Despite my annoyance with FIFA, the outrageous ticket prices, Italy not qualifying for the third time in a row, and my TV not picking up FOX 11’s signal, the 2026 World Cup is the most fun watching experience I have ever had.
I watched many matches at Warehouse 9 where additional TVs were placed in the courtyard to accommodate the spectators. Each watch party was a bit different, including imported German and Belgian beers when each country played.
Managers Erik Ramos and Bonny Jackson noted that despite the very large crowds, the venue remained a safe, family-friendly environment that served as a community hub for people to watch the matches. They were steadily busy throughout the World Cup and observed that Mexico’s games drew the largest (about 1,300 people) and most hyped crowds. The second-largest crowd (about 980 people) was for the co-hosted Croatia match, followed by the USA games (about 600 people).
Spirited Croatian-Americans sporting checkered red-and-white apparel packed the Croatian American Club for each game. For the occasion, Croatian beer was available and, depending on the day, cevapcici or mostaccioli plates.
My friend and board member, Ana Jelenic, was happy to see so many enjoy the games and celebrate together. She was also pleased with the opportunity to co-host one of the games at Warehouse 9 in a mutually supportive collaboration. To add to the excitement, the Croatian American Club was featured in a short segment in a FOX 11 pre-game show, highlighting the hall’s position in the community and a clip of ecstatic fans piled on the front steps, cheering and waving their flags for the Croatian team.
The Norwegian Seamen’s Church also held watch parties for Norway’s games. The match against England was the most popular, with standing room only. Anna Spilling Isaksen, director of hospitality, estimated that they had double the amount of people from previous matches, requiring TVs in every room, including in the basement area.
For the occasion, Norwegian waffles and hot dogs were for sale. As it turns out, Norwegians eat a lot of hot dogs. However, their version is wrapped in flatbread and topped with ketchup, mustard, and French-fried onions. Diaconal worker and resident MC Petter Piita Isaksen led us through the traditional Norwegian “Ro!,” pronounced “roo,” a rhythmic, synchronized rowing motion to the beat of drums that symbolizes cheering for their team.
I attended one of the West Harbor Fan Zone events in the upcoming amphitheater area. General admission spectators held court at the back of the newly installed turf. The first-tier VIPs sat in the turf’s front rows and in chairs on the sideline, while the upper-tier VIPs had access to the shaded furnished sitting area.
Food for purchase included San Pedro Fish Market, Lo Zio Pizzeria, The Glass Box, Freska Bar, Dezzertaholic, and Yamashiro (in the VIP section). Drink concession booths offered beer, wine, and mixed drinks.
Alan Johnson, whose firm, Jerico Development, is building West Harbor, told me he was pleased with the large and enthusiastic crowd. Despite some skepticism leading up to the Fan Zone events, Johnson had no doubts the venue would be ready for the watch parties.
I went to the Basque Club Taberna (1100 S. Pacific Ave.) for the Spain matches, including the final. The taberna is an homage to the owners’ heritage, Mike and Victoria Calderon. The Basques are one of the oldest indigenous European peoples, with their own independent language and culture, and their territory lies on the border of Spain and France.
The Calderons’ family is from the Spain side, and they are huge fans of the Spanish team. For the final match, Victoria made pickled tongue sandwiches, a Basque-American delicacy. Mike felt ecstatic about Spain winning the World Cup and was happy to see a supportive community come in to watch the match. He noted that it was the largest number of patrons they had on a Sunday.
In San Pedro, the World Cup brought many of us together, creating a positive economic impact on the businesses that streamed the matches. My experience was enriched by viewing it through the lens of the multitude of cultures and nationalities that make up our town, as well as by an exciting preview of attending events at West Harbor. spt
Sanam Lamborn created the Eat in San Pedro Facebook group and Instagram in April 2020 to entice people to patronize San Pedro’s eateries.
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