NewsNBC Bay Area — South BayJuly 3, 2026Santa Clara
San Jose Moves World Cup Watch Parties to Larger Venues
San Jose is relocating official World Cup watch parties for the Mexico-England match to SAP Center and Discovery Meadow to accommodate larger crowds. This decision follows overcrowding and safety incidents at San Pedro Square during previous matches.
Read the full story at NBC Bay Area — South BayWhy It Matters
Residents planning to attend the Mexico-England or Brazil-Norway matches must go to SAP Center or Discovery Meadow instead of San Pedro Square, as official events have been moved to manage crowd safety.
Key Facts
- Official watch parties for the Mexico-England match are moved to SAP Center and Discovery Meadow.
- Discovery Meadow will host the Brazil-Norway match at 1 p.m. and the Mexico-England match at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
- SAP Center will host the Mexico-England match on Sunday.
- Tickets for the official watch parties at the new venues sold out on Friday.
- San Pedro Square will remain open for bars and restaurants on Sunday despite the move of official events.
- Official watch parties will return to San Pedro Square on Monday for the USA vs. Belgium match.
- Over 40,000 fans attempted to attend the Mexico-Ecuador match at San Pedro Square, leading to overcrowding and safety concerns.
- Two people were stabbed and several arrests were made following the Mexico-Ecuador match at San Pedro Square.
Who's Mentioned
personDavid Mulvehill“Owner of O'Flaherty's Irish Pub.”locationSAP Center“New venue for the Mexico-England watch party.”locationSan Jose“The city government managing the watch party locations.”personMatt Mahan“Mayor of San Jose.”locationSan Pedro Square“Previous venue for watch parties; will remain open for business but not host off”locationDiscovery Meadow“New venue for Mexico-England and Brazil-Norway watch parties.”