-bay-area-july-1-bosnia-herzegovina-levis-stadium\">a major knockout stage match against the U.S. men’s national team\u003c/a> in Santa Clara on Wednesday evening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The very timely song will likely make an appearance – and if Bay Area residents are curious as to why scores of fans are singing a catchy tune about the Golden Gate Bridge, it’s because “USA” has become something of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/06/23/nx-s1-5859215/fans-around-the-world-are-creating-their-own-world-cup-anthems\">an unofficial FIFA anthem\u003c/a> for Bosnia-Herzegovina.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The song, also called “I Am From Bosnia – Take Me To America,” is about an immigrant’s disillusionment with the United States.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The song even ends with, “\u003cem>One day, back to roots my friend / No place like a motherland\u003c/em>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099062524135521479/pdf/P181320-5d007e86-af0e-434a-9e71-d8853a43f168.pdf\">the World Bank, as of 2024\u003c/a>, 1.7 million Bosnians live in another country, “implying that one in three Bosnians can be considered migrants,” one of many longstanding effects of \u003ca href=\"https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1719&context=law_globalstudies\">Bosnia’s devastating conflict in the 90s\u003c/a> that saw \u003ca href=\"https://www.ushmm.org/genocide-prevention/countries/bosnia-herzegovina\">over 100,000 people\u003c/a> killed – including 8,000 Muslims.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a5BJxrarL0\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Team captain Edin Džeko described \u003ca href=\"https://www.theplayerstribune.com/edin-dzeko-bosnia-herzegovina-bundesliga-schalke-04-soccer\">his experience in a letter\u003c/a> dedicated to the children of Bosnia-Herzegovina. “I grew up with war,” he wrote. “Suddenly, I was living a fairy tale. Nothing is ever impossible.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now the song – with millions of views on YouTube – is taking on a new meaning: A push for Bosnia during its \u003ca href=\"https://www.knkx.org/sports/2026-06-30/bosnia-and-herzegovina-diaspora-in-the-northwest-celebrate-after-historic-world-cup-match-victory\">second time ever in the World Cup\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s an interesting story how this song got its second and third and fourth incarnation in these 15 years,” bassist Vedran Mujagić said \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/bosnia-world-cup-song-take-me-america-7eb3b56dbcbc93b2f5252b399fdc5bf3\">to the Associated Press\u003c/a>. “It evolved from this satirical take on immigration, and [the] American Dream, and it was translated into [an] American football dream for the entire nation.”[aside postID=news_12088896 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/USAWorldCupGetty1.jpg']“Football in this moment is much more than just a game; it’s a hope, and it’s very basically [a] political thing because it brought all the people from Bosnia together, which is usually not the case,” keyboardist Brano Jakubović said, \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/bosnia-world-cup-song-take-me-america-7eb3b56dbcbc93b2f5252b399fdc5bf3\">according to the Associated Press\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vuksanović said that she was surprised to hear the song play after the Seattle match – usually the song she has been hearing has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uPlI9mvweE\">“Ljiljani” by Halid Bešlić\u003c/a> – but later did notice that the “campy song” was taking off in America.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She admitted that she grew “kind of sad” when she thought about parts of the song that are usually not played out loud – the end, which is the realization that America “isn’t actually the promised land,” and ultimately missing home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s like, actually: ‘I don’t want to go to the United States. Get me out of here, I’m going home,’” Vuksanović said, describing the song.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the soccer spin on the song makes it far more optimistic, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, it’s “We’re going to America, we’re going to the Golden Gate, we’re playing in Santa Clara Stadium,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089346\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089346\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina-Getty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1303\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina-Getty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina-Getty-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina-Getty-1536x1001.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bosnia-Herzegovina players, including Edin Dzeko (11) and Nikola Katic (18), celebrate after an own goal by Sultan Albrake #18 of Qatar for the team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B match between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Qatar at Seattle Stadium on June 24, 2026, in Seattle, Washington. \u003ccite>(Stu Forster/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Take me to, literally, Team USA,” she said. “Next-level manifestation happened there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite frustrations with \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ttavneVD_as\">the depiction of Bosnia by some American reporters\u003c/a>, Vuksanović said she was excited for the chance for people to learn more about Bosnia and its team.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really is heartwarming to see people focus on the stories of the players, and everything that the team has overcome to come to the U.S. and do this,” she said. “They’re really very inspiring.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t really care if they win or lose. Obviously, I want them to win,” Vuksanović said. “But I’m just so excited to see them get out there and see Bosnia on the world stage.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "If you’re watching the USMNT's big game on Wednesday evening, you may hear a catchy chant from Bosnia-Herzegovina fans that name-drops an iconic San Francisco landmark. Where does the song come from — and what does it mean?",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Deep in a crowd of blue jerseys, Katja Vuksanović of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/novato\">Novato\u003c/a> was riding an amazing high: Bosnia-Herzegovina had just won its match 3-1 against Qatar.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, the country has moved on to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088896/world-cup-tickets-us-mens-national-soccer-team-bay-area-july-1-bosnia-herzegovina-levis-stadium\">knockout stage\u003c/a> – the furthest they have ever reached in the FIFA World Cup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It was just a sea of blue,” said Vuksanović, who went to the June 24 match with a friend. “We didn’t expect anything like that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We both started crying: ‘Oh my god, our people. We’re all here together,’” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Seattle Stadium shook as fans jumped and cheered. And then, a throwback song from 2011 blasted through the speakers: \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a5BJxrarL0\">“USA” by Bosnian group Dubioza Kolektiv\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People went crazy for it,” she said. “It was really such a beautiful moment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The lyrics? “\u003cem>I can no longer wait / Take me to United States / take me to Golden Gate / I will assimilate\u003c/em>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089458\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089458\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-BOSNIA-SONG-DIP-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-BOSNIA-SONG-DIP-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-BOSNIA-SONG-DIP-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260630-BOSNIA-SONG-DIP-KQED-1-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Katja Vuksanović of Novato went to the June 24 Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Qatar match in Seattle, wearing a shirt that she bedazzled for the game. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Katja Vuksanović)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Now, Bosnia-Herzegovina will be heading to the Golden Gate Bridge – or, at least, close to it – with \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088896/world-cup-tickets-us-mens-national-soccer-team-bay-area-july-1-bosnia-herzegovina-levis-stadium\">a major knockout stage match against the U.S. men’s national team\u003c/a> in Santa Clara on Wednesday evening.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The very timely song will likely make an appearance – and if Bay Area residents are curious as to why scores of fans are singing a catchy tune about the Golden Gate Bridge, it’s because “USA” has become something of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/06/23/nx-s1-5859215/fans-around-the-world-are-creating-their-own-world-cup-anthems\">an unofficial FIFA anthem\u003c/a> for Bosnia-Herzegovina.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The song, also called “I Am From Bosnia – Take Me To America,” is about an immigrant’s disillusionment with the United States.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The song even ends with, “\u003cem>One day, back to roots my friend / No place like a motherland\u003c/em>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099062524135521479/pdf/P181320-5d007e86-af0e-434a-9e71-d8853a43f168.pdf\">the World Bank, as of 2024\u003c/a>, 1.7 million Bosnians live in another country, “implying that one in three Bosnians can be considered migrants,” one of many longstanding effects of \u003ca href=\"https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1719&context=law_globalstudies\">Bosnia’s devastating conflict in the 90s\u003c/a> that saw \u003ca href=\"https://www.ushmm.org/genocide-prevention/countries/bosnia-herzegovina\">over 100,000 people\u003c/a> killed – including 8,000 Muslims.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/0a5BJxrarL0'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/0a5BJxrarL0'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Team captain Edin Džeko described \u003ca href=\"https://www.theplayerstribune.com/edin-dzeko-bosnia-herzegovina-bundesliga-schalke-04-soccer\">his experience in a letter\u003c/a> dedicated to the children of Bosnia-Herzegovina. “I grew up with war,” he wrote. “Suddenly, I was living a fairy tale. Nothing is ever impossible.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now the song – with millions of views on YouTube – is taking on a new meaning: A push for Bosnia during its \u003ca href=\"https://www.knkx.org/sports/2026-06-30/bosnia-and-herzegovina-diaspora-in-the-northwest-celebrate-after-historic-world-cup-match-victory\">second time ever in the World Cup\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s an interesting story how this song got its second and third and fourth incarnation in these 15 years,” bassist Vedran Mujagić said \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/bosnia-world-cup-song-take-me-america-7eb3b56dbcbc93b2f5252b399fdc5bf3\">to the Associated Press\u003c/a>. “It evolved from this satirical take on immigration, and [the] American Dream, and it was translated into [an] American football dream for the entire nation.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Football in this moment is much more than just a game; it’s a hope, and it’s very basically [a] political thing because it brought all the people from Bosnia together, which is usually not the case,” keyboardist Brano Jakubović said, \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/bosnia-world-cup-song-take-me-america-7eb3b56dbcbc93b2f5252b399fdc5bf3\">according to the Associated Press\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Vuksanović said that she was surprised to hear the song play after the Seattle match – usually the song she has been hearing has been \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uPlI9mvweE\">“Ljiljani” by Halid Bešlić\u003c/a> – but later did notice that the “campy song” was taking off in America.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She admitted that she grew “kind of sad” when she thought about parts of the song that are usually not played out loud – the end, which is the realization that America “isn’t actually the promised land,” and ultimately missing home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s like, actually: ‘I don’t want to go to the United States. Get me out of here, I’m going home,’” Vuksanović said, describing the song.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the soccer spin on the song makes it far more optimistic, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, it’s “We’re going to America, we’re going to the Golden Gate, we’re playing in Santa Clara Stadium,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089346\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089346\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina-Getty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1303\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina-Getty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina-Getty-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/Bosnia-and-Herzegovina-Getty-1536x1001.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bosnia-Herzegovina players, including Edin Dzeko (11) and Nikola Katic (18), celebrate after an own goal by Sultan Albrake #18 of Qatar for the team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group B match between Bosnia-Herzegovina and Qatar at Seattle Stadium on June 24, 2026, in Seattle, Washington. \u003ccite>(Stu Forster/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Take me to, literally, Team USA,” she said. “Next-level manifestation happened there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite frustrations with \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ttavneVD_as\">the depiction of Bosnia by some American reporters\u003c/a>, Vuksanović said she was excited for the chance for people to learn more about Bosnia and its team.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really is heartwarming to see people focus on the stories of the players, and everything that the team has overcome to come to the U.S. and do this,” she said. “They’re really very inspiring.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t really care if they win or lose. Obviously, I want them to win,” Vuksanović said. “But I’m just so excited to see them get out there and see Bosnia on the world stage.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "giants-pride-controversy-data-center-in-pittsburg-and-youth-backed-improvements-to-sf-bus-route",
"title": "Giants’ Pride Controversy, Data Center in Pittsburg, and Youth-Backed Improvements to SF Bus Route",
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"headTitle": "Giants’ Pride Controversy, Data Center in Pittsburg, and Youth-Backed Improvements to SF Bus Route | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>In this June 2026 edition of the monthly news roundup, we discuss the Giants’ pride month controversy, the debate over a new data center coming to Pittsburg, and how high school students pushed for improvements to their local bus line in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC9556918216&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Links:\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/pittsburg-controversy-over-data-center-old-delta-view-golf-course\">Pittsburg controversy over data center on old Delta View Golf Course\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/pittsburg-california-steel-mill-21307691.php\">This Bay Area suburb lost its main industry. Can it rebuild?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084077/in-san-francisco-students-become-transit-advocates-to-fix-the-citys-school-bus\">In San Francisco, Students Become Transit Advocates to Fix ‘the City’s School Bus’ \u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/sf-giants-fans-pride-response-22318144.php\">Fans chew out SF Giants for team’s ‘weak’ response to Pride Night saga\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"\" title=\"\">\u003ci>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/i>\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Episode transcript\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript is computer-generated. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:51] I’m Ericka Cruz Guevara and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted, and welcome to our June news roundup where we talk about some of the other stories on our radars this month. In the studio with me is Senior Editor Alan Montecillo. Hey, Alan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:01:07] Hello, good morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:08] And our very special guest this week is KQED producer Francesca Fenzi. Hey Francesca.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:01:14] Hey, thank you for having me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:15] Yeah, it’s so nice to have you here with us filling in on the show before our July break.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:01:22] Yes, as long-time listeners of the show know, we do not make new episodes in the month of July. There’s a few reasons why we do this. The main one is that it’s a lot of work to make three episodes a week with only three people. And so this is really the only time of year where we have the ability to do any kind of long-term planning, any strategizing about the future of the show. It’s also frankly the only times, Ericka, when both you and I can take vacation at the same time. So in July we’ll be taking a bit of a break, doing some planning, and we’ll also be introducing a new producer for the show, which we will have later on in July.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:59] Right, right. So lots to come for you all listeners when we get back in August, but make sure you stay subscribed to The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:02:08] Maybe catch up on old episodes you didn’t finish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:11] Totally, or take a listen to some Bay Curious while you’re missing us. We’re also wrapping up the end of Pride Month here, and I guess to dive into our stories for this month, Francesca, not a great way to transition into your, I guess, kind of Pride month story, but tell us about the story you brought for us today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:02:38] Yes, yes. Well, as you may already know a little bit, there has been a bit of a pride controversy around the Giants, the San Francisco baseball team. So at a Pride Month event on June 12, this was a game themed around pride that the Giants play every year, or at least they’ve played this every year since about 2021. So it’s been going for a while. And three pitchers for the Giants walked onto the field with inscribed Bible verses on their hats. And that kicked off a controversy that we’re still feeling the ripple effects of for the rest of the month\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:03:12] Right. So these were, um, for pride night, they were wearing these caps, right? That had the normal SF logo, but that was rainbow colored, right. And so the pictures had written references to Bible verses kind of over or on the hats. Is that right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:03:25] Yeah, exactly. So the typical uniform that players wear for this pride event, it’s the same San Francisco Giants jersey with rainbow insignia on the on the jerseys on the hats. And these three pictures, particularly the starting pitcher Landen Roupp, when he came onto the field, his hat had a reference to a passage from the book of Genesis, which had been scrolled over the rainbow logo. This is a passage that characterizes the rainbow as a sort of covenant between God and the faithful in Christianity. Obviously, rainbow is super prominent symbol for the queer community as well. So this Bible verse has been used by Christian groups in the past that oppose same-sex marriage and homosexuality in general to sort of, you know, kind of counter the narrative that rainbows are symbolic for the, the queer Community. And it’s kind of a controversial move.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:04:16] Yeah, and I’ve seen quite a bit of the backlash online. I mean, a lot of Giants fans feeling really disappointed in the team.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:04:28] Yes, the fan response has been pretty negative, particularly from the queer community. Obviously, San Francisco is a city that has long been a mecca for queer people, super gay city. And historically, the baseball team has been really aligned with that. The Giants were the first professional sports team to host a game raising awareness for and money for the AIDS epidemic. That was in 1994. And then, of course, in 2021, they began. This Pride event and we’re actually the first team to incorporate Rainbow Colors and do a Pride-themed game annually. Many other Major League Baseball teams have adopted that practice now. So the Giants have a pretty pro-LGBTQ community history and I think fans were very upset by that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:05:14] So three players who wrote these verses over the Pride themed hats, I’m sure they’ve seen a lot of the backlash that’s happened. Have they responded to this publicly at all?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:05:26] Well, so the players themselves have largely let the Bible verses speak for themselves. There was a post-game interview with that starting pitcher who I mentioned, Landon Roop. He more or less described this as something that represents his relationship to Christianity, the covenant between him and God, and tried to kind of downplay it as something that was a broader cultural statement and more about a personal belief.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:05:53] What about the franchise more broadly and also the MLB, how are they responding to this?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:05:58] Yeah, so the major league baseball officials did reprimand these pitchers, but not for the contents of their message. So MLB has a policy against slogans and writing on team uniforms generally, and they made a really big point of citing this as a rules violation of that standing no slogans policy. In fact, they even compared it to writing things like Happy Birthday Mom, which was another real example that a player’s been disciplined for in the past. So I think that landed a little lackluster for fans who were hoping to see the league take more of a stance on the content and the messaging. And then the team’s president, Buster Posey, this is his second year managing the team and he sort of dodged the controversy altogether.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Reporter \u003c/strong>[00:06:43] Buster, you were a member of this organization for a long time, and every year there’s been a night to honor the gay community. Did you object to those nights when you were player?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Buster Posey \u003c/strong>[00:06:57] I mentioned that I’m not going to revisit it, so if you want to ask baseball questions, I’ll answer baseball questions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Reporter \u003c/strong>[00:07:02] Were you planning to reach out to the gay community about any of this or no?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Buster Posey \u003c/strong>[00:07:06] Again, if you wanna go baseball questions I made my statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:07:09] Really awkward press conference where he actively avoided answering many questions about this. In addition to some of the questions about how the team was playing and some other uncomfortable things he didn’t want to have to talk about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:07:23] I feel like whenever anything remotely controversial happens in San Francisco, many people across the country take notice and have opinions about it, particularly conservative media and conservative political figures. I know there’s been some stuff around that, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:07:37] Yes, yes, certainly this became a national news story. The New York Times has been reporting about it. Fox News has been recording about it, and part of the reason why this has blown up so much is that it fits into this broader context of the Trump administration’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric, which has been demonizing queer and trans people. That, of course, has frustrated and frightened many people in the community, particularly in this month of pride, which is usually and a time to celebrate. And then it’s also fitting into this larger conversation that’s playing out in sports. This is, of course, not the first time that athletes or even Bay Area athletes have used their platform or visibility to advocate for personal beliefs. The most prominent example of that probably being 49ers football player Colin Kaepernick. He, of of course we all remember, took a knee to protest police brutality and racial injustice in 2016 as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. This current controversy with the Giants has become a flash point for some of those conversations about what the role of players’ beliefs should be in sport. And of course, the conservative media outlets have kind of latched onto this as being a one-for-one comparison. Fans have pushed back on this and have been describing the Bible verses as bigotry and something that is excluding a body of the fandom, a group of people, and not necessarily akin to the Black Lives Matter. Protests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:06] And if I’m understanding correctly as well, Francesca, the Giants aren’t doing very well in terms of their games either, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:09:16] That has been I think the roughest part is that they are the Giants are not doing well this season. They are fourth in the division. They’ve lost a lot of games and I think even more specifically, they have lost a lotta games even when they’ve scored a lot of runs. So the fans have really pushed the blame on that to the bullpen and onto the pitchers for losing these advantages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:42] Well, Francesca, thank you so much for bringing that story. Appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:09:45] Yeah, my pleasure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:47] Well, we’re gonna take a quick break, but when we come back, we’re going to talk about some of the other stories on our radars this month. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:10:45] And welcome back to the Bay’s June News Roundup, where we talk about some of the other stories on our radars this month. And now we’re gonna talk about a story that I am bringing from Pittsburg in Contra Costa County, where the city is planning to build a 300,000 square foot data center on a former golf course. And residents are not happy about it. Earlier this month, more than 300 Pittsburg residents packed this city hall meeting to express their concerns over this new data center. For context, Pittsburg is this working class suburb. It’s got real blue collar roots and it lost its main industry, the steel plant a couple years ago. And so it’s really sort of struggled with its economic identity and its economic future. And so meanwhile, the city says that this kind of is the answer to its economic problems, but of course others say this doesn’t really reflect the long-term vision that residents have for their city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:11:55] So, uh, this data center you mentioned on a former golf course, 300,000 square feet, um, who is behind it and what is it supposed to be used for?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:12:06] The company behind this data center is called AVAIO. They say that they develop this sort of energy smart hyper scale data centers that are used for AI.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:12:18] So the argument for this data center in Pittsburg is related to jobs and economic opportunity. You mentioned though that there’s some vocal pushback against it. What are those folks saying?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:12:30] There’s a lot of concern from folks, the kind of things that you hear often when it comes to pushback on these data centers, concern about the resources it’ll take, the power, the water that it’ll take to cool down these data centers. But another really big part of this in Pittsburg in particular is this big question that residents have of like, can this valuable land be used for? Something else. Something that actually benefits the community on a daily basis. Maybe it’s a park or mixed-use retail dining, for example, or more community gathering spaces. Something that folks can really use on the day-to-day in their daily lives to improve life in Pittsburg. Another big part of this, too, is this question of transparency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pittsburg resident \u003c/strong>[00:13:28] How about you listen to the community when you represent. You represent that. If you want some money, I got some change in my pocket.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:13:33] The interesting thing is that this data center was approved unanimously a couple of years ago, actually, in November of 2024. It seems like the public backlash is only sort of happening now, and that is in part because of these transparency concerns. I think a lot of folks spoke at this city council meeting earlier this month, really feeling not included in the process of deciding to build this data center, not feeling like they had enough opportunity to express their concerns about it. There’s a petition going around that’s been signed by more than 20,000 people now, and it states that this is not an opposition to technology or progress, but it’s a call for, quote, thoughtful planning and responsible land use that reflects the priorities of the community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:14:24] Regarding the timeline, I also wonder if part of this is because there’s more of an AI backlash sentiment in the air in 2026 than there was in 2024, in that not just in the Bay, but nationwide opposition to data centers is perhaps one of the few tangible things that AI skeptics feel they can do to oppose this seemingly kind of so-called, framed as inevitable growth of AI. Not being a Pittsburgh resident. I don’t know if that’s the case, but I wonder if part of that, if you’re the city, you’re like, well, we had this two years ago, like, what’s your problem with it now, I think the conversation day to day around AI data centers is pretty different than it was two years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:15:08] No, totally. I mean, I feel like I know so much more about the water usage of these data centers than I did two years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:15:15] Same. Has the company behind this data center in Pittsburgh said where they’re planning to pull energy and resources from?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:15:25] City officials have said that the power will not come from the PG&E power grid that supplies local residents, but instead something called the Pittsburgh Power Company. And so they’re really trying to say, like, this won’t cause any increase in local rates, for example, in people’s PG&Es bills. And then they’re saying that the water that will be used to cool the center will be primarily recycled water from the Delta Diablo treatment plant, according to the city of Pittsburgh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Allison Spells \u003c/strong>[00:15:57] There are two concerns you hear about data centers all across the country, electricity and water. In Pittsburgh, the approved project handles both in ways that are specific to this community, and this is where it really stands apart.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:16:11] John Funberg, the Assistant Director of Community and Economic Development, and Allison Spells, who’s a Senior Planner for the city, really emphasized in this video that, you know, the project is operating under very strict environmental rules that they did, their due diligence to do an environmental impact report on the potential, you now, consequences of having a data center in the community. And they say that they have plans for how to mitigate the environmental impact of this project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:16:46] And if I understand it correctly, this is not the only data center in the Bay Area that is meeting with some local pushback, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:16:55] Yeah, that’s correct. Not too far away in Oakley, actually, the city recently unanimously voted to ban data centers. And then in December, Amazon began construction on a super controversial data center in Gilroy. So this is, I feel like another example of just these communities that exist on like the fringes of Silicon Valley. That are sort of struggling economically and then having to choose between a future where data centers are the future or it’s something else. And that is it for my very complicated news roundup story. Alan, we’re gonna turn to you for the last one here. What story did you bring for us today?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:17:48] So I have a fun, inspiring, lighter story about transit activism in San Francisco. This is a story by KQED’s Elise Manoukian about how students have been successfully pushing for improvements to their local bus line, specifically the 29. Shout out to the sunset, that’s where I live.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:18:07] And so Alan, for those of us who don’t live in San Francisco, tell me more about the 29 and who it serves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:18:13] This bus line goes through about 35 different schools across the city. 12% of riders on the 29 are students. That’s more than the city’s average. It goes from Baker Beach on one end, south through the Richmond, Golden Gate Park, the Sunset. It goes through San Francisco State and actually cuts east through Ingleside, Excelsior, Bayview. It’s actually the longest daytime bus route. And what students say, and honestly, many riders, including myself, would observe, is that. There’ve been lots of problems with crowding, delays, reliability. I mean, this is a very used bus line, actually. It’s about at 90% of pre-pandemic ridership because it, it serves lots of neighborhoods and not downtown. But if you can imagine a public bus line that has lots of students, you know, at around eight o’clock and 3.30, there’s just a huge influx of people getting on the bus. So you wind up with busses that get bunched together. Maybe you think you’re going to get on a bus, but it’s too full and you got to wait for the next one. Maybe you’re a student waiting for your bus in the morning and then you’re late for class because the bus you thought was gonna be available is not available. Some of that advocacy that came from students, particularly a group called the Lowell Transit Club at Lowell High School, had been pushing for changes since, honestly, before COVID, since around 2019.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:19:30] I definitely remember being a student at San Francisco State, standing at the bus stop and then seeing a packed 29, filled like sardine, people just like squished in there and just always being like, God, I’m not going to get on that. The worst, truly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:19:48] The worst feeling. And so what were some of the changes that these students proposed?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:19:54] Right, so some of these students at the Lowell Transit Club had been going to public meetings and organizing feedback campaigns, talking directly to SFMTA officials. So a lot of these are sort of quality of life improvements, consolidating bus stops to help increase the speed, infrastructure improvements, making wider sidewalks so it’s easier to board. Sometimes consolidating stops can get a bit contentious because you get into this problem of access, like maybe you live near a bus stop and it’s no longer available. But then the trade-off is that You know, fewer stops equals going faster. Some of these proposed changes had even been, um, going on before COVID. So yeah, a series of changes designed to create faster service, more convenient service, and avoid this sort of overcrowding problem where, or this issue when you think you’re going to get on a bus and it’s packed to the brim and you just got to wait for the next one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:20:43] I mean, I think it’s interesting that some of these students have been working on this since like before the pandemic. I imagine some of them have probably graduated by this point, but I don’t know. It seems like an inspiring story about like, what you can do to like improve their community’s transit system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:21:05] Yeah, I mean, I think it’s inspiring. This student advocacy has been going on, like you said, in various ways since 2019. So at this point in high school time, that’s like multiple generations of students who have been talking directly to SFMTA. I think its great whenever local officials are willing to talk directly to the people who use the thing that they’re in charge of and see what they can do with limited resources. And yeah, in many cases, some of these students can’t even vote yet. But they are constituents nonetheless, because they use a thing funded by tax dollars. And it’s not over yet either. There are some students who say they want a rapid line on the 29, kind of like the 38 that goes down Geary. Can we get a rapid-line that has fewer stops but faster service? SFMTA said they like the idea, but they want to stabilize funding before they consider it. But some of these students are also part of that organizing effort for the sales tax measures on the ballot this November. Even though they can’t vote in it. So, so yeah, I mean, organizing, talking to your official, it doesn’t always yield what you want, but it can happen. You can improve things where you live little by little.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In this June 2026 edition of the monthly news roundup, we discuss the Giants’ pride month controversy, the debate over a new data center coming to Pittsburg, and how high school students pushed for improvements to their local bus line in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC9556918216&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Links:\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ktvu.com/news/pittsburg-controversy-over-data-center-old-delta-view-golf-course\">Pittsburg controversy over data center on old Delta View Golf Course\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/pittsburg-california-steel-mill-21307691.php\">This Bay Area suburb lost its main industry. Can it rebuild?\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12084077/in-san-francisco-students-become-transit-advocates-to-fix-the-citys-school-bus\">In San Francisco, Students Become Transit Advocates to Fix ‘the City’s School Bus’ \u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/giants/article/sf-giants-fans-pride-response-22318144.php\">Fans chew out SF Giants for team’s ‘weak’ response to Pride Night saga\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan class=\"\" title=\"\">\u003ci>Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/i>\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Episode transcript\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This transcript is computer-generated. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:00:51] I’m Ericka Cruz Guevara and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted, and welcome to our June news roundup where we talk about some of the other stories on our radars this month. In the studio with me is Senior Editor Alan Montecillo. Hey, Alan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:01:07] Hello, good morning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:08] And our very special guest this week is KQED producer Francesca Fenzi. Hey Francesca.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:01:14] Hey, thank you for having me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:15] Yeah, it’s so nice to have you here with us filling in on the show before our July break.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:01:22] Yes, as long-time listeners of the show know, we do not make new episodes in the month of July. There’s a few reasons why we do this. The main one is that it’s a lot of work to make three episodes a week with only three people. And so this is really the only time of year where we have the ability to do any kind of long-term planning, any strategizing about the future of the show. It’s also frankly the only times, Ericka, when both you and I can take vacation at the same time. So in July we’ll be taking a bit of a break, doing some planning, and we’ll also be introducing a new producer for the show, which we will have later on in July.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:01:59] Right, right. So lots to come for you all listeners when we get back in August, but make sure you stay subscribed to The Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:02:08] Maybe catch up on old episodes you didn’t finish.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:02:11] Totally, or take a listen to some Bay Curious while you’re missing us. We’re also wrapping up the end of Pride Month here, and I guess to dive into our stories for this month, Francesca, not a great way to transition into your, I guess, kind of Pride month story, but tell us about the story you brought for us today.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:02:38] Yes, yes. Well, as you may already know a little bit, there has been a bit of a pride controversy around the Giants, the San Francisco baseball team. So at a Pride Month event on June 12, this was a game themed around pride that the Giants play every year, or at least they’ve played this every year since about 2021. So it’s been going for a while. And three pitchers for the Giants walked onto the field with inscribed Bible verses on their hats. And that kicked off a controversy that we’re still feeling the ripple effects of for the rest of the month\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:03:12] Right. So these were, um, for pride night, they were wearing these caps, right? That had the normal SF logo, but that was rainbow colored, right. And so the pictures had written references to Bible verses kind of over or on the hats. Is that right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:03:25] Yeah, exactly. So the typical uniform that players wear for this pride event, it’s the same San Francisco Giants jersey with rainbow insignia on the on the jerseys on the hats. And these three pictures, particularly the starting pitcher Landen Roupp, when he came onto the field, his hat had a reference to a passage from the book of Genesis, which had been scrolled over the rainbow logo. This is a passage that characterizes the rainbow as a sort of covenant between God and the faithful in Christianity. Obviously, rainbow is super prominent symbol for the queer community as well. So this Bible verse has been used by Christian groups in the past that oppose same-sex marriage and homosexuality in general to sort of, you know, kind of counter the narrative that rainbows are symbolic for the, the queer Community. And it’s kind of a controversial move.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:04:16] Yeah, and I’ve seen quite a bit of the backlash online. I mean, a lot of Giants fans feeling really disappointed in the team.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:04:28] Yes, the fan response has been pretty negative, particularly from the queer community. Obviously, San Francisco is a city that has long been a mecca for queer people, super gay city. And historically, the baseball team has been really aligned with that. The Giants were the first professional sports team to host a game raising awareness for and money for the AIDS epidemic. That was in 1994. And then, of course, in 2021, they began. This Pride event and we’re actually the first team to incorporate Rainbow Colors and do a Pride-themed game annually. Many other Major League Baseball teams have adopted that practice now. So the Giants have a pretty pro-LGBTQ community history and I think fans were very upset by that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:05:14] So three players who wrote these verses over the Pride themed hats, I’m sure they’ve seen a lot of the backlash that’s happened. Have they responded to this publicly at all?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:05:26] Well, so the players themselves have largely let the Bible verses speak for themselves. There was a post-game interview with that starting pitcher who I mentioned, Landon Roop. He more or less described this as something that represents his relationship to Christianity, the covenant between him and God, and tried to kind of downplay it as something that was a broader cultural statement and more about a personal belief.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:05:53] What about the franchise more broadly and also the MLB, how are they responding to this?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:05:58] Yeah, so the major league baseball officials did reprimand these pitchers, but not for the contents of their message. So MLB has a policy against slogans and writing on team uniforms generally, and they made a really big point of citing this as a rules violation of that standing no slogans policy. In fact, they even compared it to writing things like Happy Birthday Mom, which was another real example that a player’s been disciplined for in the past. So I think that landed a little lackluster for fans who were hoping to see the league take more of a stance on the content and the messaging. And then the team’s president, Buster Posey, this is his second year managing the team and he sort of dodged the controversy altogether.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Reporter \u003c/strong>[00:06:43] Buster, you were a member of this organization for a long time, and every year there’s been a night to honor the gay community. Did you object to those nights when you were player?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Buster Posey \u003c/strong>[00:06:57] I mentioned that I’m not going to revisit it, so if you want to ask baseball questions, I’ll answer baseball questions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Reporter \u003c/strong>[00:07:02] Were you planning to reach out to the gay community about any of this or no?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Buster Posey \u003c/strong>[00:07:06] Again, if you wanna go baseball questions I made my statement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:07:09] Really awkward press conference where he actively avoided answering many questions about this. In addition to some of the questions about how the team was playing and some other uncomfortable things he didn’t want to have to talk about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:07:23] I feel like whenever anything remotely controversial happens in San Francisco, many people across the country take notice and have opinions about it, particularly conservative media and conservative political figures. I know there’s been some stuff around that, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:07:37] Yes, yes, certainly this became a national news story. The New York Times has been reporting about it. Fox News has been recording about it, and part of the reason why this has blown up so much is that it fits into this broader context of the Trump administration’s increasingly aggressive rhetoric, which has been demonizing queer and trans people. That, of course, has frustrated and frightened many people in the community, particularly in this month of pride, which is usually and a time to celebrate. And then it’s also fitting into this larger conversation that’s playing out in sports. This is, of course, not the first time that athletes or even Bay Area athletes have used their platform or visibility to advocate for personal beliefs. The most prominent example of that probably being 49ers football player Colin Kaepernick. He, of of course we all remember, took a knee to protest police brutality and racial injustice in 2016 as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. This current controversy with the Giants has become a flash point for some of those conversations about what the role of players’ beliefs should be in sport. And of course, the conservative media outlets have kind of latched onto this as being a one-for-one comparison. Fans have pushed back on this and have been describing the Bible verses as bigotry and something that is excluding a body of the fandom, a group of people, and not necessarily akin to the Black Lives Matter. Protests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:06] And if I’m understanding correctly as well, Francesca, the Giants aren’t doing very well in terms of their games either, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:09:16] That has been I think the roughest part is that they are the Giants are not doing well this season. They are fourth in the division. They’ve lost a lot of games and I think even more specifically, they have lost a lotta games even when they’ve scored a lot of runs. So the fans have really pushed the blame on that to the bullpen and onto the pitchers for losing these advantages.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:42] Well, Francesca, thank you so much for bringing that story. Appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:09:45] Yeah, my pleasure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:09:47] Well, we’re gonna take a quick break, but when we come back, we’re going to talk about some of the other stories on our radars this month. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:10:45] And welcome back to the Bay’s June News Roundup, where we talk about some of the other stories on our radars this month. And now we’re gonna talk about a story that I am bringing from Pittsburg in Contra Costa County, where the city is planning to build a 300,000 square foot data center on a former golf course. And residents are not happy about it. Earlier this month, more than 300 Pittsburg residents packed this city hall meeting to express their concerns over this new data center. For context, Pittsburg is this working class suburb. It’s got real blue collar roots and it lost its main industry, the steel plant a couple years ago. And so it’s really sort of struggled with its economic identity and its economic future. And so meanwhile, the city says that this kind of is the answer to its economic problems, but of course others say this doesn’t really reflect the long-term vision that residents have for their city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:11:55] So, uh, this data center you mentioned on a former golf course, 300,000 square feet, um, who is behind it and what is it supposed to be used for?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:12:06] The company behind this data center is called AVAIO. They say that they develop this sort of energy smart hyper scale data centers that are used for AI.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:12:18] So the argument for this data center in Pittsburg is related to jobs and economic opportunity. You mentioned though that there’s some vocal pushback against it. What are those folks saying?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:12:30] There’s a lot of concern from folks, the kind of things that you hear often when it comes to pushback on these data centers, concern about the resources it’ll take, the power, the water that it’ll take to cool down these data centers. But another really big part of this in Pittsburg in particular is this big question that residents have of like, can this valuable land be used for? Something else. Something that actually benefits the community on a daily basis. Maybe it’s a park or mixed-use retail dining, for example, or more community gathering spaces. Something that folks can really use on the day-to-day in their daily lives to improve life in Pittsburg. Another big part of this, too, is this question of transparency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Pittsburg resident \u003c/strong>[00:13:28] How about you listen to the community when you represent. You represent that. If you want some money, I got some change in my pocket.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:13:33] The interesting thing is that this data center was approved unanimously a couple of years ago, actually, in November of 2024. It seems like the public backlash is only sort of happening now, and that is in part because of these transparency concerns. I think a lot of folks spoke at this city council meeting earlier this month, really feeling not included in the process of deciding to build this data center, not feeling like they had enough opportunity to express their concerns about it. There’s a petition going around that’s been signed by more than 20,000 people now, and it states that this is not an opposition to technology or progress, but it’s a call for, quote, thoughtful planning and responsible land use that reflects the priorities of the community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:14:24] Regarding the timeline, I also wonder if part of this is because there’s more of an AI backlash sentiment in the air in 2026 than there was in 2024, in that not just in the Bay, but nationwide opposition to data centers is perhaps one of the few tangible things that AI skeptics feel they can do to oppose this seemingly kind of so-called, framed as inevitable growth of AI. Not being a Pittsburgh resident. I don’t know if that’s the case, but I wonder if part of that, if you’re the city, you’re like, well, we had this two years ago, like, what’s your problem with it now, I think the conversation day to day around AI data centers is pretty different than it was two years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:15:08] No, totally. I mean, I feel like I know so much more about the water usage of these data centers than I did two years ago.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:15:15] Same. Has the company behind this data center in Pittsburgh said where they’re planning to pull energy and resources from?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:15:25] City officials have said that the power will not come from the PG&E power grid that supplies local residents, but instead something called the Pittsburgh Power Company. And so they’re really trying to say, like, this won’t cause any increase in local rates, for example, in people’s PG&Es bills. And then they’re saying that the water that will be used to cool the center will be primarily recycled water from the Delta Diablo treatment plant, according to the city of Pittsburgh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Allison Spells \u003c/strong>[00:15:57] There are two concerns you hear about data centers all across the country, electricity and water. In Pittsburgh, the approved project handles both in ways that are specific to this community, and this is where it really stands apart.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:16:11] John Funberg, the Assistant Director of Community and Economic Development, and Allison Spells, who’s a Senior Planner for the city, really emphasized in this video that, you know, the project is operating under very strict environmental rules that they did, their due diligence to do an environmental impact report on the potential, you now, consequences of having a data center in the community. And they say that they have plans for how to mitigate the environmental impact of this project.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:16:46] And if I understand it correctly, this is not the only data center in the Bay Area that is meeting with some local pushback, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:16:55] Yeah, that’s correct. Not too far away in Oakley, actually, the city recently unanimously voted to ban data centers. And then in December, Amazon began construction on a super controversial data center in Gilroy. So this is, I feel like another example of just these communities that exist on like the fringes of Silicon Valley. That are sort of struggling economically and then having to choose between a future where data centers are the future or it’s something else. And that is it for my very complicated news roundup story. Alan, we’re gonna turn to you for the last one here. What story did you bring for us today?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:17:48] So I have a fun, inspiring, lighter story about transit activism in San Francisco. This is a story by KQED’s Elise Manoukian about how students have been successfully pushing for improvements to their local bus line, specifically the 29. Shout out to the sunset, that’s where I live.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:18:07] And so Alan, for those of us who don’t live in San Francisco, tell me more about the 29 and who it serves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:18:13] This bus line goes through about 35 different schools across the city. 12% of riders on the 29 are students. That’s more than the city’s average. It goes from Baker Beach on one end, south through the Richmond, Golden Gate Park, the Sunset. It goes through San Francisco State and actually cuts east through Ingleside, Excelsior, Bayview. It’s actually the longest daytime bus route. And what students say, and honestly, many riders, including myself, would observe, is that. There’ve been lots of problems with crowding, delays, reliability. I mean, this is a very used bus line, actually. It’s about at 90% of pre-pandemic ridership because it, it serves lots of neighborhoods and not downtown. But if you can imagine a public bus line that has lots of students, you know, at around eight o’clock and 3.30, there’s just a huge influx of people getting on the bus. So you wind up with busses that get bunched together. Maybe you think you’re going to get on a bus, but it’s too full and you got to wait for the next one. Maybe you’re a student waiting for your bus in the morning and then you’re late for class because the bus you thought was gonna be available is not available. Some of that advocacy that came from students, particularly a group called the Lowell Transit Club at Lowell High School, had been pushing for changes since, honestly, before COVID, since around 2019.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:19:30] I definitely remember being a student at San Francisco State, standing at the bus stop and then seeing a packed 29, filled like sardine, people just like squished in there and just always being like, God, I’m not going to get on that. The worst, truly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Francesca Fenzi \u003c/strong>[00:19:48] The worst feeling. And so what were some of the changes that these students proposed?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:19:54] Right, so some of these students at the Lowell Transit Club had been going to public meetings and organizing feedback campaigns, talking directly to SFMTA officials. So a lot of these are sort of quality of life improvements, consolidating bus stops to help increase the speed, infrastructure improvements, making wider sidewalks so it’s easier to board. Sometimes consolidating stops can get a bit contentious because you get into this problem of access, like maybe you live near a bus stop and it’s no longer available. But then the trade-off is that You know, fewer stops equals going faster. Some of these proposed changes had even been, um, going on before COVID. So yeah, a series of changes designed to create faster service, more convenient service, and avoid this sort of overcrowding problem where, or this issue when you think you’re going to get on a bus and it’s packed to the brim and you just got to wait for the next one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra \u003c/strong>[00:20:43] I mean, I think it’s interesting that some of these students have been working on this since like before the pandemic. I imagine some of them have probably graduated by this point, but I don’t know. It seems like an inspiring story about like, what you can do to like improve their community’s transit system.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Alan Montecillo \u003c/strong>[00:21:05] Yeah, I mean, I think it’s inspiring. This student advocacy has been going on, like you said, in various ways since 2019. So at this point in high school time, that’s like multiple generations of students who have been talking directly to SFMTA. I think its great whenever local officials are willing to talk directly to the people who use the thing that they’re in charge of and see what they can do with limited resources. And yeah, in many cases, some of these students can’t even vote yet. But they are constituents nonetheless, because they use a thing funded by tax dollars. And it’s not over yet either. There are some students who say they want a rapid line on the 29, kind of like the 38 that goes down Geary. Can we get a rapid-line that has fewer stops but faster service? SFMTA said they like the idea, but they want to stabilize funding before they consider it. But some of these students are also part of that organizing effort for the sales tax measures on the ballot this November. Even though they can’t vote in it. So, so yeah, I mean, organizing, talking to your official, it doesn’t always yield what you want, but it can happen. You can improve things where you live little by little.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "as-sf-giants-pride-night-fallout-continues-fans-recall-historic-1994-aids-benefit",
"title": "As SF Giants’ Pride Night Fallout Continues, Fans Recall Historic 1994 AIDS Benefit",
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"headTitle": "As SF Giants’ Pride Night Fallout Continues, Fans Recall Historic 1994 AIDS Benefit | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Thirty-two years ago, Lynn Struiksma attended a momentous \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/giants\">San Francisco Giants\u003c/a> game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A devoted San Diego Padres fan, Struiksma, then a student at San Francisco State University, decided to give Bay Area baseball a chance by buying a ticket for the July 31, 1994, afternoon game against the Colorado Rockies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Only while listening to the radio in the days beforehand did he learn that the game would be observing “Until There’s a Cure Day” — an event founded by a \u003ca href=\"https://www.until.org/about-us.html\">Bay Area-based\u003c/a> national organization that promotes HIV and AIDS awareness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The game, which marked the first time a major professional sports organization hosted a benefit for \u003ca href=\"https://www.mlb.com/giants/history/timeline-1990s\">HIV\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.mlb.com/giants/history/timeline-1990s\">and AIDS\u003c/a>, has resurfaced in collective memory over the past few weeks, as the fallout continues from a protest by four pitchers during the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087912/after-sf-giants-pride-night-culture-clash-scott-wiener-claps-back-at-republicans\">team’s Pride Month celebration\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As lawmakers, Major League Baseball, and fans have entered the fray, KQED looked back on the sports history episode to understand how it got started — and how much has changed.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘A swell of connection’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There were a couple of key figures behind the 1994 “Until There’s a Cure Day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.outsports.com/2020/12/1/21754607/san-francisco-giants-mlb-aids-hiv-awareness-until-theres-a-cure-day/\">OutSports\u003c/a>, one reason is that new owner Peter Magowan wanted to ask the city for a new stadium. In campaigning for the new structure, Magowan made moves to connect with people across the Bay Area through community outreach — and San Francisco was deep in HIV/AIDS advocacy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the time, \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/remembering-a-tough-time\">San Franciscans\u003c/a> were reeling from the devastation of the AIDS epidemic, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/remembering-a-tough-time\">around 20,000 city residents dying\u003c/a> during the crisis. Because so many were gay men or part of the LGBTQ+ community, bias and homophobia allowed their suffering to go \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclu.org/podcast/how-act-up-changed-the-face-of-aids-and-activism\">unacknowledged \u003c/a>by governments and medical authorities for years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089147\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1443px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089147 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-1322405139.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1443\" height=\"931\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-1322405139.jpg 1443w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-1322405139-160x103.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1443px) 100vw, 1443px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left: Giants President Peter Magowan, Mary Fisher, AIDS activist and keynote speaker, along with her sons, Zachary, 6, and Max, 8, and Giants’ Rod Beck. Max Fisher, 6, slips out the back of his chair during “Until There’s A Cure” pregame ceremonies on July 28, 1996. \u003ccite>(Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This special day will give our fans an opportunity to learn more about the disease, which affects all of us,” Magowan said at the time, according to the \u003cem>Bay Area Reporter. \u003c/em>“This is not a baseball event, it’s a humanitarian event.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the Giants’ promotional flyer for the 1994 event, the team vowed to donate $1 from every ticket sold to AIDS research and education. Players would also wear a red ribbon on their uniforms, “which I thought was very cool,” Struiksma said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It did feel like, ‘Hmm, this is something a little different,’” recalled Struiksma, who now lives in Los Angeles, where he works in the film industry. “‘Something we’re not used to.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another major reason was \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/article/giants-rod-beck-aids-19594162.php\">a supportive manager, Dusty Baker\u003c/a>, and the fact that HIV/AIDS advocacy was already being pursued by star Giants player Rod Beck, after being deeply moved by a 1993 documentary about \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/article/giants-rod-beck-aids-19594162.php\">Ryan White\u003c/a>, a young boy living with AIDS.[aside postID=news_12087912 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsLandenRouppGetty.jpg']But the lead-up to the event wasn’t without some protest and pushback, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1994/08/01/giants-join-fight-vs-aids/ac59ce23-7910-4241-a976-0410c3f094b2/?_pml=1\">the \u003cem>Washington Post\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Giants vice president for business operations Pat Gallagher noted “some negative phone calls.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ongoing stigma around HIV and AIDs was apparent. Calling it “a controversial cause,” Magowan told \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-08-01-sp-22364-story.html\">the \u003cem>LA Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a> in 1994 that “A lot of people associate it with a certain lifestyle — I think incorrectly … AIDS can affect anybody, whatever lifestyle, whatever sex, whatever age.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve worked here for 18 years, and nothing else we’ve ever done has been universally accepted by everyone in the organization,” Gallagher said\u003cem>. \u003c/em>“Because we live in San Francisco, everyone’s been touched in some way by HIV and AIDS.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t care how you get it,” said \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1994/08/01/giants-join-fight-vs-aids/ac59ce23-7910-4241-a976-0410c3f094b2/?_pml=1\">another player, Todd Benzinger\u003c/a>. “No one deserves it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But once the game started, the commemoration felt like a natural fit, Struiksma said, “maybe because it’s San Francisco.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among thousands of fans decked in orange and black, Struiksma sat high up in the stands of Candlestick Park, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10583120/watch-the-slow-demolition-of-candlestick-park\">the Giants’ previous home before Oracle Park\u003c/a>. From his vantage point, he got a perfect view of the field where Giants players organized themselves into the shape of a giant ribbon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, members of the opposing team that day, the Rockies, were brought onto the field where they, too, joined the formation. Outlets at the time \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/MARK-SIMON-Atlanta-Braves-Join-Giants-AIDS-2972390.php\">reported\u003c/a> that Giants star player Barry Bonds had waved to the Rockies to bring them in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089146\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1925px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089146\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-1195131082.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1925\" height=\"1699\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-1195131082.jpg 1925w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-1195131082-160x141.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-1195131082-1536x1356.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1925px) 100vw, 1925px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Francisco Giants left fielder Barry Bonds greets volunteers during a pregame benefit for Until There’s a Cure Day, the sixth annual Aids benefit program sponsored by the Giants Aug. 15, 1999. The Giants played the New York Mets after the benefit. \u003ccite>(Monica Davey/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“You felt a swell of connection to the team. A connection to community,” Struiksma said. “It really was just one of those games where it’s like, ‘This is amazing, what’s happening right now.’” And over three decades later, “I’m almost getting choked up talking about it now,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the event, Beck listed the names of children who died of AIDS. Quilts — a longtime way of \u003ca href=\"https://www.aidsmemorial.org/quilt\">memorializing \u003c/a>those lost to AIDS — were \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/article/giants-rod-beck-aids-19594162.php\">laid out \u003c/a>on the field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This might be the single most significant day since we’ve all heard of this disease,” Beck told the \u003cem>Washington Post \u003c/em>after the event in 1994, which ultimately raised over $100,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of course, it was business as usual during the actual game. Struiksma said that he remembered a fight that broke out on the field. “There was a real, like, dichotomy of emotions during the game,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘A slap in the face’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Many SF Giants fans have referenced the historic nature of 1994’s “Until There’s a Cure Day” event in recent weeks, after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087912/after-sf-giants-pride-night-culture-clash-scott-wiener-claps-back-at-republicans\">four SF Giants players\u003c/a> staged an apparent protest against the team’s Pride Night on June 12.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three players wrote controversial Bible verses often cited by anti-gay conservative Christians on the team’s rainbow-themed Pride Month caps. The team was \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/mlb-commissioner-giants-pride-night/4103023/\">not required \u003c/a>to wear them, according to NBC Bay Area. One player opted to wear the standard black-and-orange cap instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reaction was swift and strong, with LGBTQ+ \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2026/06/24/sf-giants-pride-night-maga-backlash/\">fans and allies \u003c/a>alike protesting the team with Pride and trans flags at Oracle Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089153\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089153\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsProtestPrideGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsProtestPrideGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsProtestPrideGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsProtestPrideGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left: Jim Soos, Noah Wallace, Matt Foley and a person who gave their initials as J.P., protest outside Oracle Park ahead of the San Francisco Giants’ MLB game against the Athletics at Oracle Park in San Francisco, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. A demonstration was held against four Giants pitchers who wrote Bible verses on their caps and opted out of wearing the team’s Pride-themed gear during the Giants’ Pride Night celebration on June 12. \u003ccite>(Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I didn’t see them attempting to come out with this pro-Bible rhetoric any other night of the week, so it did feel like a very specific slap in the face for their queer-coded fans,” said Sarah, a one queer Giants fan who called into \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101914206/sf-giants-pride-night-fallout-amplifies\">KQED Forum earlier this week\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Across the board, just think it was a giant ‘L’ for the Giants, who don’t need any more help with ‘L’s,’ because their record is doing that for them,” the caller said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ann Killion, a \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle \u003c/em>sports columnist, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101914206/sf-giants-pride-night-fallout-amplifies\">told Forum\u003c/a> that Giants fans “feel like on a night that was meant to celebrate the joy of inclusiveness, that these players kind of co-opted the whole event and hijacked it — and turned around and basically flipped the metaphorical bird to them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Killian said fans also felt let down by the response from the Giants’ management, who issued a “kind of both-sides-ing type of statement, full of platitudes, ‘We’re sorry if you’re hurt,’ and then went radio silent,” she said. “They kind of let this thing build and build and build.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089144\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1707px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089144\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SF-giants-poster-2000-RESIZED-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SF-giants-poster-2000-RESIZED-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SF-giants-poster-2000-RESIZED-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SF-giants-poster-2000-RESIZED-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SF-giants-poster-2000-RESIZED-1366x2048.jpg 1366w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A flyer from 1994 promoting the SF Giants’ AIDS awareness night, “Until There’s a Cure Day.” \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the San Francisco GLBT Historical Society)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Major League Baseball issued a warning to the players for writing on their uniforms, which is against uniform regulations. However, the situation quickly escalated, with the Department of Justice under President Donald Trump announcing its intent to launch \u003ca href=\"https://www.kron4.com/sports/doj-to-investigate-mlb-over-giants-pride-night-protest/\">an investigation into the MLB\u003c/a>’s response to the Pride Night protest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Baseball is “probably the most conservative of the big professional team sports in America,” with many players coming from suburbs and smaller towns, Killion said. But a protest like this in San Francisco stung extra hard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is where the Giants are honestly hurt by their own good work in the past, because they have been so upfront,” SFGate sports editor Alex Simon said on Forum.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An HIV and AIDS awareness night has been a tradition for the Giants since that first event in 1994, and while the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the first \u003ca href=\"https://www.espn.com/mlb/story?id=9670811&src=desktop\">Pride Night\u003c/a> in 2013, the Giants were the very first team to bring the \u003ca href=\"https://www.greensportsalliance.org/media/giants-to-become-first-mlb-team-to-incorporate-pride-colors-into-on-field-uniforms-in-honor-of-the-lgbtq-community-and-pride-celebrations\">Pride flag \u003c/a>onto the field in 2021. In 2023, when the league adopted \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/mlb-commissioner-giants-pride-night/4103023/\">a policy\u003c/a> that would stop teams from wearing special uniforms on celebration days, with some exceptions, the Giants and the Dodgers requested to be exempted for Pride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The fan base is very much more upset at the team and the organization, really beyond what the players themselves have done,” Simon said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Remembering how far we’ve come\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Tiffany Babb, a Southern California writer who runs \u003ca href=\"https://www.thefanfiles.com/\">The Fan Files\u003c/a>, is a queer baseball fan who has been following the SF Giants case closely. Babb has felt a decline in enthusiasm for Pride Nights in sports teams in recent years — something she attributes to the U.S. becoming more conservative in many ways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I remember like three, four years ago, they kept those [Pride] logos up all month,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089154\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089154\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsPrideLogoGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsPrideLogoGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsPrideLogoGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsPrideLogoGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The San Francisco Giants’ pride logo in right field during a MLB game between the Athletics and the San Francisco Giants on June 23, 2026, at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California. \u003ccite>(Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And the SF Giants debacle has presented an opportunity for the Trump administration to jump on board with the pushback. On X, Vice President J.D. Vance \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/JDVance/status/2066922921046544396\">wrote:\u003c/a> “Trump won, we don’t have to do this anymore.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Whether or not the players intended to do this, it is a very popular narrative that ‘Christians are under attack in the United States,’” Babb said. “And it is a very useful narrative for the president.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s why, she said, remembering the 1994 “Until There’s A Cure Day” is still important for fans 32 years later.[aside postID=news_12086888 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250629-SFPrideParade-30-BL.jpg']“Not just because of San Francisco’s long history with the queer community, but also because a lot of people like to treat activism in baseball as a brand new thing that was just invented in 2012,” she said. “There’s a long history of this — pretty much since the beginning of baseball.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Giants’ first event in 1994 “was such a good, earlier example of this kind of conversation, but in a positive way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Babbs, it’s about reminding people what — and who — has come before. For example, \u003ca href=\"https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48979319/dodgers-honor-gay-trailblazers-burke-bean-stadium-display\">Dodgers icon Glenn Burke, \u003c/a>who died at age 42 in 1995, was among the first major league players to come out as gay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Glenn Burke — if he hadn’t died of AIDS — he would still be around,” she said. “That generation was not that long ago.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s important for us to keep their memories alive … Because once you start to forget about history, people can twist it into whatever they want.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/kdebenedetti\">\u003cem>Katie DeBenedetti\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/amadrigal\">\u003cem>Alexis Madrigal\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "As San Francisco’s MLB team faces continued backlash over its Pride Night controversy, fans are revisiting the team's groundbreaking 1994 HIV/AIDS benefit game — the first in pro sports.",
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"title": "As SF Giants’ Pride Night Fallout Continues, Fans Recall Historic 1994 AIDS Benefit | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Thirty-two years ago, Lynn Struiksma attended a momentous \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/giants\">San Francisco Giants\u003c/a> game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A devoted San Diego Padres fan, Struiksma, then a student at San Francisco State University, decided to give Bay Area baseball a chance by buying a ticket for the July 31, 1994, afternoon game against the Colorado Rockies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Only while listening to the radio in the days beforehand did he learn that the game would be observing “Until There’s a Cure Day” — an event founded by a \u003ca href=\"https://www.until.org/about-us.html\">Bay Area-based\u003c/a> national organization that promotes HIV and AIDS awareness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The game, which marked the first time a major professional sports organization hosted a benefit for \u003ca href=\"https://www.mlb.com/giants/history/timeline-1990s\">HIV\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://www.mlb.com/giants/history/timeline-1990s\">and AIDS\u003c/a>, has resurfaced in collective memory over the past few weeks, as the fallout continues from a protest by four pitchers during the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087912/after-sf-giants-pride-night-culture-clash-scott-wiener-claps-back-at-republicans\">team’s Pride Month celebration\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As lawmakers, Major League Baseball, and fans have entered the fray, KQED looked back on the sports history episode to understand how it got started — and how much has changed.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘A swell of connection’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There were a couple of key figures behind the 1994 “Until There’s a Cure Day.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://www.outsports.com/2020/12/1/21754607/san-francisco-giants-mlb-aids-hiv-awareness-until-theres-a-cure-day/\">OutSports\u003c/a>, one reason is that new owner Peter Magowan wanted to ask the city for a new stadium. In campaigning for the new structure, Magowan made moves to connect with people across the Bay Area through community outreach — and San Francisco was deep in HIV/AIDS advocacy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the time, \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/remembering-a-tough-time\">San Franciscans\u003c/a> were reeling from the devastation of the AIDS epidemic, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/remembering-a-tough-time\">around 20,000 city residents dying\u003c/a> during the crisis. Because so many were gay men or part of the LGBTQ+ community, bias and homophobia allowed their suffering to go \u003ca href=\"https://www.aclu.org/podcast/how-act-up-changed-the-face-of-aids-and-activism\">unacknowledged \u003c/a>by governments and medical authorities for years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089147\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1443px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089147 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-1322405139.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1443\" height=\"931\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-1322405139.jpg 1443w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-1322405139-160x103.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1443px) 100vw, 1443px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left: Giants President Peter Magowan, Mary Fisher, AIDS activist and keynote speaker, along with her sons, Zachary, 6, and Max, 8, and Giants’ Rod Beck. Max Fisher, 6, slips out the back of his chair during “Until There’s A Cure” pregame ceremonies on July 28, 1996. \u003ccite>(Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This special day will give our fans an opportunity to learn more about the disease, which affects all of us,” Magowan said at the time, according to the \u003cem>Bay Area Reporter. \u003c/em>“This is not a baseball event, it’s a humanitarian event.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the Giants’ promotional flyer for the 1994 event, the team vowed to donate $1 from every ticket sold to AIDS research and education. Players would also wear a red ribbon on their uniforms, “which I thought was very cool,” Struiksma said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It did feel like, ‘Hmm, this is something a little different,’” recalled Struiksma, who now lives in Los Angeles, where he works in the film industry. “‘Something we’re not used to.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another major reason was \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/article/giants-rod-beck-aids-19594162.php\">a supportive manager, Dusty Baker\u003c/a>, and the fact that HIV/AIDS advocacy was already being pursued by star Giants player Rod Beck, after being deeply moved by a 1993 documentary about \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/article/giants-rod-beck-aids-19594162.php\">Ryan White\u003c/a>, a young boy living with AIDS.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But the lead-up to the event wasn’t without some protest and pushback, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1994/08/01/giants-join-fight-vs-aids/ac59ce23-7910-4241-a976-0410c3f094b2/?_pml=1\">the \u003cem>Washington Post\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. Giants vice president for business operations Pat Gallagher noted “some negative phone calls.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The ongoing stigma around HIV and AIDs was apparent. Calling it “a controversial cause,” Magowan told \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-08-01-sp-22364-story.html\">the \u003cem>LA Times\u003c/em>\u003c/a> in 1994 that “A lot of people associate it with a certain lifestyle — I think incorrectly … AIDS can affect anybody, whatever lifestyle, whatever sex, whatever age.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve worked here for 18 years, and nothing else we’ve ever done has been universally accepted by everyone in the organization,” Gallagher said\u003cem>. \u003c/em>“Because we live in San Francisco, everyone’s been touched in some way by HIV and AIDS.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I don’t care how you get it,” said \u003ca href=\"https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1994/08/01/giants-join-fight-vs-aids/ac59ce23-7910-4241-a976-0410c3f094b2/?_pml=1\">another player, Todd Benzinger\u003c/a>. “No one deserves it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But once the game started, the commemoration felt like a natural fit, Struiksma said, “maybe because it’s San Francisco.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among thousands of fans decked in orange and black, Struiksma sat high up in the stands of Candlestick Park, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/10583120/watch-the-slow-demolition-of-candlestick-park\">the Giants’ previous home before Oracle Park\u003c/a>. From his vantage point, he got a perfect view of the field where Giants players organized themselves into the shape of a giant ribbon.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, members of the opposing team that day, the Rockies, were brought onto the field where they, too, joined the formation. Outlets at the time \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/MARK-SIMON-Atlanta-Braves-Join-Giants-AIDS-2972390.php\">reported\u003c/a> that Giants star player Barry Bonds had waved to the Rockies to bring them in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089146\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1925px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089146\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-1195131082.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1925\" height=\"1699\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-1195131082.jpg 1925w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-1195131082-160x141.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-1195131082-1536x1356.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1925px) 100vw, 1925px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Francisco Giants left fielder Barry Bonds greets volunteers during a pregame benefit for Until There’s a Cure Day, the sixth annual Aids benefit program sponsored by the Giants Aug. 15, 1999. The Giants played the New York Mets after the benefit. \u003ccite>(Monica Davey/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“You felt a swell of connection to the team. A connection to community,” Struiksma said. “It really was just one of those games where it’s like, ‘This is amazing, what’s happening right now.’” And over three decades later, “I’m almost getting choked up talking about it now,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the event, Beck listed the names of children who died of AIDS. Quilts — a longtime way of \u003ca href=\"https://www.aidsmemorial.org/quilt\">memorializing \u003c/a>those lost to AIDS — were \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/totalsf/article/giants-rod-beck-aids-19594162.php\">laid out \u003c/a>on the field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This might be the single most significant day since we’ve all heard of this disease,” Beck told the \u003cem>Washington Post \u003c/em>after the event in 1994, which ultimately raised over $100,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of course, it was business as usual during the actual game. Struiksma said that he remembered a fight that broke out on the field. “There was a real, like, dichotomy of emotions during the game,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘A slap in the face’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Many SF Giants fans have referenced the historic nature of 1994’s “Until There’s a Cure Day” event in recent weeks, after \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087912/after-sf-giants-pride-night-culture-clash-scott-wiener-claps-back-at-republicans\">four SF Giants players\u003c/a> staged an apparent protest against the team’s Pride Night on June 12.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Three players wrote controversial Bible verses often cited by anti-gay conservative Christians on the team’s rainbow-themed Pride Month caps. The team was \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/mlb-commissioner-giants-pride-night/4103023/\">not required \u003c/a>to wear them, according to NBC Bay Area. One player opted to wear the standard black-and-orange cap instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reaction was swift and strong, with LGBTQ+ \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/2026/06/24/sf-giants-pride-night-maga-backlash/\">fans and allies \u003c/a>alike protesting the team with Pride and trans flags at Oracle Park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089153\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089153\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsProtestPrideGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsProtestPrideGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsProtestPrideGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsProtestPrideGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left: Jim Soos, Noah Wallace, Matt Foley and a person who gave their initials as J.P., protest outside Oracle Park ahead of the San Francisco Giants’ MLB game against the Athletics at Oracle Park in San Francisco, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. A demonstration was held against four Giants pitchers who wrote Bible verses on their caps and opted out of wearing the team’s Pride-themed gear during the Giants’ Pride Night celebration on June 12. \u003ccite>(Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I didn’t see them attempting to come out with this pro-Bible rhetoric any other night of the week, so it did feel like a very specific slap in the face for their queer-coded fans,” said Sarah, a one queer Giants fan who called into \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101914206/sf-giants-pride-night-fallout-amplifies\">KQED Forum earlier this week\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Across the board, just think it was a giant ‘L’ for the Giants, who don’t need any more help with ‘L’s,’ because their record is doing that for them,” the caller said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ann Killion, a \u003cem>San Francisco Chronicle \u003c/em>sports columnist, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101914206/sf-giants-pride-night-fallout-amplifies\">told Forum\u003c/a> that Giants fans “feel like on a night that was meant to celebrate the joy of inclusiveness, that these players kind of co-opted the whole event and hijacked it — and turned around and basically flipped the metaphorical bird to them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Killian said fans also felt let down by the response from the Giants’ management, who issued a “kind of both-sides-ing type of statement, full of platitudes, ‘We’re sorry if you’re hurt,’ and then went radio silent,” she said. “They kind of let this thing build and build and build.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089144\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1707px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089144\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SF-giants-poster-2000-RESIZED-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1707\" height=\"2560\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SF-giants-poster-2000-RESIZED-scaled.jpg 1707w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SF-giants-poster-2000-RESIZED-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SF-giants-poster-2000-RESIZED-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SF-giants-poster-2000-RESIZED-1366x2048.jpg 1366w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A flyer from 1994 promoting the SF Giants’ AIDS awareness night, “Until There’s a Cure Day.” \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the San Francisco GLBT Historical Society)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Major League Baseball issued a warning to the players for writing on their uniforms, which is against uniform regulations. However, the situation quickly escalated, with the Department of Justice under President Donald Trump announcing its intent to launch \u003ca href=\"https://www.kron4.com/sports/doj-to-investigate-mlb-over-giants-pride-night-protest/\">an investigation into the MLB\u003c/a>’s response to the Pride Night protest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Baseball is “probably the most conservative of the big professional team sports in America,” with many players coming from suburbs and smaller towns, Killion said. But a protest like this in San Francisco stung extra hard.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is where the Giants are honestly hurt by their own good work in the past, because they have been so upfront,” SFGate sports editor Alex Simon said on Forum.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An HIV and AIDS awareness night has been a tradition for the Giants since that first event in 1994, and while the Los Angeles Dodgers hosted the first \u003ca href=\"https://www.espn.com/mlb/story?id=9670811&src=desktop\">Pride Night\u003c/a> in 2013, the Giants were the very first team to bring the \u003ca href=\"https://www.greensportsalliance.org/media/giants-to-become-first-mlb-team-to-incorporate-pride-colors-into-on-field-uniforms-in-honor-of-the-lgbtq-community-and-pride-celebrations\">Pride flag \u003c/a>onto the field in 2021. In 2023, when the league adopted \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/mlb-commissioner-giants-pride-night/4103023/\">a policy\u003c/a> that would stop teams from wearing special uniforms on celebration days, with some exceptions, the Giants and the Dodgers requested to be exempted for Pride.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The fan base is very much more upset at the team and the organization, really beyond what the players themselves have done,” Simon said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Remembering how far we’ve come\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Tiffany Babb, a Southern California writer who runs \u003ca href=\"https://www.thefanfiles.com/\">The Fan Files\u003c/a>, is a queer baseball fan who has been following the SF Giants case closely. Babb has felt a decline in enthusiasm for Pride Nights in sports teams in recent years — something she attributes to the U.S. becoming more conservative in many ways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I remember like three, four years ago, they kept those [Pride] logos up all month,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089154\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089154\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsPrideLogoGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsPrideLogoGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsPrideLogoGetty-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsPrideLogoGetty-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The San Francisco Giants’ pride logo in right field during a MLB game between the Athletics and the San Francisco Giants on June 23, 2026, at Oracle Park in San Francisco, California. \u003ccite>(Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And the SF Giants debacle has presented an opportunity for the Trump administration to jump on board with the pushback. On X, Vice President J.D. Vance \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/JDVance/status/2066922921046544396\">wrote:\u003c/a> “Trump won, we don’t have to do this anymore.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Whether or not the players intended to do this, it is a very popular narrative that ‘Christians are under attack in the United States,’” Babb said. “And it is a very useful narrative for the president.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s why, she said, remembering the 1994 “Until There’s A Cure Day” is still important for fans 32 years later.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“Not just because of San Francisco’s long history with the queer community, but also because a lot of people like to treat activism in baseball as a brand new thing that was just invented in 2012,” she said. “There’s a long history of this — pretty much since the beginning of baseball.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Giants’ first event in 1994 “was such a good, earlier example of this kind of conversation, but in a positive way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Babbs, it’s about reminding people what — and who — has come before. For example, \u003ca href=\"https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48979319/dodgers-honor-gay-trailblazers-burke-bean-stadium-display\">Dodgers icon Glenn Burke, \u003c/a>who died at age 42 in 1995, was among the first major league players to come out as gay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Glenn Burke — if he hadn’t died of AIDS — he would still be around,” she said. “That generation was not that long ago.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s important for us to keep their memories alive … Because once you start to forget about history, people can twist it into whatever they want.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>KQED’s \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/kdebenedetti\">\u003cem>Katie DeBenedetti\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> and \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/author/amadrigal\">\u003cem>Alexis Madrigal\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem> contributed to this report.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "world-cup-brings-celebrations-mixed-emotions-for-bay-area-immigrant-communities",
"title": "World Cup Brings Celebrations, Mixed Emotions for Bay Area Immigrant Communities",
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"headTitle": "World Cup Brings Celebrations, Mixed Emotions for Bay Area Immigrant Communities | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Tucked in a side street near Fisherman’s Wharf, soccer fans like Nesrine Williams have gathered at a local Algerian restaurant, KAYMA, to watch their team compete in this year’s FIFA \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/world-cup\">World Cup\u003c/a> tournament.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a really big deal, and I feel so proud to be Algerian,” said Williams, who brought her family here to watch the Algeria versus Argentina match. “A lot of people don’t know about Algeria, and oftentimes, the best players for teams like France are actually Algerian.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plus, she said, “It’s so nice to share this experience with my daughter.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From watch parties like that at KAYMA to protests outside stadiums, diaspora communities across the Bay Area are coming together \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088838/2026-world-cup-is-putting-fifas-rules-on-political-neutrality-to-the-test\">around the World Cup\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year’s tournament is bigger than ever before, with 48 national teams — up from 32 in the 2022 tournament — and 104 games spread out across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089043\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089043 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01140_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01140_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01140_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01140_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fans watch the Argentina vs. Algeria World Cup game at KAYMA Algerian Eatery in San Francisco on June 17, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>While ticket sales and hotel bookings have fallen short of expectations for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086953/the-world-cup-has-arrived-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area-is-anyone-else-coming\">international travelers\u003c/a> coming for the games, it’s been a moment of celebration for many people from immigrant backgrounds watching their favorite teams play so close to their homes in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My whole family is in Algeria on my dad’s side. Their players are always more raw and talented than you expect,” said Ben Imadali, who was also watching the game over a bowl of lentil soup at KAYMA. “I’m just stoked for my family; they’re all sitting out there watching this game. I’m not even the biggest soccer fan, but for me it’s a familial connection, you know?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Just be fans and just belong’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For others who were forced to leave their home countries, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088756/in-a-rainbow-trimmed-robe-at-the-world-cup-a-gay-qatari-doctor-advocates-for-equal-rights\">physician Nasser Mohamed\u003c/a>, the World Cup has also renewed concerns and tensions over global politics and safety.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At 24, Mohamed fled Qatar, where it is illegal to be openly gay, and landed in San Francisco. With the World Cup putting Qatar on the national stage, Mohamed, one of the very few Qatari people who is publicly out, is using the moment to draw attention to LGBTQ+ rights in his home country, but this comes with real risks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087523\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087523\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260613_WorldCup_EG_046.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260613_WorldCup_EG_046.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260613_WorldCup_EG_046-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260613_WorldCup_EG_046-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hundreds of people exit Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara during the Qatar versus Switzerland World Cup match on Saturday, June 13, 2026. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Mohamed attended the World Cup match between Qatar and Switzerland at Levi’s Stadium, dressed in a ceremonial Arab cloak with rainbows. Even with security and a seat next to Sen. Scott Wiener, Mohamed said the attention felt dangerous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was numb. I felt like I had to leave my body to stand there and be visible, because I know they want to hurt me. I have death threats against me right now,” Mohamed told KQED. “A lot of us in the United States have fled political persecution, and now they are all coming to us here where we have sought refuge.”[aside postID=news_12088198 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-05-KQED.jpg']The head-turning at the soccer stadium hasn’t slowed him down. Mohamed has been organizing Pride events around the World Cup all month to help more residents feel safe and supported around the tournament and beyond.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some people react violently to the fact that we just sit in the stands,” he said. “And that’s where we need some advocacy, to just be fans and just belong.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Experts say ongoing international issues like the U.S. war in Iran and President Donald Trump’s aggressive \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086777/a-warm-world-cup-welcome-us-immigration-policies-have-chilling-effect\">immigration enforcement campaign\u003c/a> have contributed to the lower-than-expected World Cup turnout from international travelers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Ticket prices, inflation fears and the so-called ‘Trump slump’ are putting fans off, with hotel rates down by a third in host cities from Atlanta to San Francisco,” a \u003ca href=\"https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/04/fifa-world-cup-sports-economy-growth/\">post\u003c/a> from the World Economic Forum read.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While travel from abroad has dipped, the matches have nonetheless drawn local demonstrators out to protest the political backdrop to the World Cup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087615/protests-and-celebrations-iranians-in-los-angeles-have-mixed-feelings-on-world-cup\">Hundreds of Iranian Americans demonstrated\u003c/a> outside the first Iran match in Los Angeles earlier this month. While thousands of fans cheered inside SoFi Stadium, those on the outside challenged the team for supporting the Iranian government in Tehran.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089050\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089050\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260625-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260625-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260625-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260625-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fans react to a goal during a FIFA World Cup match between the United States and Turkey at Mad Dog in the Fog in San Francisco on June 25, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But inside the homes, bars and restaurants where fans are gathering to watch the tournament, they’re also contending with their mixed feelings of celebration and conflict.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Milka Pineda is of Mexican descent and hopes the team will win this year. She attended a watch party at Mad Dog in the Fog, a bar in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, on a recent Thursday night to watch Australia versus Paraguay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s cool, but it would be nicer if, you know, there weren’t all of these political issues going on,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘This beautiful moment’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Down the bar at Mad Dog in the Fog, Guatemala-born Kevin Ocha kept an eye on Paraguay, whose team had knocked out Guatemala to qualify for the World Cup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My country has never made it into the World Cup. This year they came very close,” he said — and if his team were to make it in the future, he said he would be thrilled. “Soccer originated out of the Mayan culture, and Guatemala is Mayan, so it’s a very big deal for us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089040\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089040\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-TV-00451-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-TV-00451-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-TV-00451-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-TV-00451-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fans cheer for Mexico as they watch the team score a goal at a Mexico vs. Korea World Cup game at a watch party at Mad Dog in the Fog in San Francisco on June 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Back at KAYMA, the restaurant’s owner and head chef, Wafa Bahloul, said that the World Cup has been a chance to showcase the Algerian food and culture she loves with anyone who wants a place to sit and watch some soccer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if they ultimately watched Algeria lose 3-0 to Argentina that night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089045\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089045 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01364_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01364_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01364_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01364_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mounir Bahloul (left) and Wafa Bahloul (right) pose for a portrait at a watch party for the Argentina vs. Algeria World Cup game at KAYMA Algerian Eatery in San Francisco on June 17, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This is so special for us. It reminds me of the kind of events we do in Algeria; we gather all together around the food, laughing and telling stories,” Bahloul said in between rushing out plates to customers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is really a unique thing and doesn’t happen every day,” she said. “We really want to take advantage, as much as we can, of this beautiful moment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Tucked in a side street near Fisherman’s Wharf, soccer fans like Nesrine Williams have gathered at a local Algerian restaurant, KAYMA, to watch their team compete in this year’s FIFA \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/world-cup\">World Cup\u003c/a> tournament.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a really big deal, and I feel so proud to be Algerian,” said Williams, who brought her family here to watch the Algeria versus Argentina match. “A lot of people don’t know about Algeria, and oftentimes, the best players for teams like France are actually Algerian.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plus, she said, “It’s so nice to share this experience with my daughter.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From watch parties like that at KAYMA to protests outside stadiums, diaspora communities across the Bay Area are coming together \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088838/2026-world-cup-is-putting-fifas-rules-on-political-neutrality-to-the-test\">around the World Cup\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year’s tournament is bigger than ever before, with 48 national teams — up from 32 in the 2022 tournament — and 104 games spread out across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089043\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089043 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01140_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01140_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01140_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01140_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fans watch the Argentina vs. Algeria World Cup game at KAYMA Algerian Eatery in San Francisco on June 17, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>While ticket sales and hotel bookings have fallen short of expectations for \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086953/the-world-cup-has-arrived-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area-is-anyone-else-coming\">international travelers\u003c/a> coming for the games, it’s been a moment of celebration for many people from immigrant backgrounds watching their favorite teams play so close to their homes in the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My whole family is in Algeria on my dad’s side. Their players are always more raw and talented than you expect,” said Ben Imadali, who was also watching the game over a bowl of lentil soup at KAYMA. “I’m just stoked for my family; they’re all sitting out there watching this game. I’m not even the biggest soccer fan, but for me it’s a familial connection, you know?”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘Just be fans and just belong’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For others who were forced to leave their home countries, like \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12088756/in-a-rainbow-trimmed-robe-at-the-world-cup-a-gay-qatari-doctor-advocates-for-equal-rights\">physician Nasser Mohamed\u003c/a>, the World Cup has also renewed concerns and tensions over global politics and safety.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At 24, Mohamed fled Qatar, where it is illegal to be openly gay, and landed in San Francisco. With the World Cup putting Qatar on the national stage, Mohamed, one of the very few Qatari people who is publicly out, is using the moment to draw attention to LGBTQ+ rights in his home country, but this comes with real risks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087523\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087523\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260613_WorldCup_EG_046.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260613_WorldCup_EG_046.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260613_WorldCup_EG_046-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/20260613_WorldCup_EG_046-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Hundreds of people exit Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara during the Qatar versus Switzerland World Cup match on Saturday, June 13, 2026. \u003ccite>(Estefany Gonzalez for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Mohamed attended the World Cup match between Qatar and Switzerland at Levi’s Stadium, dressed in a ceremonial Arab cloak with rainbows. Even with security and a seat next to Sen. Scott Wiener, Mohamed said the attention felt dangerous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was numb. I felt like I had to leave my body to stand there and be visible, because I know they want to hurt me. I have death threats against me right now,” Mohamed told KQED. “A lot of us in the United States have fled political persecution, and now they are all coming to us here where we have sought refuge.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The head-turning at the soccer stadium hasn’t slowed him down. Mohamed has been organizing Pride events around the World Cup all month to help more residents feel safe and supported around the tournament and beyond.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Some people react violently to the fact that we just sit in the stands,” he said. “And that’s where we need some advocacy, to just be fans and just belong.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Experts say ongoing international issues like the U.S. war in Iran and President Donald Trump’s aggressive \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086777/a-warm-world-cup-welcome-us-immigration-policies-have-chilling-effect\">immigration enforcement campaign\u003c/a> have contributed to the lower-than-expected World Cup turnout from international travelers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Ticket prices, inflation fears and the so-called ‘Trump slump’ are putting fans off, with hotel rates down by a third in host cities from Atlanta to San Francisco,” a \u003ca href=\"https://www.weforum.org/stories/2026/04/fifa-world-cup-sports-economy-growth/\">post\u003c/a> from the World Economic Forum read.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While travel from abroad has dipped, the matches have nonetheless drawn local demonstrators out to protest the political backdrop to the World Cup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087615/protests-and-celebrations-iranians-in-los-angeles-have-mixed-feelings-on-world-cup\">Hundreds of Iranian Americans demonstrated\u003c/a> outside the first Iran match in Los Angeles earlier this month. While thousands of fans cheered inside SoFi Stadium, those on the outside challenged the team for supporting the Iranian government in Tehran.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089050\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089050\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260625-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260625-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260625-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260625-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fans react to a goal during a FIFA World Cup match between the United States and Turkey at Mad Dog in the Fog in San Francisco on June 25, 2026. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But inside the homes, bars and restaurants where fans are gathering to watch the tournament, they’re also contending with their mixed feelings of celebration and conflict.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Milka Pineda is of Mexican descent and hopes the team will win this year. She attended a watch party at Mad Dog in the Fog, a bar in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, on a recent Thursday night to watch Australia versus Paraguay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s cool, but it would be nicer if, you know, there weren’t all of these political issues going on,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘This beautiful moment’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Down the bar at Mad Dog in the Fog, Guatemala-born Kevin Ocha kept an eye on Paraguay, whose team had knocked out Guatemala to qualify for the World Cup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My country has never made it into the World Cup. This year they came very close,” he said — and if his team were to make it in the future, he said he would be thrilled. “Soccer originated out of the Mayan culture, and Guatemala is Mayan, so it’s a very big deal for us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089040\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12089040\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-TV-00451-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-TV-00451-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-TV-00451-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA-TV-00451-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fans cheer for Mexico as they watch the team score a goal at a Mexico vs. Korea World Cup game at a watch party at Mad Dog in the Fog in San Francisco on June 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Back at KAYMA, the restaurant’s owner and head chef, Wafa Bahloul, said that the World Cup has been a chance to showcase the Algerian food and culture she loves with anyone who wants a place to sit and watch some soccer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if they ultimately watched Algeria lose 3-0 to Argentina that night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089045\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089045 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01364_TV-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01364_TV-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01364_TV-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260617-WORLDCUPDIASPORA01364_TV-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mounir Bahloul (left) and Wafa Bahloul (right) pose for a portrait at a watch party for the Argentina vs. Algeria World Cup game at KAYMA Algerian Eatery in San Francisco on June 17, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“This is so special for us. It reminds me of the kind of events we do in Algeria; we gather all together around the food, laughing and telling stories,” Bahloul said in between rushing out plates to customers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is really a unique thing and doesn’t happen every day,” she said. “We really want to take advantage, as much as we can, of this beautiful moment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "world-cup-tickets-us-mens-national-soccer-team-bay-area-july-1-bosnia-herzegovina-levis-stadium",
"title": "Want to Watch the US Play in the World Cup at Levi’s Stadium? It Won’t Be Cheap",
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"content": "\u003cp>If you hadn’t already heard, the U.S. men’s national soccer team is coming to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> — to play its first World Cup knockout stage match at Levi’s Stadium on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although the team suffered its \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/06/25/nx-s1-5869807/2026-world-cup-fifa-usmnt-turkey\">first loss\u003c/a> in the tournament last week with a 3-2 loss against Turkey — in a true nail-biter of a match that went to overtime — the team has nonetheless advanced to the next phase of the competition after pulling off a pretty historic run in the group stage matches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the 2022 World Cup, the Americans only scored three goals in the \u003cem>whole tournament\u003c/em>. This year, they’ve already more than doubled that. And even two consecutive wins — first against Paraguay, then Australia — are something the men’s soccer team hasn’t achieved since 1930.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, the most dominant USMNT of a generation is coming to Santa Clara for the July 1 knockout stage match to play against Bosnia and Herzegovina.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if the fútbol hype is getting to you and you’re tempted to try to see superstar striker Folarin Balogun score — or Christian Pulisic play after finally recovering from his calf injury — you’re not the only one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089024\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089024 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/USAWorldCupGetty2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1335\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/USAWorldCupGetty2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/USAWorldCupGetty2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/USAWorldCupGetty2-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sebastian Berhalter #14 of the United States celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Türkiye and USA at Los Angeles Stadium on June 25, 2026, in Inglewood, California. \u003ccite>(Jamie Squire/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Demand for World Cup games has only grown since the tournament kicked off, with many of the more “affordable” seats for the upcoming USMNT match listed online still going for thousands of dollars — although prices for some of these spots have dropped sharply in the immediate run-up to the game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for what to know if you’re hoping to see the USMNT play their World Cup knockout match in Santa Clara on Wednesday — how much tickets are going for and how to avoid falling prey to a ticket scam.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Can I still get a ticket to see the United States men’s national soccer team’s Bay Area World Cup match?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>FIFA is no longer offering tickets or hospitality packages for the upcoming USMNT match on its \u003ca href=\"https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/tickets\">official website\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This means your remaining option is to check out available resale tickets on verified resale sites like Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek and TickPick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087136\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087136\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-02-BL_KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-02-BL_KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-02-BL_KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-02-BL_KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A team locker room at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, temporarily renamed from Levi’s Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in Santa Clara on June 10, 2026, where six tournament matches will be played. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If you end up buying tickets on a resale site, you will choose the seat you want and make your payment on that site, but you will then have to confirm that these tickets are now yours on either the official FIFA World Cup 2026 App or the FIFA Resale Marketplace website.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for the actual tickets, they will only be available on FIFA’s FWC2026 Mobile Tickets app — available in both the \u003ca href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fwc2026-mobile-tickets/id6532603739\">Apple\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.tixngo.app.fifatickets&hl=en_US\">Play\u003c/a> stores.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A resale vendor can only transfer the tickets via the FIFA Resale Marketplace — they can’t promise to email or text you your tickets.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How much are tickets for the USMNT’s July 1 World Cup match?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>What’s a fair price for tickets? Because FIFA is no longer offering tickets for this match, it’s difficult to say with accuracy. Last week, seats furthest from the field were going for between $2,000 and $4,000, while those closest to the action were surpassing $5,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, a day before the match, prices for seats in the 100 section have dropped significantly on StubHub, SeatGeek and TickPick, with some now going for less than $2,500. A few seats in the 400 section — the farthest from the field — were being offered for less than $2,000 on Monday morning. TicketMaster is no longer offering tickets for this match.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Even on verified resale sites, stay alert\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A few weeks before the Australia vs. Paraguay match at Levi’s Stadium on June 25, Marin County soccer fan Lei Cai bought two tickets to the game on StubHub. She soon received an email from StubHub telling her that her tickets were ready.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But when she logged into the FIFA portal, “that’s when I found out there’s no tickets to claim,” Cai said. And after calling StubHub multiple times for several weeks, trying to get an answer, she was eventually informed by the company that the person who listed the seats online never actually made the tickets available for her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087142\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12087142 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-51-BL_KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-51-BL_KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-51-BL_KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-51-BL_KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, temporarily renamed from Levi’s Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in Santa Clara, on June 10, 2026, where six tournament matches will be played. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Cai said StubHub originally offered only a refund for her tickets after learning of the situation. “You should not be able to sell something that doesn’t exist,” Cai said after accepting she wouldn’t be going to the game. “You’re scamming families.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, after KQED contacted the company requesting comment on Cai’s situation, StubHub reached out to her directly to offer two new, free tickets to the same match — in a seating section much closer to the field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Similar ticket transfer problems have plagued soccer fans \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-ticket-problems-stubhub-fifa-21c31f5cc33012e7f4619d4bff3b44a1\">nationwide\u003c/a>. At Spain’s World Cup match against Cape Verde in Atlanta on June 15, an Associated Press journalist \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-ticket-problems-stubhub-fifa-21c31f5cc33012e7f4619d4bff3b44a1\">encountered\u003c/a> more than a dozen fans who reported being in similar situations, stuck outside the stadium without access to the tickets they thought they’d bought.[aside postID=arts_13990640 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/20260528-WORLDCUPBARS-JY-02-KQED.jpg']StubHub told KQED that FIFA’s ticketing app has seen performance issues affecting ticket transfers across all resale platforms, leading to situations where the transfer process couldn’t be completed in time for the match.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every order is backed by our FanProtect Guarantee and getting fans to their matches remains our top priority for the rest of this tournament,” a company spokesperson said, adding that fans who are still having ticket problems should contact customer services directly and ask for “World Cup specialist support.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an emailed statement, FIFA told KQED that it “can guarantee the validity and delivery of tickets purchased through its official platforms.” However, the problems that Cai and other fans have experienced on third-party sites have arisen when they can no longer \u003cem>buy \u003c/em>tickets on FIFA’s website.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://help.ticketmaster.com/hc/en-us/articles/9781090147985-Third-Party-Resale-Tickets-Everything-You-Need-to-Know#2026_world_cup\">Ticketmaster\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://seatgeek.ca/buyer-guarantee\">SeatGeek\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.tickpick.com/buyertrust-guarantee/\">TickPick\u003c/a> also have consumer guarantees listed on their website that promise buyers will receive their tickets on time ahead of the event. If you’ve already bought a ticket, confirm — as soon as possible — that you actually have access to it on the FIFA Resale Marketplace and FWC2026 Mobile Tickets app.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you don’t see your tickets? Contact the resale site as soon as possible. Have your order number ready, along with any other information you had to share when you made your purchase. In past cases, these sites have usually offered affected customers a full refund, and in some instances, folks got different seats to the same game.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Don’t fall for a scam\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Vendor problems on resale sites may encourage some soccer fans to look \u003cem>elsewhere\u003c/em> for a better deal. But talking to strangers on sites that are not verified — like Facebook Marketplace — increases the risk of getting ripped off, Santa Clara County Assistant District Attorney James Gibbons-Shapiro said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The criminal is simply looking for someone desperate enough to go to the World Cup that they’re willing to send a lot of money right away to a total stranger,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088839\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088839\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-2282393383-scaled-e1782497582317.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Weston McKennie of the United States runs with the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between USA and Australia at Seattle Stadium on June 19, 2026, in Seattle, Washington. \u003ccite>(Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If you find seats you like on a verified site like Ticketmaster or SeatGeek, make sure you make the actual payment on this same website — and never on another platform. Scammers often promise you “a better deal” if you make the payment using instant payment sites like Zelle, Venmo and Cash App.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But fraudsters aren’t trying to save you money with this suggestion: They’re trying to make it easier for themselves to keep your money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you paid for seats that are listed on Ticketmaster, for example, but paid the “vendor” on Venmo, you can’t claim Ticketmaster’s buyer protections, as you didn’t actually use the resale site to make a purchase.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>No, don’t try to buy a ticket outside Levi’s Stadium on July 1\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While some scammers are able to print tickets that look very “realistic,” there are, in fact, no physical tickets being issued during this World Cup. FIFA has adopted a fully electronic model for fans to store and display their tickets on their phones using the FWC2026 Mobile Tickets app.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if someone approaches you outside Levi’s Stadium and offers you a physical ticket, that’s a fake. “Don’t go to the stadium to try to buy a ticket there,” Gibbons-Shapiro said. “You’re not gonna be able to get in, and you’re going to lose all your money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087462\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087462\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061226_WORLDCUPFANS_2163-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061226_WORLDCUPFANS_2163-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061226_WORLDCUPFANS_2163-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061226_WORLDCUPFANS_2163-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fans gather ahead of the USA vs Paraguay World Cup game in Los Angeles on June 12, 2026. \u003ccite>(Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Scalpers are actually not permitted on stadium grounds — and reselling tickets near the stadium is a misdemeanor crime in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Additionally, ticket rules require fans to claim their tickets on FIFA’s platforms at least 1 hour before the match starts; otherwise, they won’t be able to enter the stadium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If someone shows you they have a virtual ticket available on the FIFA Resale Marketplace website — but the game begins in 20 minutes — it’s likely you won’t be able to claim the ticket once the seller has transferred it to you.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>I just got scammed buying a fake World Cup ticket. What can I do?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If this were an individual you met online, make sure to document all your communication with them — including screenshots of any messages in case they attempt to delete anything from their end of the conversation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you were scammed online or over the phone:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can then report the situation to your local police department, as the city where you live is defined as where the crime took place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you bought the fake ticket in person from a scalper:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Contact the police department of the city where the transaction took place. “If that happened right outside the stadium, that would be Santa Clara Police Department,” Gibbons-Shapiro said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12085866\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12085866\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/FIFAWorldCupLevisStadiumGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1235\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/FIFAWorldCupLevisStadiumGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/FIFAWorldCupLevisStadiumGetty-160x99.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/FIFAWorldCupLevisStadiumGetty-1536x948.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Francisco Bay Area Stadium (temporarily renamed from Levi’s Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup) in Santa Clara, California, on May 19, 2026. Levi’s Stadium will host six matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including five group stage matches throughout June 2026. \u003ccite>(Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>You can also file a complaint with the \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/contact/consumer-complaint-against-business-or-company\">California Attorney General’s office\u003c/a> or the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbb.org/file-a-complaint\">Better Business Bureau\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gibbons-Shapiro said his office is ready to prosecute anyone who tricks others into buying fake World Cup tickets, adding that he would consider that to be a felony.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have robust teams for consumer protection and theft enforcement,” he said. “We’re going to prosecute the scammers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you think you were scammed while using a verified resale site, contact the platform’s customer service team immediately. While it’s not certain that they can get you the seat you initially bought, they can usually help you get your money back — something that’s not guaranteed at all if you contact a stranger making offers on social media.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Ticketmaster:\u003c/strong> Call their customer service line directly at 800-653-8000, available Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. PST, Saturdays 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST, and Sundays 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>StubHub:\u003c/strong> You can message the customer service team \u003ca href=\"https://my.stubhub.com/contactus\">online\u003c/a> or call 888-720-9452.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>SeatGeek:\u003c/strong> You can message the customer service team \u003ca href=\"https://seatgeek.com/help/articles/8985475094931-Help-with-an-order\">online\u003c/a>, email \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@seatgeek.com\">hi@seatgeek.com\u003c/a> or call 888-506-4101.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>TickPick:\u003c/strong> You can fill out an \u003ca href=\"https://support.tickpick.com/hc/en-us/requests/new\">online form\u003c/a> or call 845-538-4567.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story includes reporting from The Associated Press.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>If you hadn’t already heard, the U.S. men’s national soccer team is coming to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\">Bay Area\u003c/a> — to play its first World Cup knockout stage match at Levi’s Stadium on Wednesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although the team suffered its \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/06/25/nx-s1-5869807/2026-world-cup-fifa-usmnt-turkey\">first loss\u003c/a> in the tournament last week with a 3-2 loss against Turkey — in a true nail-biter of a match that went to overtime — the team has nonetheless advanced to the next phase of the competition after pulling off a pretty historic run in the group stage matches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the 2022 World Cup, the Americans only scored three goals in the \u003cem>whole tournament\u003c/em>. This year, they’ve already more than doubled that. And even two consecutive wins — first against Paraguay, then Australia — are something the men’s soccer team hasn’t achieved since 1930.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, the most dominant USMNT of a generation is coming to Santa Clara for the July 1 knockout stage match to play against Bosnia and Herzegovina.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if the fútbol hype is getting to you and you’re tempted to try to see superstar striker Folarin Balogun score — or Christian Pulisic play after finally recovering from his calf injury — you’re not the only one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12089024\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12089024 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/USAWorldCupGetty2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1335\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/USAWorldCupGetty2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/USAWorldCupGetty2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/USAWorldCupGetty2-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sebastian Berhalter #14 of the United States celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between Türkiye and USA at Los Angeles Stadium on June 25, 2026, in Inglewood, California. \u003ccite>(Jamie Squire/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Demand for World Cup games has only grown since the tournament kicked off, with many of the more “affordable” seats for the upcoming USMNT match listed online still going for thousands of dollars — although prices for some of these spots have dropped sharply in the immediate run-up to the game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for what to know if you’re hoping to see the USMNT play their World Cup knockout match in Santa Clara on Wednesday — how much tickets are going for and how to avoid falling prey to a ticket scam.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Can I still get a ticket to see the United States men’s national soccer team’s Bay Area World Cup match?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>FIFA is no longer offering tickets or hospitality packages for the upcoming USMNT match on its \u003ca href=\"https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/tickets\">official website\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This means your remaining option is to check out available resale tickets on verified resale sites like Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek and TickPick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087136\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087136\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-02-BL_KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-02-BL_KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-02-BL_KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-02-BL_KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A team locker room at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, temporarily renamed from Levi’s Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in Santa Clara on June 10, 2026, where six tournament matches will be played. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If you end up buying tickets on a resale site, you will choose the seat you want and make your payment on that site, but you will then have to confirm that these tickets are now yours on either the official FIFA World Cup 2026 App or the FIFA Resale Marketplace website.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As for the actual tickets, they will only be available on FIFA’s FWC2026 Mobile Tickets app — available in both the \u003ca href=\"https://apps.apple.com/us/app/fwc2026-mobile-tickets/id6532603739\">Apple\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.tixngo.app.fifatickets&hl=en_US\">Play\u003c/a> stores.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A resale vendor can only transfer the tickets via the FIFA Resale Marketplace — they can’t promise to email or text you your tickets.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>How much are tickets for the USMNT’s July 1 World Cup match?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>What’s a fair price for tickets? Because FIFA is no longer offering tickets for this match, it’s difficult to say with accuracy. Last week, seats furthest from the field were going for between $2,000 and $4,000, while those closest to the action were surpassing $5,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, a day before the match, prices for seats in the 100 section have dropped significantly on StubHub, SeatGeek and TickPick, with some now going for less than $2,500. A few seats in the 400 section — the farthest from the field — were being offered for less than $2,000 on Monday morning. TicketMaster is no longer offering tickets for this match.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Even on verified resale sites, stay alert\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A few weeks before the Australia vs. Paraguay match at Levi’s Stadium on June 25, Marin County soccer fan Lei Cai bought two tickets to the game on StubHub. She soon received an email from StubHub telling her that her tickets were ready.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But when she logged into the FIFA portal, “that’s when I found out there’s no tickets to claim,” Cai said. And after calling StubHub multiple times for several weeks, trying to get an answer, she was eventually informed by the company that the person who listed the seats online never actually made the tickets available for her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087142\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12087142 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-51-BL_KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-51-BL_KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-51-BL_KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-51-BL_KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, temporarily renamed from Levi’s Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, in Santa Clara, on June 10, 2026, where six tournament matches will be played. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Cai said StubHub originally offered only a refund for her tickets after learning of the situation. “You should not be able to sell something that doesn’t exist,” Cai said after accepting she wouldn’t be going to the game. “You’re scamming families.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, after KQED contacted the company requesting comment on Cai’s situation, StubHub reached out to her directly to offer two new, free tickets to the same match — in a seating section much closer to the field.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Similar ticket transfer problems have plagued soccer fans \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-ticket-problems-stubhub-fifa-21c31f5cc33012e7f4619d4bff3b44a1\">nationwide\u003c/a>. At Spain’s World Cup match against Cape Verde in Atlanta on June 15, an Associated Press journalist \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-ticket-problems-stubhub-fifa-21c31f5cc33012e7f4619d4bff3b44a1\">encountered\u003c/a> more than a dozen fans who reported being in similar situations, stuck outside the stadium without access to the tickets they thought they’d bought.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>StubHub told KQED that FIFA’s ticketing app has seen performance issues affecting ticket transfers across all resale platforms, leading to situations where the transfer process couldn’t be completed in time for the match.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Every order is backed by our FanProtect Guarantee and getting fans to their matches remains our top priority for the rest of this tournament,” a company spokesperson said, adding that fans who are still having ticket problems should contact customer services directly and ask for “World Cup specialist support.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an emailed statement, FIFA told KQED that it “can guarantee the validity and delivery of tickets purchased through its official platforms.” However, the problems that Cai and other fans have experienced on third-party sites have arisen when they can no longer \u003cem>buy \u003c/em>tickets on FIFA’s website.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://help.ticketmaster.com/hc/en-us/articles/9781090147985-Third-Party-Resale-Tickets-Everything-You-Need-to-Know#2026_world_cup\">Ticketmaster\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://seatgeek.ca/buyer-guarantee\">SeatGeek\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.tickpick.com/buyertrust-guarantee/\">TickPick\u003c/a> also have consumer guarantees listed on their website that promise buyers will receive their tickets on time ahead of the event. If you’ve already bought a ticket, confirm — as soon as possible — that you actually have access to it on the FIFA Resale Marketplace and FWC2026 Mobile Tickets app.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you don’t see your tickets? Contact the resale site as soon as possible. Have your order number ready, along with any other information you had to share when you made your purchase. In past cases, these sites have usually offered affected customers a full refund, and in some instances, folks got different seats to the same game.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Don’t fall for a scam\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Vendor problems on resale sites may encourage some soccer fans to look \u003cem>elsewhere\u003c/em> for a better deal. But talking to strangers on sites that are not verified — like Facebook Marketplace — increases the risk of getting ripped off, Santa Clara County Assistant District Attorney James Gibbons-Shapiro said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The criminal is simply looking for someone desperate enough to go to the World Cup that they’re willing to send a lot of money right away to a total stranger,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088839\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088839\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/GettyImages-2282393383-scaled-e1782497582317.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Weston McKennie of the United States runs with the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match between USA and Australia at Seattle Stadium on June 19, 2026, in Seattle, Washington. \u003ccite>(Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>If you find seats you like on a verified site like Ticketmaster or SeatGeek, make sure you make the actual payment on this same website — and never on another platform. Scammers often promise you “a better deal” if you make the payment using instant payment sites like Zelle, Venmo and Cash App.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But fraudsters aren’t trying to save you money with this suggestion: They’re trying to make it easier for themselves to keep your money.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you paid for seats that are listed on Ticketmaster, for example, but paid the “vendor” on Venmo, you can’t claim Ticketmaster’s buyer protections, as you didn’t actually use the resale site to make a purchase.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>No, don’t try to buy a ticket outside Levi’s Stadium on July 1\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While some scammers are able to print tickets that look very “realistic,” there are, in fact, no physical tickets being issued during this World Cup. FIFA has adopted a fully electronic model for fans to store and display their tickets on their phones using the FWC2026 Mobile Tickets app.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So if someone approaches you outside Levi’s Stadium and offers you a physical ticket, that’s a fake. “Don’t go to the stadium to try to buy a ticket there,” Gibbons-Shapiro said. “You’re not gonna be able to get in, and you’re going to lose all your money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087462\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087462\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061226_WORLDCUPFANS_2163-KQED-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061226_WORLDCUPFANS_2163-KQED-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061226_WORLDCUPFANS_2163-KQED-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/061226_WORLDCUPFANS_2163-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fans gather ahead of the USA vs Paraguay World Cup game in Los Angeles on June 12, 2026. \u003ccite>(Lauren Justice for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Scalpers are actually not permitted on stadium grounds — and reselling tickets near the stadium is a misdemeanor crime in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Additionally, ticket rules require fans to claim their tickets on FIFA’s platforms at least 1 hour before the match starts; otherwise, they won’t be able to enter the stadium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If someone shows you they have a virtual ticket available on the FIFA Resale Marketplace website — but the game begins in 20 minutes — it’s likely you won’t be able to claim the ticket once the seller has transferred it to you.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>I just got scammed buying a fake World Cup ticket. What can I do?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If this were an individual you met online, make sure to document all your communication with them — including screenshots of any messages in case they attempt to delete anything from their end of the conversation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you were scammed online or over the phone:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can then report the situation to your local police department, as the city where you live is defined as where the crime took place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>If you bought the fake ticket in person from a scalper:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Contact the police department of the city where the transaction took place. “If that happened right outside the stadium, that would be Santa Clara Police Department,” Gibbons-Shapiro said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12085866\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12085866\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/FIFAWorldCupLevisStadiumGetty.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1235\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/FIFAWorldCupLevisStadiumGetty.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/FIFAWorldCupLevisStadiumGetty-160x99.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/FIFAWorldCupLevisStadiumGetty-1536x948.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Francisco Bay Area Stadium (temporarily renamed from Levi’s Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup) in Santa Clara, California, on May 19, 2026. Levi’s Stadium will host six matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including five group stage matches throughout June 2026. \u003ccite>(Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>You can also file a complaint with the \u003ca href=\"https://oag.ca.gov/contact/consumer-complaint-against-business-or-company\">California Attorney General’s office\u003c/a> or the \u003ca href=\"https://www.bbb.org/file-a-complaint\">Better Business Bureau\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gibbons-Shapiro said his office is ready to prosecute anyone who tricks others into buying fake World Cup tickets, adding that he would consider that to be a felony.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have robust teams for consumer protection and theft enforcement,” he said. “We’re going to prosecute the scammers.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you think you were scammed while using a verified resale site, contact the platform’s customer service team immediately. While it’s not certain that they can get you the seat you initially bought, they can usually help you get your money back — something that’s not guaranteed at all if you contact a stranger making offers on social media.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Ticketmaster:\u003c/strong> Call their customer service line directly at 800-653-8000, available Monday to Friday 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. PST, Saturdays 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST, and Sundays 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PST.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>StubHub:\u003c/strong> You can message the customer service team \u003ca href=\"https://my.stubhub.com/contactus\">online\u003c/a> or call 888-720-9452.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>SeatGeek:\u003c/strong> You can message the customer service team \u003ca href=\"https://seatgeek.com/help/articles/8985475094931-Help-with-an-order\">online\u003c/a>, email \u003ca href=\"mailto:hi@seatgeek.com\">hi@seatgeek.com\u003c/a> or call 888-506-4101.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>TickPick:\u003c/strong> You can fill out an \u003ca href=\"https://support.tickpick.com/hc/en-us/requests/new\">online form\u003c/a> or call 845-538-4567.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story includes reporting from The Associated Press.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "in-a-rainbow-trimmed-robe-at-the-world-cup-a-gay-qatari-doctor-advocates-for-equal-rights",
"title": "In a Rainbow-Trimmed Robe at the World Cup, a Gay Qatari Doctor Advocates for Equal Rights",
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"headTitle": "In a Rainbow-Trimmed Robe at the World Cup, a Gay Qatari Doctor Advocates for Equal Rights | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Formally dressed in a traditional Qatari bisht, Dr. Nasser Mohamed strolled past a crowd of several hundred people \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086953/the-world-cup-has-arrived-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area-is-anyone-else-coming\">outside Chase Center\u003c/a> as the England-Croatia \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/world-cup\">World Cup \u003c/a>match was shown high above on the big screen. His gold-and-black robe featured a flourish: rainbow piping down each sleeve and the words “love” and “freedom” written in Arabic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s why the World Cup is really powerful, because people don’t need to hear about who I am — I can just walk, be seen, and that’s it,” he said. “We don’t have to say a word.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Four years ago, when the World Cup was \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-sports-soccer-international-gay-rights-54e5b2a4f51e471ca3a8f10816af201b\">played in his home country\u003c/a> and Mohamed was already living across the world in San Francisco, he came out and became an exceptionally rare openly gay man from Qatar, where gay sex is prohibited and he can’t dress how he’d like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mohamed is speaking up again for those without a voice. The 39-year-old now feels secure enough to walk around with confidence, and without fear of harm, while wearing chunky heeled boots, mascara and 2-inch dangly earrings. He still gets regular backlash and hate, but he has also found support and kindness from around the globe that helps drown out the death threats and divisiveness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am so loved in San Francisco, really, truly,” Mohamed said of the city he moved to more than a decade ago. “I have not worn this since I was a kid in Qatar, and San Francisco put it back on my shoulders, with rainbows.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For him, donning the bisht for everyone to see is important: “The emir of Qatar put it on (Lionel) Messi at the last World Cup to celebrate Messi. We should be celebrated too.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Mohamed campaigns for love at the World Cup\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>An LGBTQ+ activist and family doctor who treats HIV, “Dr. Nas” — as he is known — launched his “Love is the Goal” campaign ahead of the World Cup and Pride Month, hoping to humanize all people taking part. For a video, he combined soccer lingo with references to love, such as him reading “love is kickoff, the very first touch,” and someone else offering “love is the assist, finding you exactly where you are.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Saving a life like mine is very expensive, and I know that, and this is the hard truth,” Mohamed said. “So that’s why I had to pave my own path and get out. I lost everything. I’m disowned completely. I had to build myself from scratch, the ground up, all of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088758\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/AP26172718919179-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088758\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/AP26172718919179-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/AP26172718919179-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/AP26172718919179-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/AP26172718919179-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/AP26172718919179-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/AP26172718919179-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Nasser Mohamed, of Qatar, is photographed, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, Qatar plays its final group-stage match, against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Seattle. Mohamed won’t be there, but he was at the team’s first game, on June 13 in Santa Clara, California. He had clear and visible security, and was escorted by California state Sen. Scott Wiener to \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/qatar-switzerland-world-cup-score-c1232e9fc7bcde023a14db26e767e90e\">the 1-1 draw with Switzerland.\u003c/a> A photo from the day has more than 12 million views on social media.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As I was passing, everybody was taking pictures of me with the senator,” he recalled. “It was so dramatic.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And emotional.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the stadium I couldn’t speak because if I started talking I’m not going to stop crying, because when am I going to see Qatar again in my life?” Mohamed said through tears. “When is it ever going to happen again? I don’t know. When am I going to see home? I can’t see Mom and Dad, even when they were getting hit by missiles.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Even in exile, Mohamed still cheers for Qatar\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After the game, he hosted a dance party at the San Francisco Mint highlighted by a performance \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_zOTqlMJ9w\">“Let Your Love Shine,”\u003c/a> written by close friend Simon Tam and sung by Debby Holiday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nas’ journey moves me because it is rooted in extraordinary courage and an enormous heart,” Tam said. “He’s taken his own truth and turned it into a way to help others feel seen, worthy, and less alone.” [aside postID=news_12088198 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-05-KQED.jpg'] Tam believes Mohamed can change the world — and that’s the doctor’s hope, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The first step to heal is to witness things the way they are,” Mohamed said. “My endgame is for every child to belong with their own family and their own society.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, it breaks his heart knowing he can’t go back to Qatar, he says. Mohamed says he has been ostracized by his own family because of his sexuality and for standing up to power to help others.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He has aided moves out of Qatar for others, including a transgender woman who told The Associated Press she had been imprisoned and tortured because of her identity. The woman spoke on condition of anonymity, citing fear for her safety. The AP could not independently confirm the woman’s account.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The AP did not contact Qatar’s government prior to publication of the story, and the government did not respond to subsequent later requests seeking comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mohamed is thankful for this new existence, embracing the obstacles that come with his work, even as he believes his safety could be at stake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We all fled persecution and took political asylum in the U.S., and now we invited all of them to come here to play soccer,” he said. “I didn’t feel safe leaving my apartment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, after everything, he roots for Qatar — and the Americans. He plans to watch the U.S. during the round of 32 next week in Santa Clara.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am cheering for both the United States and for Qatar with love,” he said. “They both had homes for me and, when I challenge either of them, it is out of love, and I mean it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Four years after coming out as a gay Qatari man with the World Cup playing in his home country, Nasser Mohamed is speaking up again by sharing his journey that brought him across the world to the Bay Area. ",
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"title": "In a Rainbow-Trimmed Robe at the World Cup, a Gay Qatari Doctor Advocates for Equal Rights | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Formally dressed in a traditional Qatari bisht, Dr. Nasser Mohamed strolled past a crowd of several hundred people \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086953/the-world-cup-has-arrived-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area-is-anyone-else-coming\">outside Chase Center\u003c/a> as the England-Croatia \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/world-cup\">World Cup \u003c/a>match was shown high above on the big screen. His gold-and-black robe featured a flourish: rainbow piping down each sleeve and the words “love” and “freedom” written in Arabic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“That’s why the World Cup is really powerful, because people don’t need to hear about who I am — I can just walk, be seen, and that’s it,” he said. “We don’t have to say a word.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Four years ago, when the World Cup was \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-sports-soccer-international-gay-rights-54e5b2a4f51e471ca3a8f10816af201b\">played in his home country\u003c/a> and Mohamed was already living across the world in San Francisco, he came out and became an exceptionally rare openly gay man from Qatar, where gay sex is prohibited and he can’t dress how he’d like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mohamed is speaking up again for those without a voice. The 39-year-old now feels secure enough to walk around with confidence, and without fear of harm, while wearing chunky heeled boots, mascara and 2-inch dangly earrings. He still gets regular backlash and hate, but he has also found support and kindness from around the globe that helps drown out the death threats and divisiveness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am so loved in San Francisco, really, truly,” Mohamed said of the city he moved to more than a decade ago. “I have not worn this since I was a kid in Qatar, and San Francisco put it back on my shoulders, with rainbows.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For him, donning the bisht for everyone to see is important: “The emir of Qatar put it on (Lionel) Messi at the last World Cup to celebrate Messi. We should be celebrated too.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Mohamed campaigns for love at the World Cup\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>An LGBTQ+ activist and family doctor who treats HIV, “Dr. Nas” — as he is known — launched his “Love is the Goal” campaign ahead of the World Cup and Pride Month, hoping to humanize all people taking part. For a video, he combined soccer lingo with references to love, such as him reading “love is kickoff, the very first touch,” and someone else offering “love is the assist, finding you exactly where you are.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Saving a life like mine is very expensive, and I know that, and this is the hard truth,” Mohamed said. “So that’s why I had to pave my own path and get out. I lost everything. I’m disowned completely. I had to build myself from scratch, the ground up, all of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088758\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003ca href=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/AP26172718919179-scaled.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088758\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/AP26172718919179-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/AP26172718919179-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/AP26172718919179-2000x1333.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/AP26172718919179-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/AP26172718919179-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/AP26172718919179-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dr. Nasser Mohamed, of Qatar, is photographed, Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>On Wednesday, Qatar plays its final group-stage match, against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Seattle. Mohamed won’t be there, but he was at the team’s first game, on June 13 in Santa Clara, California. He had clear and visible security, and was escorted by California state Sen. Scott Wiener to \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/qatar-switzerland-world-cup-score-c1232e9fc7bcde023a14db26e767e90e\">the 1-1 draw with Switzerland.\u003c/a> A photo from the day has more than 12 million views on social media.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As I was passing, everybody was taking pictures of me with the senator,” he recalled. “It was so dramatic.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And emotional.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the stadium I couldn’t speak because if I started talking I’m not going to stop crying, because when am I going to see Qatar again in my life?” Mohamed said through tears. “When is it ever going to happen again? I don’t know. When am I going to see home? I can’t see Mom and Dad, even when they were getting hit by missiles.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Even in exile, Mohamed still cheers for Qatar\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After the game, he hosted a dance party at the San Francisco Mint highlighted by a performance \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_zOTqlMJ9w\">“Let Your Love Shine,”\u003c/a> written by close friend Simon Tam and sung by Debby Holiday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Nas’ journey moves me because it is rooted in extraordinary courage and an enormous heart,” Tam said. “He’s taken his own truth and turned it into a way to help others feel seen, worthy, and less alone.” \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp> Tam believes Mohamed can change the world — and that’s the doctor’s hope, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The first step to heal is to witness things the way they are,” Mohamed said. “My endgame is for every child to belong with their own family and their own society.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, it breaks his heart knowing he can’t go back to Qatar, he says. Mohamed says he has been ostracized by his own family because of his sexuality and for standing up to power to help others.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He has aided moves out of Qatar for others, including a transgender woman who told The Associated Press she had been imprisoned and tortured because of her identity. The woman spoke on condition of anonymity, citing fear for her safety. The AP could not independently confirm the woman’s account.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The AP did not contact Qatar’s government prior to publication of the story, and the government did not respond to subsequent later requests seeking comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mohamed is thankful for this new existence, embracing the obstacles that come with his work, even as he believes his safety could be at stake.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We all fled persecution and took political asylum in the U.S., and now we invited all of them to come here to play soccer,” he said. “I didn’t feel safe leaving my apartment.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, after everything, he roots for Qatar — and the Americans. He plans to watch the U.S. during the round of 32 next week in Santa Clara.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I am cheering for both the United States and for Qatar with love,” he said. “They both had homes for me and, when I challenge either of them, it is out of love, and I mean it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "what-it-was-like-inside-levis-for-the-algeria-vs-jordan-world-cup-match",
"title": "What It Was Like Inside Levi’s for the Algeria vs. Jordan World Cup Match",
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"headTitle": "What It Was Like Inside Levi’s for the Algeria vs. Jordan World Cup Match | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>One, two, three, viva l’Algerie! One, two, three, viva l’Algerie!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The chants were thunderous, with thousands of fans of Algeria’s national soccer team celebrating a 2-1 victory over Jordan at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/levis-stadium\">Levi’s Stadium\u003c/a> on Monday night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Long after the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083101/world-cup-2026-bay-area-games-where-is-fifa-world-cup-santa-clara-levis-stadium-tickets-fan-zone-watch-parties\">World Cup match\u003c/a> ended, the throngs of revelers filled the cavernous concourses, and the building shook as they danced, jumped for joy and played drums and horns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Algeria’s supporters were the last ones cheering, just about every moment surrounding the match at the temporarily \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cBQqZzxkA4Q\">renamed San Francisco Bay Area Stadium\u003c/a> in Santa Clara felt like a celebration of sport, unity and togetherness among people hailing from far beyond Algeria, Jordan and the broader Middle East.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Right now it’s a time for the Middle East to kind of unite,” Sandy Kikhia of San José said ahead of the match. Kikhia is of Syrian descent and attended her first \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086953/the-world-cup-has-arrived-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area-is-anyone-else-coming\">World Cup game\u003c/a> with two of her sisters, Masah and Jana, all supporting Jordan’s side in the team’s first-ever World Cup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the sisters said a win for either team was a win for the larger community, especially for fans whose teams are not in this World Cup, such as Syrians, Palestinians and Lebanese people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088557\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088557\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-19-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-19-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A child held up on a person’s shoulders waves a Jordanian flag outside Levi’s Stadium, ahead of the World Cup match between Jordan and Algeria, in Santa Clara on Monday, June 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/ KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“There is nothing that is nicer than having our whole Arab community come together for something that brings everyone joy,” Masah Kikhia said. “Such a nice feeling to see everyone wearing their cultural clothing, the shemagh, the keffiyeh,” she said, referring to both the black and white checkered scarves with Palestinian origins, and the red and white version most commonly donned by Jordanians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Fédération Internationale de Football Association, which organizes the World Cup and is widely known as FIFA, didn’t grant KQED any \u003ca href=\"https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2026-06-17/fifa-didnt-offer-gbh-news-media-credentials-for-the-world-cup-we-went-anyway\">media credentials to cover matches\u003c/a>. So we purchased our own upper deck ticket for $400 to experience the game, the stadium and the fandom up close.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fans did not disappoint.[aside postID=news_12086949 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260610-BayAreaStadiumTour-12-BL_KQED.jpg']Even hours ahead of kickoff, the parking lots outside of the stadium were filled with thousands of people wearing their nation’s colors, dancing on cement railings, greeting each other with big hugs and waving huge flags.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Groups of people huddled around news reporters, anxiously awaiting the chance to be broadcast live on Algerian and Jordanian news networks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No tailgating is allowed at World Cup matches, but some generous folks handed out snacks and sweets, like dates and baklava, and others posed for pictures with bags of pistachios.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amine Tigha, an Algerian who lives in New York City, traveled to the Bay Area for this match, also his first World Cup game, and said he loves the weather here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The most important thing,” he said ahead of kickoff, is that Algeria wins the game, but he said the vibes were more of a friendly rivalry with Jordan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know, we both are Arab, we share a lot of things. We share the religion, the language and everything. It’s like a derby. We play like neighbors,” he said with a big laugh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nazim Bellahsene is originally from Algeria and has lived in the U.S. for 15 years. He lives in Santa Clara and came to the match with his wife, Wisam, and his two young kids, Emma and Nolan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088556\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088556\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-18-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-18-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-18-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-18-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Supporters of Jordan’s men’s soccer team party outside of Levi’s Stadium, ahead of the World Cup match between Jordan and Algeria, in Santa Clara on Monday, June 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s super exciting. We’re loving it. It’s really unexpected that it’s here at home, near home. So, you know, we can’t miss it,” he said of the match. Monday was his first time ever seeing the Algerian national team on the pitch in person.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Decked out in an Algerian jersey and draped with the country’s flag, Bellahsene was confident in his side.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re looking forward to a win, for sure,” he said. “But you know, at the same time, enjoying and having a great family time with everybody here in a very festive environment. So it’s going to be fun.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088550\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088550\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fans take a selfie from the concourse of Levi’s Stadium during the World Cup match between Algeria and Jordan in Santa Clara on Monday, June 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The stadium was filled with people from seemingly all backgrounds, from babies to elders, and several fans said they loved the diversity of the Bay Area and the international draw of the sport.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alfred and Veronica Zamora, and their daughter Brianna, are San José residents and big fans of Mexico’s national team. Like many other fans on Monday night, they sported their Mexico kits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The family has been to 49ers games at Levi’s before, but the vibes around the match on Monday were in “a whole different league,” Alfred said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088552\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088552\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-12-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-12-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-12-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-12-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A view of the temporarily renamed San Francisco Bay Area Stadium filled with fans from an upper deck seat purchased by KQED for the World Cup match between Algeria and Jordan on Monday, June 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s just a different experience altogether, you know. [American] football is great, but this is a world event. I feel like everybody’s here and joined together to watch something good.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jasmine and Zayna Alfarah, sisters of Jordanian descent from Los Angeles, drove up to the Bay Area overnight Sunday into Monday with their two friends, Jacqueline Gutierrez and Marilyn Maldonado.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They arrived at 4 a.m. Monday, but said the lack of sleep and long drive was worthwhile.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088553\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088553\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The flags of Algeria and Jordan are displayed on the pitch at Levi’s Stadium on Monday, June 22, 2026, just before kickoff in the World Cup match between the two nations’ men’s soccer teams. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Seeing Jordan come into the World Cup for the first time is just such a beautiful experience,” Jasmine Alfarah said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gutierrez and Maldonado support Mexico and Honduras’ national teams, respectively, but on Monday, like so many fans do during the World Cup, they adopted new team allegiances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re making history,” Gutierrez said of Jordan’s squad. “We’re here to witness this history, and I’m proud.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088551\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088551\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lupita Gonzalez and her dad Sergio Gonzalez, both Oakland residents originally from Mexico, attended their first World Cup game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Monday, June 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>During the game’s newly mandated hydration breaks, while fans around the globe watching TV are served ads, people in the stadium were treated to a live mariachi performance and light shows that connected cell phone flashlights at halftime.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Lupita Gonzalez and her dad Sergio Gonzalez, both Oakland residents originally from Mexico, coming to the game was realizing a dream of his that he had held onto since he was a boy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For Father’s Day, I wanted to give my dad tickets. My dad is a huge soccer fan, and this is his first World Cup ever. As a kid, he dreamed of going to the World Cup when it was in Mexico in 1970. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to do it, so I wanted it to make my dad’s dreams come true,” Gonzalez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088548\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088548\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fans of Algeria’s soccer team celebrate a victory over Jordan in the concourses of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Monday, June 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She and her family \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087163/for-bay-area-latinos-world-cup-is-a-celebration-of-pride-and-identity\">root for Mexico’s team\u003c/a> most days, but on Monday, they were pulling for Jordan. Gonzalez’s great-grandmother immigrated from Lebanon to Mexico, and they wanted to support a nearby country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said she was a bit wary of coming to a World Cup game because of the way the U.S. has treated immigrants and made it harder for some \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087615/protests-and-celebrations-iranians-in-los-angeles-have-mixed-feelings-on-world-cup\">teams and fans to experience the tournament\u003c/a>, but she said her experience on Monday proved that fans will support one another in the name of soccer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s not about the politics. It’s not even about FIFA as an organization. It’s about showing up for the country where you’re from or a country that you want to support. I just love that energy,” she said. “We’re sitting next to folks that are rooting for Algeria, we’re still high-fiving, we’re still enjoying each other’s wins because that’s what the World Cup is about.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"title": "What It Was Like Inside Levi’s for the Algeria vs. Jordan World Cup Match | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>One, two, three, viva l’Algerie! One, two, three, viva l’Algerie!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The chants were thunderous, with thousands of fans of Algeria’s national soccer team celebrating a 2-1 victory over Jordan at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/levis-stadium\">Levi’s Stadium\u003c/a> on Monday night.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Long after the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083101/world-cup-2026-bay-area-games-where-is-fifa-world-cup-santa-clara-levis-stadium-tickets-fan-zone-watch-parties\">World Cup match\u003c/a> ended, the throngs of revelers filled the cavernous concourses, and the building shook as they danced, jumped for joy and played drums and horns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Algeria’s supporters were the last ones cheering, just about every moment surrounding the match at the temporarily \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cBQqZzxkA4Q\">renamed San Francisco Bay Area Stadium\u003c/a> in Santa Clara felt like a celebration of sport, unity and togetherness among people hailing from far beyond Algeria, Jordan and the broader Middle East.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Right now it’s a time for the Middle East to kind of unite,” Sandy Kikhia of San José said ahead of the match. Kikhia is of Syrian descent and attended her first \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086953/the-world-cup-has-arrived-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area-is-anyone-else-coming\">World Cup game\u003c/a> with two of her sisters, Masah and Jana, all supporting Jordan’s side in the team’s first-ever World Cup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the sisters said a win for either team was a win for the larger community, especially for fans whose teams are not in this World Cup, such as Syrians, Palestinians and Lebanese people.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088557\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088557\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-19-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-19-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A child held up on a person’s shoulders waves a Jordanian flag outside Levi’s Stadium, ahead of the World Cup match between Jordan and Algeria, in Santa Clara on Monday, June 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/ KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“There is nothing that is nicer than having our whole Arab community come together for something that brings everyone joy,” Masah Kikhia said. “Such a nice feeling to see everyone wearing their cultural clothing, the shemagh, the keffiyeh,” she said, referring to both the black and white checkered scarves with Palestinian origins, and the red and white version most commonly donned by Jordanians.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Fédération Internationale de Football Association, which organizes the World Cup and is widely known as FIFA, didn’t grant KQED any \u003ca href=\"https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2026-06-17/fifa-didnt-offer-gbh-news-media-credentials-for-the-world-cup-we-went-anyway\">media credentials to cover matches\u003c/a>. So we purchased our own upper deck ticket for $400 to experience the game, the stadium and the fandom up close.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The fans did not disappoint.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Even hours ahead of kickoff, the parking lots outside of the stadium were filled with thousands of people wearing their nation’s colors, dancing on cement railings, greeting each other with big hugs and waving huge flags.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Groups of people huddled around news reporters, anxiously awaiting the chance to be broadcast live on Algerian and Jordanian news networks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>No tailgating is allowed at World Cup matches, but some generous folks handed out snacks and sweets, like dates and baklava, and others posed for pictures with bags of pistachios.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amine Tigha, an Algerian who lives in New York City, traveled to the Bay Area for this match, also his first World Cup game, and said he loves the weather here.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The most important thing,” he said ahead of kickoff, is that Algeria wins the game, but he said the vibes were more of a friendly rivalry with Jordan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You know, we both are Arab, we share a lot of things. We share the religion, the language and everything. It’s like a derby. We play like neighbors,” he said with a big laugh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nazim Bellahsene is originally from Algeria and has lived in the U.S. for 15 years. He lives in Santa Clara and came to the match with his wife, Wisam, and his two young kids, Emma and Nolan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088556\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088556\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-18-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-18-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-18-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-18-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Supporters of Jordan’s men’s soccer team party outside of Levi’s Stadium, ahead of the World Cup match between Jordan and Algeria, in Santa Clara on Monday, June 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s super exciting. We’re loving it. It’s really unexpected that it’s here at home, near home. So, you know, we can’t miss it,” he said of the match. Monday was his first time ever seeing the Algerian national team on the pitch in person.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Decked out in an Algerian jersey and draped with the country’s flag, Bellahsene was confident in his side.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re looking forward to a win, for sure,” he said. “But you know, at the same time, enjoying and having a great family time with everybody here in a very festive environment. So it’s going to be fun.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088550\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088550\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-07-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-07-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-07-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-07-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fans take a selfie from the concourse of Levi’s Stadium during the World Cup match between Algeria and Jordan in Santa Clara on Monday, June 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The stadium was filled with people from seemingly all backgrounds, from babies to elders, and several fans said they loved the diversity of the Bay Area and the international draw of the sport.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alfred and Veronica Zamora, and their daughter Brianna, are San José residents and big fans of Mexico’s national team. Like many other fans on Monday night, they sported their Mexico kits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The family has been to 49ers games at Levi’s before, but the vibes around the match on Monday were in “a whole different league,” Alfred said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088552\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088552\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-12-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-12-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-12-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-12-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A view of the temporarily renamed San Francisco Bay Area Stadium filled with fans from an upper deck seat purchased by KQED for the World Cup match between Algeria and Jordan on Monday, June 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It’s just a different experience altogether, you know. [American] football is great, but this is a world event. I feel like everybody’s here and joined together to watch something good.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jasmine and Zayna Alfarah, sisters of Jordanian descent from Los Angeles, drove up to the Bay Area overnight Sunday into Monday with their two friends, Jacqueline Gutierrez and Marilyn Maldonado.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They arrived at 4 a.m. Monday, but said the lack of sleep and long drive was worthwhile.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088553\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088553\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The flags of Algeria and Jordan are displayed on the pitch at Levi’s Stadium on Monday, June 22, 2026, just before kickoff in the World Cup match between the two nations’ men’s soccer teams. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Seeing Jordan come into the World Cup for the first time is just such a beautiful experience,” Jasmine Alfarah said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gutierrez and Maldonado support Mexico and Honduras’ national teams, respectively, but on Monday, like so many fans do during the World Cup, they adopted new team allegiances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re making history,” Gutierrez said of Jordan’s squad. “We’re here to witness this history, and I’m proud.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088551\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088551\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-11-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-11-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-11-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-11-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lupita Gonzalez and her dad Sergio Gonzalez, both Oakland residents originally from Mexico, attended their first World Cup game at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Monday, June 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>During the game’s newly mandated hydration breaks, while fans around the globe watching TV are served ads, people in the stadium were treated to a live mariachi performance and light shows that connected cell phone flashlights at halftime.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Lupita Gonzalez and her dad Sergio Gonzalez, both Oakland residents originally from Mexico, coming to the game was realizing a dream of his that he had held onto since he was a boy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For Father’s Day, I wanted to give my dad tickets. My dad is a huge soccer fan, and this is his first World Cup ever. As a kid, he dreamed of going to the World Cup when it was in Mexico in 1970. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to do it, so I wanted it to make my dad’s dreams come true,” Gonzalez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12088548\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12088548\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-02-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-02-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-02-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/260622-WCJORALG-KQED-02-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Fans of Algeria’s soccer team celebrate a victory over Jordan in the concourses of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Monday, June 22, 2026. \u003ccite>(Joseph Geha/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She and her family \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087163/for-bay-area-latinos-world-cup-is-a-celebration-of-pride-and-identity\">root for Mexico’s team\u003c/a> most days, but on Monday, they were pulling for Jordan. Gonzalez’s great-grandmother immigrated from Lebanon to Mexico, and they wanted to support a nearby country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said she was a bit wary of coming to a World Cup game because of the way the U.S. has treated immigrants and made it harder for some \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12087615/protests-and-celebrations-iranians-in-los-angeles-have-mixed-feelings-on-world-cup\">teams and fans to experience the tournament\u003c/a>, but she said her experience on Monday proved that fans will support one another in the name of soccer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s not about the politics. It’s not even about FIFA as an organization. It’s about showing up for the country where you’re from or a country that you want to support. I just love that energy,” she said. “We’re sitting next to folks that are rooting for Algeria, we’re still high-fiving, we’re still enjoying each other’s wins because that’s what the World Cup is about.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "After SF Giants Pride Night Culture Clash, Scott Wiener Claps Back at Republicans",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/giants\">San Francisco Giants\u003c/a> players sparked a culture war storm on social media this week after three pitchers were issued warnings by Major League Baseball for wearing Bible verses on the team’s themed Pride Month caps on Friday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California state Sen. Scott Wiener shot back at conservative leaders who claimed the league discriminated against the players for their faith Tuesday, saying that MLB’s blanket policies don’t have a “homophobia exemption.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This isn’t an issue of religious freedom,” Wiener said in a \u003ca href=\"https://sd11.senate.ca.gov/news/senator-wiener-maga-homophobic-backlash-against-major-league-baseball\">statement\u003c/a>. “People have a right to whatever religious beliefs they want — even if those beliefs dehumanize other people — but they don’t have a right to hijack their employer to promote those hateful beliefs at a job-related event.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The controversy stems from the team’s series opener against the Chicago Cubs on June 12 at Oracle Park, when the team held a themed celebration in honor of Pride. Giants players donned special caps for the game that featured the team’s “SF” logo in a rainbow colorway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pitchers Landen Roupp, J.T. Brubaker and Ryan Walker wrote variations of “Gen 9:12-16,” referring to an Old Testament passage about rainbows symbolizing a “covenant between God and every living creature,” on their Pride Night caps. Sam Hentges, another pitcher, wore the team’s classic black and orange cap instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The protest earned a verbal warning from MLB, which said the players’ actions violated league policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087960\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087960\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsGetty2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsGetty2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsGetty2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsGetty2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bryce Eldridge #8 and Ryan Walker #74 of the San Francisco Giants prepare for the game against the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park on June 13, 2026, in San Francisco, California. \u003ccite>(Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Writing of any kind, with any message, is prohibited per Major League Baseball’s Uniform Regulations, which provides in part that, ‘[a] Player may not write, attach, affix, embroider or otherwise display nicknames or messages on apparel or playing equipment,” the league said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7364268/2026/06/15/sf-giants-pride-night-caps-bible-verses-mlb-warning/\">widely reported statement\u003c/a> Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>MLB said the players were told not to wear the written-on hats in future games, but that the action was not disciplinary and “had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the message.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We respect players’ right to free expression … We have given the same warning numerous times in the past to players for messages such as ‘Dad,’ ‘Happy Mother’s Day, I Love Mom’ and names of family members,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After reports that the players had been chastised, Vice President JD Vance weighed in on the social media platform,\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/jdvance/status/2066922921046544396?s=46\"> X\u003c/a>, saying: “Trump won, we don’t have to do this anymore.”[aside postID=news_12086888 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/06/250629-SFPrideParade-30-BL.jpg']Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley also \u003ca href=\"https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-demands-answers-from-mlb-for-penalizing-christian-players/\">sent a letter\u003c/a> to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, demanding an explanation for the league’s “apparent pattern of discriminating against Christians while promoting left-wing ideologies.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Quoting the Bible? That’s now an employment offense? You’ve got to be kidding me. God bless these players. MLB has some explaining to do,” Hawley said on social media.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wiener fired back at the conservative leaders, writing in \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/Scott_Wiener/status/2066934161773126091\">response to Vance\u003c/a>: “In San Francisco, unlike in the White House, we treat LGBTQ people as full human beings & we think bigotry is bad. Perhaps go back into your cave for a minute to chill out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He alleged that the backlash was meant to bully MLB out of enforcing its policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also called on the Giants to take action over the players’ protest, saying their response was inconsistent with longstanding support for the LGBTQ+ community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.mlb.com/giants/community/diversity\">In 1994\u003c/a>, the Giants were the first professional sports team to host an HIV/AIDS awareness game — now an annual event. The team became the first in the MLB to incorporate Pride colors into on-field uniforms for the Pride game in 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, the Giants said: “The San Francisco Giants are proud to support Pride Night and the LGBTQ+ community … We also respect that individuals may make personal choices about participating in team activations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We understand the choice by individual players has caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community and we are sorry for that. Those choices do not change our organization’s commitment to inclusion, belonging, and creating a welcoming environment for all,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/giants\">San Francisco Giants\u003c/a> players sparked a culture war storm on social media this week after three pitchers were issued warnings by Major League Baseball for wearing Bible verses on the team’s themed Pride Month caps on Friday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California state Sen. Scott Wiener shot back at conservative leaders who claimed the league discriminated against the players for their faith Tuesday, saying that MLB’s blanket policies don’t have a “homophobia exemption.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This isn’t an issue of religious freedom,” Wiener said in a \u003ca href=\"https://sd11.senate.ca.gov/news/senator-wiener-maga-homophobic-backlash-against-major-league-baseball\">statement\u003c/a>. “People have a right to whatever religious beliefs they want — even if those beliefs dehumanize other people — but they don’t have a right to hijack their employer to promote those hateful beliefs at a job-related event.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The controversy stems from the team’s series opener against the Chicago Cubs on June 12 at Oracle Park, when the team held a themed celebration in honor of Pride. Giants players donned special caps for the game that featured the team’s “SF” logo in a rainbow colorway.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pitchers Landen Roupp, J.T. Brubaker and Ryan Walker wrote variations of “Gen 9:12-16,” referring to an Old Testament passage about rainbows symbolizing a “covenant between God and every living creature,” on their Pride Night caps. Sam Hentges, another pitcher, wore the team’s classic black and orange cap instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The protest earned a verbal warning from MLB, which said the players’ actions violated league policy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12087960\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12087960\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsGetty2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsGetty2.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsGetty2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2026/06/SFGiantsGetty2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bryce Eldridge #8 and Ryan Walker #74 of the San Francisco Giants prepare for the game against the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park on June 13, 2026, in San Francisco, California. \u003ccite>(Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Writing of any kind, with any message, is prohibited per Major League Baseball’s Uniform Regulations, which provides in part that, ‘[a] Player may not write, attach, affix, embroider or otherwise display nicknames or messages on apparel or playing equipment,” the league said in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7364268/2026/06/15/sf-giants-pride-night-caps-bible-verses-mlb-warning/\">widely reported statement\u003c/a> Tuesday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>MLB said the players were told not to wear the written-on hats in future games, but that the action was not disciplinary and “had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the message.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We respect players’ right to free expression … We have given the same warning numerous times in the past to players for messages such as ‘Dad,’ ‘Happy Mother’s Day, I Love Mom’ and names of family members,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After reports that the players had been chastised, Vice President JD Vance weighed in on the social media platform,\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/jdvance/status/2066922921046544396?s=46\"> X\u003c/a>, saying: “Trump won, we don’t have to do this anymore.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley also \u003ca href=\"https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-demands-answers-from-mlb-for-penalizing-christian-players/\">sent a letter\u003c/a> to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, demanding an explanation for the league’s “apparent pattern of discriminating against Christians while promoting left-wing ideologies.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Quoting the Bible? That’s now an employment offense? You’ve got to be kidding me. God bless these players. MLB has some explaining to do,” Hawley said on social media.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wiener fired back at the conservative leaders, writing in \u003ca href=\"https://x.com/Scott_Wiener/status/2066934161773126091\">response to Vance\u003c/a>: “In San Francisco, unlike in the White House, we treat LGBTQ people as full human beings & we think bigotry is bad. Perhaps go back into your cave for a minute to chill out.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He alleged that the backlash was meant to bully MLB out of enforcing its policies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He also called on the Giants to take action over the players’ protest, saying their response was inconsistent with longstanding support for the LGBTQ+ community.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.mlb.com/giants/community/diversity\">In 1994\u003c/a>, the Giants were the first professional sports team to host an HIV/AIDS awareness game — now an annual event. The team became the first in the MLB to incorporate Pride colors into on-field uniforms for the Pride game in 2021.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a statement, the Giants said: “The San Francisco Giants are proud to support Pride Night and the LGBTQ+ community … We also respect that individuals may make personal choices about participating in team activations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We understand the choice by individual players has caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community and we are sorry for that. Those choices do not change our organization’s commitment to inclusion, belonging, and creating a welcoming environment for all,” the statement said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Another huge sporting event is here in the Bay Area. The World Cup, with 48 participating countries and 104 matches spread out across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, is underway until the final on July 19. In addition to the six World Cup games at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, free watch parties are on all over the region, and two teams – Paraguay and Australia – are using the Bay Area as their base camps.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">KQED reporter Ayah Ali-Ahmad tells us what it’s like on the ground in San Jose, as thousands of visitors come to the Bay Area yet again.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC4325448619&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Links:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086567/team-paraguay-arrives-in-san-jose-ahead-of-world-cup-games-at-levis\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Team Paraguay Arrives in San José Ahead of World Cup Games at Levi’s | KQED\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch3>Episode transcript\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz-Gavarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. The FIFA World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world, with matches all over the U.S., Canada, and Mexico for the next month. And here in the Bay Area, six World Cup games will be played with San Jose and the South Bay at the center of the action.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jeff Konya: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:32] \u003c/em>This community event, you see just the energy in the crowd. It’s gonna be fantastic World Cup. In our part we’re playing, we couldn’t be more thrilled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:41] \u003c/em>San Jose is yet again hoping to capitalize on the thousands of visitors coming to the Bay for this big sporting event. Today, reporter Aya Ali-Ahmad takes us to San Jose to see what World Cup fever looks like on the ground.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:08] \u003c/em>How would you describe the vibes in San Jose around the World Cup right now?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:12] \u003c/em>I think it’s been surprisingly consistent and exciting in San Jose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:22] \u003c/em>Ayah Ali-Ahmad is a reporter for KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:27] \u003c/em>I’ve seen all types of people come down to downtown San Jose where they’re hosting watch parties, people from other parts of the Bay Area, other parts to the country and also the world. So San Pedro is the neighborhood to be in downtown San Jose. It has a lot of sports bars. It has two big food courts with a communal outdoor space to eat. They barricade off part of San Pedro. You can open carry a bunch of drinks from the sports bars into this turf area that they have laid out for people to sit comfortably down or set up lawn chairs. And then they have this 500 square foot screen. They have multiple screens, but one really big screen for people too to watch all 104 of these matches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:30] \u003c/em>It was 97 degrees last week in San Jose and people were out watching the first opening Mexico South Africa match in San Pedro and that was filled up to the brim. There are people hanging out at the parking structure next door just because of how busy it got. People hang out at nearby patios, just filling up the space and being with each other. It’s buzzing, it’s alive. It’s not something that I think I saw really even with the Super Bowl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:06] \u003c/em>Wow, that’s interesting. Yeah, it sounds like people are there for the vibes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:11] \u003c/em>Yeah, and that’s why I kept hearing from people I talked to every time I would go down to San Pedro for these watch parties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Lugene Youssef: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:19] \u003c/em>My name is Lugene. I’m from South Bay. I’ve been living here in San Jose. I’m coming out here today to celebrate Egypt. And I’m here to support their team. So excited. So far we’re winning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Dania Taleb: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:30] \u003c/em>Hi, I’m Dania, also here, local to San Jose. Yeah, shout out Egypt. We’re here to watch the game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:36] \u003c/em>I talked to Lugene Youssef and her friend Dania Taleb, two South Bay natives who have tickets to the Jordan and Algeria game coming up, and they made a pit stop down to San Pedro Square to watch the Belgium and Egypt game, which they were rooting for Egypt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Dania Taleb: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:56] \u003c/em>It’s been really nice just having, like being able to watch it with others who are also passionate about the games as well. And I’m not somebody who’s like the most passionate, I don’t know the names of the players and whatnot, but it’s still fun to kind of like be there to support each other and even like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:10] \u003c/em>And they talked to me about how they came for the vibes and they’ve been coming for the vibe They’ve came to San Pedro every day since the first opening match\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Lugene Youssef: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:21] \u003c/em>It’s an experience that we’re not going to experience again, so like why not?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:28] \u003c/em>I know you also talked to some folks who are actually traveling in for the games as well, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:33] \u003c/em>Yeah, so I stopped a group of guys who are attending their first World Cup game, two that are from Jordan who are accompanying their friend who’s lived in the States for 37 years, who’s also from Jordan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jamal Abu Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:45] \u003c/em>We came to support the Jordanian team, but I’m here to party and enjoy everything, you know.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:53] \u003c/em>Jamal Abu Ahmad and his two friends came from Maryland, staying in the South Bay, stopping by San Pedro Square. They were extremely excited about trying the food in the Bay Area is one thing that they said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jamal Abu Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:07] \u003c/em>Yet and I am in the restaurant business so I am definitely a foodie so we’re gonna check out the food later\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:14] \u003c/em>and they were excited because again it was a first World Cup game despite being fans all their lives and being able to see their team play out in the U.S. Was particularly exciting for them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jamal Abu Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:25] \u003c/em>Yeah, they’re playing tomorrow. They’re playing Austria, I think, and we’re going to win probably 3-0, hopefully. Remember this. And then Algeria, 2-0. And we’re gonna beat Argentina in Texas. Many countries, many people from different worlds, and I love that, more than anything. Doesn’t matter who wins it that day, it’s just like, it’s a beautiful, peaceful gathering for everybody to enjoy the game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:57] \u003c/em>It was really sweet to listen to your conversation with him and just how excited he was. He really just was this person who’s like, ‘I just wanna be where the party is!’\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:07] \u003c/em>Yeah, and even during the Egypt-Belgium game, which was very excitable over in San Pedro, you had a lot of people repping Egypt especially. He was one of many who, even though that’s not his home team, was very loud and proud about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:26] \u003c/em>As I understand it, there’s games that are being played at Levi’s, also these World Cup sanctioned events that are going on all around the city, but also the Bay Area. And there are also teams practicing here in the Bay area, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:43] \u003c/em>Yeah, so there’s two teams who have base camps in the Bay Area. This is also happening in other parts of the US just because, again, how big the World Cup is. 48 countries participating. And so the two teams, one is Australia and Alameda where the Oakland Roots actually trains. And Paraguay is staying over in San Jose and practicing in San José State University’s facilities, the Spartan Soccer Complex.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jeff Konya: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:09] \u003c/em>We were what back in 94 and now again here in 26 with Team Paraguay. This community event, you see just the energy in the crowd. It’s gonna be fantastic World Cup. In our part we’re playing, we couldn’t be more thrilled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:20] \u003c/em>Jeff Konya, the San Jose State University athletic director, actually welcomed the team and he said that the university as well as the city is excited to host the team.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jeff Konya: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:34] \u003c/em>The whole campus is excited about having Team Paraguay here and, you know, they’re having two games up here in the Bay so they’re kind of our adopted team locally, I imagine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:42] \u003c/em>I was able to go down and watch them practice during this fan event. About 500 fans were able to watch for free. They were giving out these cute little FIFA sticker books for kids to get autographed from Paraguay. And a lot of the people I talked to there weren’t even necessarily fans of Paraguaya. They were just excited to, again, be in proximity to these teams.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Kai Burgess: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:07] \u003c/em>I think they’re like, they make it look effortless because they’re so sharp on the ball and they have really good quality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:14] \u003c/em>One pair I met was a father and son coming from Oakland, Kai and Evan Burgess, who said they weren’t initially Paraguay fans, but ended up leaving fans of Paraguaya.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Evan Burgess: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:26] \u003c/em>It was a great way to kick off the World Cup to see the players live, you know, training, getting ready for the World cup and getting ready to watch a lot of the World Cup on TV. So it’s going to be an exciting event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:45] \u003c/em>We’ll have more with KQED’s Ayah Ali Ahmad, right after this break. By the way, if you love the local news deep dives that we bring you here on the Bay, consider becoming a KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:12] \u003c/em>Well, I want to talk, Ayah about just the economic impact that the World Cup could have. Because, I mean, Santa Clara just had the Super Bowl. Huge deal, obviously. Lots of conversation leading up to it, and even after, about the economic benefit of having such a big thing like that here in the Bay Area. Is that the same for the World Cup or not so much?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:38] \u003c/em>It’s a hard comparison. The most recent numbers for the Super Bowl, Santa Clara County themselves are saying they saw 195 million in an economic impact, which was four times as much as the Superbowl a decade ago. I don’t know if it’s going to look the same for the World Cup, because again, the World Cup is spread out. You have the 104 matches, only six are here versus the SuperbowL, which had that single week concentrated of big regional events around the Bay Area and then again the Super Bowl. But I think the World Cup will still have a clear positive impact in the Bay area, again especially in South Bay, in Santa Clara. You might not see hotels filling up the same like the Superbowl, but you’re still going to see a lot of fans visiting. The Bay Area host committee that’s helping with a lot of this stuff is estimating around 260,000 visitors from outside of the Bay are coming in. VTA said the other day for the first Levi’s match that happened this past Saturday, they saw 37,000 riders, which is 6,000 more riders than the Super Bowl brought in. So I think there’s going to be different metrics, but again, those are two very different types of sporting events to compare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:57] \u003c/em>Yeah, it feels a little bit maybe more like a patchwork this time around, whereas the Super Bowl was just like one big.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:06] \u003c/em>Yeah, and in July, the last game hosted at Santa Clara is going to be one of the knockout games. It’s going to July 1st. I think that, depending on who plays that, you’ll see more people coming in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:25] \u003c/em>Well my last few questions for you here Aya, you’re actually from San Jose, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:29] \u003c/em>Yes, I am from San Jose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:31] \u003c/em>What’s it been like for you to just watch all the excitement around the World Cup? I mean, it’s the biggest sporting event in the world. Does it feel like that for you living out there?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:43] \u003c/em>I don’t know if it feels like the world is in San Jose and it’s the biggest sporting event in the world. I think the Super Bowl brought in so much hype that just doesn’t necessarily compare. However, it’s been really fun going down to places like San Pedro Square and seeing it fill up. And it’s also just been fun to get on the bus and see people in FIFA gear. Go to a restaurant in downtown and see people in different jerseys kind of reminded me of my childhood going to some of the free sporting events around the Bay Area like San Jose Giants and yeah just felt like it just feels like the South Bay has a lot to give and to show especially these visiting fans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:12:34] \u003c/em>And it must be nice to see San Jose specifically getting some love, not just like, you know, San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:12:41] \u003c/em>Yeah, San Jose has been doing really well sports-wise. They just announced a female hockey team coming to the SAP Center and sharing that space with sharks. The earthquakes have been doing well. The sharks have been hype. So South Bay has a lot to offer, especially in terms of sports. And I think there’s been finally some sort of recognition to that. And that’s something that the Bay Area Host Committee that, again, is helping host all this sort of stuff and doing a lot of the managing here has said that that’s. That San Jose is the ideal spot in all of the Bay Area to do a lot of these sort of activation activities and bringing fans. Also, you just have a lot of space for people to stay, like at our hotels and.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:23] \u003c/em>Diverse food options in San Jose as well\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:27] \u003c/em>Oh yeah, I mean, you stay anywhere on the Bay Area, but especially San Jose, you can appeal to all types of cultures, all types of visitors, and I think that’s also what San Jose does a really good job at.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:43] \u003c/em>Well Ayah, thank you so much for joining me appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:46] \u003c/em>Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.\u003c/span>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Another huge sporting event is here in the Bay Area. The World Cup, with 48 participating countries and 104 matches spread out across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, is underway until the final on July 19. In addition to the six World Cup games at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, free watch parties are on all over the region, and two teams – Paraguay and Australia – are using the Bay Area as their base camps.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">KQED reporter Ayah Ali-Ahmad tells us what it’s like on the ground in San Jose, as thousands of visitors come to the Bay Area yet again.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm?e=KQINC4325448619&light=true\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Links:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12086567/team-paraguay-arrives-in-san-jose-ahead-of-world-cup-games-at-levis\">\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Team Paraguay Arrives in San José Ahead of World Cup Games at Levi’s | KQED\u003c/span>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch3>Episode transcript\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:00] \u003c/em>I’m Ericka Cruz-Gavarra and welcome to The Bay, local news to keep you rooted. The FIFA World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the world, with matches all over the U.S., Canada, and Mexico for the next month. And here in the Bay Area, six World Cup games will be played with San Jose and the South Bay at the center of the action.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jeff Konya: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:32] \u003c/em>This community event, you see just the energy in the crowd. It’s gonna be fantastic World Cup. In our part we’re playing, we couldn’t be more thrilled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:00:41] \u003c/em>San Jose is yet again hoping to capitalize on the thousands of visitors coming to the Bay for this big sporting event. Today, reporter Aya Ali-Ahmad takes us to San Jose to see what World Cup fever looks like on the ground.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:08] \u003c/em>How would you describe the vibes in San Jose around the World Cup right now?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:12] \u003c/em>I think it’s been surprisingly consistent and exciting in San Jose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:22] \u003c/em>Ayah Ali-Ahmad is a reporter for KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:01:27] \u003c/em>I’ve seen all types of people come down to downtown San Jose where they’re hosting watch parties, people from other parts of the Bay Area, other parts to the country and also the world. So San Pedro is the neighborhood to be in downtown San Jose. It has a lot of sports bars. It has two big food courts with a communal outdoor space to eat. They barricade off part of San Pedro. You can open carry a bunch of drinks from the sports bars into this turf area that they have laid out for people to sit comfortably down or set up lawn chairs. And then they have this 500 square foot screen. They have multiple screens, but one really big screen for people too to watch all 104 of these matches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:02:30] \u003c/em>It was 97 degrees last week in San Jose and people were out watching the first opening Mexico South Africa match in San Pedro and that was filled up to the brim. There are people hanging out at the parking structure next door just because of how busy it got. People hang out at nearby patios, just filling up the space and being with each other. It’s buzzing, it’s alive. It’s not something that I think I saw really even with the Super Bowl.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:06] \u003c/em>Wow, that’s interesting. Yeah, it sounds like people are there for the vibes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:11] \u003c/em>Yeah, and that’s why I kept hearing from people I talked to every time I would go down to San Pedro for these watch parties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Lugene Youssef: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:19] \u003c/em>My name is Lugene. I’m from South Bay. I’ve been living here in San Jose. I’m coming out here today to celebrate Egypt. And I’m here to support their team. So excited. So far we’re winning.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Dania Taleb: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:30] \u003c/em>Hi, I’m Dania, also here, local to San Jose. Yeah, shout out Egypt. We’re here to watch the game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:36] \u003c/em>I talked to Lugene Youssef and her friend Dania Taleb, two South Bay natives who have tickets to the Jordan and Algeria game coming up, and they made a pit stop down to San Pedro Square to watch the Belgium and Egypt game, which they were rooting for Egypt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Dania Taleb: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:03:56] \u003c/em>It’s been really nice just having, like being able to watch it with others who are also passionate about the games as well. And I’m not somebody who’s like the most passionate, I don’t know the names of the players and whatnot, but it’s still fun to kind of like be there to support each other and even like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:10] \u003c/em>And they talked to me about how they came for the vibes and they’ve been coming for the vibe They’ve came to San Pedro every day since the first opening match\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Lugene Youssef: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:21] \u003c/em>It’s an experience that we’re not going to experience again, so like why not?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:28] \u003c/em>I know you also talked to some folks who are actually traveling in for the games as well, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:33] \u003c/em>Yeah, so I stopped a group of guys who are attending their first World Cup game, two that are from Jordan who are accompanying their friend who’s lived in the States for 37 years, who’s also from Jordan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jamal Abu Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:45] \u003c/em>We came to support the Jordanian team, but I’m here to party and enjoy everything, you know.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:04:53] \u003c/em>Jamal Abu Ahmad and his two friends came from Maryland, staying in the South Bay, stopping by San Pedro Square. They were extremely excited about trying the food in the Bay Area is one thing that they said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jamal Abu Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:07] \u003c/em>Yet and I am in the restaurant business so I am definitely a foodie so we’re gonna check out the food later\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:14] \u003c/em>and they were excited because again it was a first World Cup game despite being fans all their lives and being able to see their team play out in the U.S. Was particularly exciting for them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jamal Abu Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:25] \u003c/em>Yeah, they’re playing tomorrow. They’re playing Austria, I think, and we’re going to win probably 3-0, hopefully. Remember this. And then Algeria, 2-0. And we’re gonna beat Argentina in Texas. Many countries, many people from different worlds, and I love that, more than anything. Doesn’t matter who wins it that day, it’s just like, it’s a beautiful, peaceful gathering for everybody to enjoy the game.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:05:57] \u003c/em>It was really sweet to listen to your conversation with him and just how excited he was. He really just was this person who’s like, ‘I just wanna be where the party is!’\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:07] \u003c/em>Yeah, and even during the Egypt-Belgium game, which was very excitable over in San Pedro, you had a lot of people repping Egypt especially. He was one of many who, even though that’s not his home team, was very loud and proud about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:26] \u003c/em>As I understand it, there’s games that are being played at Levi’s, also these World Cup sanctioned events that are going on all around the city, but also the Bay Area. And there are also teams practicing here in the Bay area, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:06:43] \u003c/em>Yeah, so there’s two teams who have base camps in the Bay Area. This is also happening in other parts of the US just because, again, how big the World Cup is. 48 countries participating. And so the two teams, one is Australia and Alameda where the Oakland Roots actually trains. And Paraguay is staying over in San Jose and practicing in San José State University’s facilities, the Spartan Soccer Complex.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jeff Konya: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:09] \u003c/em>We were what back in 94 and now again here in 26 with Team Paraguay. This community event, you see just the energy in the crowd. It’s gonna be fantastic World Cup. In our part we’re playing, we couldn’t be more thrilled.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:20] \u003c/em>Jeff Konya, the San Jose State University athletic director, actually welcomed the team and he said that the university as well as the city is excited to host the team.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Jeff Konya: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:34] \u003c/em>The whole campus is excited about having Team Paraguay here and, you know, they’re having two games up here in the Bay so they’re kind of our adopted team locally, I imagine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:07:42] \u003c/em>I was able to go down and watch them practice during this fan event. About 500 fans were able to watch for free. They were giving out these cute little FIFA sticker books for kids to get autographed from Paraguay. And a lot of the people I talked to there weren’t even necessarily fans of Paraguaya. They were just excited to, again, be in proximity to these teams.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Kai Burgess: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:07] \u003c/em>I think they’re like, they make it look effortless because they’re so sharp on the ball and they have really good quality.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:14] \u003c/em>One pair I met was a father and son coming from Oakland, Kai and Evan Burgess, who said they weren’t initially Paraguay fans, but ended up leaving fans of Paraguaya.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Evan Burgess: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:26] \u003c/em>It was a great way to kick off the World Cup to see the players live, you know, training, getting ready for the World cup and getting ready to watch a lot of the World Cup on TV. So it’s going to be an exciting event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:08:45] \u003c/em>We’ll have more with KQED’s Ayah Ali Ahmad, right after this break. By the way, if you love the local news deep dives that we bring you here on the Bay, consider becoming a KQED member. We can’t do this work without you. Just go to donate.kqed.org slash podcasts. We’ll be right back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:12] \u003c/em>Well, I want to talk, Ayah about just the economic impact that the World Cup could have. Because, I mean, Santa Clara just had the Super Bowl. Huge deal, obviously. Lots of conversation leading up to it, and even after, about the economic benefit of having such a big thing like that here in the Bay Area. Is that the same for the World Cup or not so much?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:09:38] \u003c/em>It’s a hard comparison. The most recent numbers for the Super Bowl, Santa Clara County themselves are saying they saw 195 million in an economic impact, which was four times as much as the Superbowl a decade ago. I don’t know if it’s going to look the same for the World Cup, because again, the World Cup is spread out. You have the 104 matches, only six are here versus the SuperbowL, which had that single week concentrated of big regional events around the Bay Area and then again the Super Bowl. But I think the World Cup will still have a clear positive impact in the Bay area, again especially in South Bay, in Santa Clara. You might not see hotels filling up the same like the Superbowl, but you’re still going to see a lot of fans visiting. The Bay Area host committee that’s helping with a lot of this stuff is estimating around 260,000 visitors from outside of the Bay are coming in. VTA said the other day for the first Levi’s match that happened this past Saturday, they saw 37,000 riders, which is 6,000 more riders than the Super Bowl brought in. So I think there’s going to be different metrics, but again, those are two very different types of sporting events to compare.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:10:57] \u003c/em>Yeah, it feels a little bit maybe more like a patchwork this time around, whereas the Super Bowl was just like one big.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:06] \u003c/em>Yeah, and in July, the last game hosted at Santa Clara is going to be one of the knockout games. It’s going to July 1st. I think that, depending on who plays that, you’ll see more people coming in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:25] \u003c/em>Well my last few questions for you here Aya, you’re actually from San Jose, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:29] \u003c/em>Yes, I am from San Jose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:31] \u003c/em>What’s it been like for you to just watch all the excitement around the World Cup? I mean, it’s the biggest sporting event in the world. Does it feel like that for you living out there?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:11:43] \u003c/em>I don’t know if it feels like the world is in San Jose and it’s the biggest sporting event in the world. I think the Super Bowl brought in so much hype that just doesn’t necessarily compare. However, it’s been really fun going down to places like San Pedro Square and seeing it fill up. And it’s also just been fun to get on the bus and see people in FIFA gear. Go to a restaurant in downtown and see people in different jerseys kind of reminded me of my childhood going to some of the free sporting events around the Bay Area like San Jose Giants and yeah just felt like it just feels like the South Bay has a lot to give and to show especially these visiting fans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:12:34] \u003c/em>And it must be nice to see San Jose specifically getting some love, not just like, you know, San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:12:41] \u003c/em>Yeah, San Jose has been doing really well sports-wise. They just announced a female hockey team coming to the SAP Center and sharing that space with sharks. The earthquakes have been doing well. The sharks have been hype. So South Bay has a lot to offer, especially in terms of sports. And I think there’s been finally some sort of recognition to that. And that’s something that the Bay Area Host Committee that, again, is helping host all this sort of stuff and doing a lot of the managing here has said that that’s. That San Jose is the ideal spot in all of the Bay Area to do a lot of these sort of activation activities and bringing fans. Also, you just have a lot of space for people to stay, like at our hotels and.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:23] \u003c/em>Diverse food options in San Jose as well\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:27] \u003c/em>Oh yeah, I mean, you stay anywhere on the Bay Area, but especially San Jose, you can appeal to all types of cultures, all types of visitors, and I think that’s also what San Jose does a really good job at.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:43] \u003c/em>Well Ayah, thank you so much for joining me appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Ayah Ali-Ahmad: \u003c/b>\u003cem>[00:13:46] \u003c/em>Thanks for having me.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
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"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
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},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
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"order": 1
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"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
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"order": 9
},
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"id": "freakonomics-radio",
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"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
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},
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"id": "fresh-air",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"hidden-brain": {
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"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
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"how-i-built-this": {
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"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
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"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"order": 15
},
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},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
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"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
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},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
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"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
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},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
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"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
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"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
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},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
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