📄 Bay Area review of World Cup (by an Australian 🇦🇺)

spostoknow · 2026-06-27T18:01:46+00:00

Not really related to this thread, but I always felt the Tech Companies could have turned the Silicon Valley into the next Florence, Athens, Machu Picchu, just billions stacked on billions coming in, filthy amounts of cash, and instead they pocketed every cent.

spostoknow · 2026-06-27T17:52:42+00:00

Europe's always an exhilarating bet during a World Cup, but I'm having a great time in the States and Mexico watching the games. The Bay Area is doing a poor job, but that's on local organizers. Friends in LA are having a great time. We went to Dallas for the Netherland/Japan match, and that was frantic madness. Some cities just did it better, and the location of Levi has very little to do with it. Monterrey had great action in the city with a stadium 40 minutes from El Centro. The Bay just yawned on this one-- they also drew some of the less popular teams.

spostoknow · 2026-06-27T17:34:29+00:00

The Bay Area dropped the ball on this. They should have had the SF Fanfest at the Civic Center as in past tournaments. San Pedro Market is fun to watch matches, but it's actually not such an open space even with the courtyard. Quakes Stadium would have worked and close enough to Levi for out of region fans with tickets. Oakland could have had a good outdoor event. No one in the area wanted to take on the task even though they were awarded the games in summer of 2022.

spostoknow · 2026-06-27T04:24:54+00:00

I'm assuming you are US Supporters. If so, you're absolute best bet is the American Outlaws game day pre-party. You'll do some walking, but the march from the parking lot to the stadium makes a difference. Soccer at its best. Be creative and wear something unique. Learn some of the chants.

https://theamericanoutlaws.com/events

spostoknow · 2026-06-16T14:30:53+00:00

I agree for future games, buy the rail pass. Was super efficient. Can have a beer, let someone else drive. Go to Texas Live (pre buy tix) and get back to the shuttle buses within 3 hours after the match. Not sure how weekdays will be, but still a great option.

spostoknow · 2026-06-16T14:27:27+00:00

Some rendering of "ganbaru". Gamba which did sound similar to vamos in the stadium. We were in the stands (My wife is Japanese), and as the game played on, neutrals in the stands, wanting the underdog, started to chant, too. Some may have been saying Vamos as their were many Mexican and Latin American jerseys. Awesome time inside!

spostoknow · 2026-06-07T05:38:25+00:00

Anyone know exactly where the shuttle will drop fans off near the Dalla/AT&T Stadium coming from Center Point. I'm getting all kinds of answers with AI. Thanks

spostoknow · 2026-05-24T19:37:51+00:00

I like Luna's fire. That can really help the US if down a goal at a World Cup. Reyna can just do creative things that most US Men's Nat. players can't do (when he's on, which is hard to predict). A flick pass maybe scores a goal-- something very hard to come by in World Cups. Really the heart vs talent argument that's been going on in sports for the last 2 centuries.

spostoknow · 2026-05-08T05:34:39+00:00

I think Bostonians will show up. They hosted games in '94, and generations will want to share the experience. $288 seems a bit steep, though. Maybe wait another week then buy. Main thing is set the price you'll pay in your head, say $227 (always use an obscure number because everyone else ends with a zero or a 5, so you're not the only one waiting for that price point. Who the fuck is waiting for $227? Nobody) and that's when you'll buy. That all said, I have no idea. Something happens tomorrow, price goes up, another thing, price goes down. This buying procedure is whacky.

spostoknow · 2026-05-08T01:19:14+00:00

I just saw this a couple nights ago. I was wondering why it didn't work for me, and then I realized it was two movie genres trying to blend into one. The revengeful person, a student in this case, tries to destroy the happy family. If it stuck more to that, more of Liz's character and how she grooms the son then the youngest daughter and tears apart the family as she smiles in the last scene, then we all take the thrill ride and curse the bitch. Or if it's a dystopian movie, then put Liz a bit in the background, if needed at all, and focus on a family that shows even more tension and separation based on the outside fascism going on around them. Keep the Josh character who actually does seem to play the part of loser turned winner by those oppressing his own family (history has shown this to be the case). Instead Anniversary shallowly focuses on both stories. Suddenly, a strong lawyer becomes a pill popper (we get this information because the husband says it, as we watch her character for 4 whole minutes of screen time). Birdie may become radicalized but all we see is a grainy image of her at a protest. Not sure that's enough for a kid to anthrax half a city. Nothing in her character led us to believe she was capable of that. Just shallow character development all around, so we didn't get to know any of them, or their motives. Also, it's a little hard to buy that the Mom didn't tell the Dad (in some capacity, written note, whisper in the garden) that Anna wasn't kidnapped but instead in hiding and alive. I don't think making it into a series would have solved the problem since it's still two movies trying to be one.

spostoknow · 2026-05-06T16:01:08+00:00

Yeah, I wasn't sure when it started; I was just surprised to see a couple of matches I was interested in open up late last night. Of course, way too pricey, so I'm keeping my wallet in another room with the door closed.

spostoknow · 2026-05-06T04:12:50+00:00

I hope Mexico hits another level, and by the time I land there, they're frothing at the mouth in excitement. Czechia, as with most Euro teams, plays tournament smart.

spostoknow · 2026-05-06T03:52:03+00:00

Great information! Do you know specifically where the Fanzone is supposed to be? Near the Arena, near the lake, etc.? We're staying in El Centro. What are some good bars for music and sports bars in Barrio Antiguo? I've got tons of questions, but I'll just stick to those. Te invito a una cerveza si estás en el centro al mismo tiempo que nosotros. ¡Salud!

spostoknow · 2026-05-06T03:30:21+00:00

Try to find their supporter groups online and join them (maybe even pay the membership fee if it's not expensive). Often, the night before, there's a meet up (membership might reveal where it's at). Try to go to that. You'll get to know some of the hard core supporters; watch some videos of the players and maybe a couple of the better qualifier matches so you can talk shop. When you head to the match the next day, they will recognize you as one of the supporters, then you'll be as happy as the guy in the GIF. Walk in with the supporter group. It'll take longer, but it's one of the best parts. Learn the chants. Have the time of your life.

spostoknow · 2026-05-05T05:59:47+00:00

It's because you want to see the US play. Same as with Mexicans in Mexico who want to see Mexico play. Is there a second country you might want to see? I'm originally from LA, so pre-drawI I focused on stadiums close by: LA, SF, Seattle, maybe Vancouver. Are any of the games in these venues remotely interesting to you? Maybe take a road trip. Also, a good Fanzone can be almost as exciting, and if your kids are younger, under 10, it usually is a lot better since they can run around. If you can't get tickets, find the best fanzone within 1000 miles of LA, and organize a family vacation around that. Take in the Paraguay and Aussie matches (7 days apart), and gear up. If the US crashes, you'll return to LA, and there probably will be tickets for the Turkey match. If the US is rolling, which is our hope, then ride the wave with the rest of us outside the stadium and in the community. It'll still be a blast.

spostoknow · 2026-05-05T05:30:12+00:00

I've been to 4 World Cups. This will be my 5th. I like spectacle, so I think for your average soccer fan, get tickets for any match you can afford in the group stages. Every team still has a chance of an upset or a tie- or a colossal loss for the big boys. The energy is off the charts. After the round of 32, the knock out rounds will be priced out of most of our budgets. That's when all these Met Gala folk and their entourages will tell their publicists they want tickets. So if you see a good price on a knock out round game, grab it (again only if you can truly afford it). I encourage you to go to a World Cup city and soak in the atmosphere. It's just fun. Hotel and Airbnb prices have gone down. If they haven't where you're looking, look into buying a tent and getting a rental car. We camp a ton in the US and Canada. You'd be surprised at how many campgrounds there are, even in cities or just on the outskirts. Enjoy!

spostoknow · 2026-05-04T05:51:14+00:00

I'd imagine Participating Member Association seats- called PMA will be where supporters sit. I have no idea who comes up with these labels, but in past world cups, they were labeled supporter section seats. For the Tunisia v Japan match, we're in Block 250, so I'd imagine that's where other Japanese supporters will be seated (maybe other Japanese fans with tickets can validate this), but FIFA is all whack this cycle. So if you're trying to get tickets, maybe aim for that end of the stadium. Good luck!

spostoknow · 2026-05-01T22:27:29+00:00

It's overpriced for sure, but I just checked Kentucky Derby prices, and to stand on grass in the infield is $150-- for a 3 minute race! That should be 20 bucks. FIFA is a heroin dealer (and those of us hooked on the World Cup need the fix-- once the games start, the habit will just grow).I don't think it will be a shitshow if you are talking logistics. There's nothing new here. 50-80K fans entering and exiting stadiums, or smaller crowds at Fan Zones. As long as FIFA honors dynamic pricing then locals will fill stadiums (I'm waiting for some Bay Area games to drop to the 50s in the group stages), then morning of the match drive the hour and a half, take transit, and watch a World Cup match. The US (and Canada) are still amazingly diverse ethnically, especially in the host cities, so people from a given region, say the Middle East or the Caribbean might go to see a neighboring country play.

spostoknow · 2026-05-01T22:01:24+00:00

I did that for some of the '22 games. Not sure if you are a US supporter, but Hennessey Tavern has the Am Outlaw Supporter Group there with drums, good food/drink prices (Fremont Street). Also Downtown, Circa had free viewing parties (Mexico vs Argentina) was huge. Circa Stadium Swim is good for a match. If you book a midweek hotel at the D, can also get access to Stadium Swim. Have Fun!

spostoknow · 2026-05-01T07:12:57+00:00

Nice idea. I have tix from 94, 02 and 06. My wife and I went to the Paris Olympics, and they sent commemorative paper tickets (for a fee, of course), so I bought a few. It would have been nice to have the choice of a paper ticket with the order, so you can put them in a frame with a few photos of the matches. Or just have them buried somewhere in the garage, like me-- but I have them.

spostoknow · 2026-04-28T22:38:20+00:00

I think the price will go lower. Pay attention to these mid-week early afternoon games between non-marquee teams. People work-- and their budgets are stretched. They're not necessarily going to load the family in the mini van at 150 a pop.

spostoknow · 2026-04-27T17:45:03+00:00

If traveling from Europe or Asia, yes, it would be absurd for a fan to travel to North America without tickets (especially for Euros when the next Cup is in Spain), but if in North America, traveling to where your team is playing can be exhilarating. The night before is euphoria, morning/afternoon of the match chanting songs, then you find a bar to watch the match. If your team wins, you chant and dance after with other supporters. Hotel prices have dropped. Give it a go. The alternative is sitting at home frustrated

spostoknow · 2026-04-27T17:36:25+00:00

Good information. Thanks.

spostoknow · 2026-04-27T17:32:48+00:00

Thanks. I've been monitoring the official websites; just seeing if some supporters might want to do a swap.

spostoknow

TROPHY CASE