FIFA World Cup excitement in the South Bay kicks off at Santa Clara night market
· Yahoo Sports
With the first FIFA World Cup match in the Bay Area just one week away, Santa Clara's monthly night market embraced a soccer theme to build excitement for the upcoming games.
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The free event featured food and thrift vendors, live entertainment, cultural performances and soccer-themed activities and games hosted by the San Jose Earthquakes and Bay FC. It had soccer challenges, coloring activities and jerseys, drawing crowds eager to celebrate the sport ahead of matches set to take place at Levi's Stadium.
"I think a lot of people have heard about this event and then people are seeing the whole soccer side of it. Everyone is swarmed over in this area," said Ella, a community marketing representative with the San Jose Earthquakes.
Families, soccer fans and visitors filled the market Friday and Saturday evenings, testing their skills at soccer challenges, shopping for jerseys and counting down to the start of the tournament.
"We have jerseys from all over the world," said vendor Dre Lucero with Pop Up San Jose. "Soccer jerseys are big sellers for the World Cup."
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The event is one of several World Cup-themed celebrations taking place across the South Bay ahead of the Bay Area's first match at Levi's Stadium on June 13.
Local teams say the approaching tournament has sparked renewed interest in soccer, with fans stopping by booths to learn more.
"There's a lot of hype around it. And people come to our booth, especially just asking about the World Cup. And we're like, 'Oh, hey, like we're also the professional women's soccer team in the Bay Area. You should come watch us,'" said Arlin Guzman with Bay FC.
Longtime fans and newcomers alike gathered at the event, reflecting the sport's broad appeal.
"I remember it being at Stanford Stadium right down the street. So, 30 years later it's just amazing to see," said Santa Clara resident Andres Moreno.
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Organizers say creating free events like the night market gives residents a chance to be part of the World Cup experience, even if they don't attend a match in person.
"We know not everybody can afford a ticket to go to one of these matches, so we wanted to bring some of that excitement to the community," said Santa Clara spokesperson Janine De La Vega.
"Having friends of all nationalities rooting for their countries and just that little bit of friendly competition -- having it here is going to be a lot of fun," said Bryce with the San Jose Earthquakes.
For some fans, the excitement started in downtown San Jose, where a giant soccer ball installation outside San Pedro Square Market has become a popular destination for photos and social media posts.
With the FIFA World Cup just days away, soccer fans were already getting into the spirit at Santa Clara's FIFA-themed night market.
"It's better than I imagined," said one visitor after seeing the display in person.
Fans proudly represented countries from around the world while discussing which teams they'll be cheering for during the tournament.
"The day U.S. is playing, we're cheering U.S., or the day Brazil is playing, the same happens with Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador," said soccer fan Claudette Bautista.
The Bay Area will host six FIFA World Cup matches at Levi's Stadium this summer, bringing fans from around the globe to Santa Clara.
With multiple matches scheduled in Santa Clara over the coming weeks, organizers and attendees say the excitement is only just beginning. Even if you didn't score tickets, there will be dozens of watch parties to choose from.
"Definitely will not be watching it at home. We're going to be watching with people. Soccer's meant to be watched in massive crowds," Moreno said.
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