SANTA CLARA, California — Before the World Cup kicked off, the San Francisco Bay Area was drawing plenty of criticism. Despite the region’s enormous tech wealth and global business clout, its lineup of matches was considered anything but exciting, leaving fans grumbling about the absence of high-profile teams.
While other host cities like Kansas City landed Argentina and Boston welcomed England, the Bay Area was stuck with a more obscure set of nations. Switzerland, ranked 16th in the world, was the highest-ranked team to visit in the first five matches.
For fans of Arab soccer, however, the schedule was a treat — Qatar, Algeria, and Jordan each played at the home of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, with Jordan appearing twice.
Social media users ranked the Bay Area as having the dullest fixture list among all 11 U.S. host cities. Add in the limited nightlife options near the stadium in quiet Santa Clara, and there were real concerns the region would come up short. A San Francisco Chronicle headline even asked days before the tournament began: “The World Cup was supposed to be a Bay Area bonanza. Why does it feel like a flop?”
That pessimistic outlook has since done a complete reversal. Fans have shown up in large numbers to all five matches held so far.
James Fay, a recently retired CFO from a tech company, spoke with Reuters at last Thursday’s Australia-Paraguay group match. “I follow European football, so for sure, I was disappointed, I would have liked more balance in the teams we got here, for my own self-interest,” he said. “But having a World Cup here is fantastic, there was no way I was going to miss it. I didn’t get to go in ’94, it’s my first World Cup, so I’m coming, no matter what.”
Fay was part of a crowd of 68,827 — just a few hundred shy of the venue’s maximum capacity of 69,391. The smallest crowd recorded by organizers was 67,966, for the opening match between Switzerland and Qatar.
Neutral fans have been a consistent presence at every game. During the Australia-Paraguay match, American spectators erupted in cheers when the scoreboard flashed a goal update from the simultaneous U.S.-Turkey game being played elsewhere.
Mexican fans from San Jose and other large Latino communities across the South Bay Area have been especially enthusiastic, turning out in particular for Paraguay’s two appearances.
“It has been amazing to see the diversity and international fandom that has come into the Bay and participated in fan marches, attended games, and experienced everything we have to offer,” the Bay Area Host Committee said in a statement provided to Reuters.
Bay Area resident Nick Zhang attended the Australia-Paraguay match with two friends, paying $330 for a seat in the stadium’s uppermost deck, sitting in direct afternoon sunlight. “Well, there was a game on and we just wanted the experience. We’re way up high but we can still get a taste of it,” he said.
Once dismissed as boring, the Bay Area is now having the last laugh. The region is gearing up to host co-host nation the United States on Wednesday in a round-of-32 showdown against Bosnia. Resale ticket prices have surged dramatically, with the lowest-priced option on StubHub listed at nearly $2,000.
Outside the stadium, organizers are preparing for a massive celebration at the main fan zone at San Pedro Square in San Jose, where a fourth giant screen is being installed for the knockout stage game. According to the Bay Area Host Committee, more than 350,000 people have visited the square since the tournament began.
“There’s been some left-field teams coming to town but the U.S. will be a good finish to the party,” said James Martinez, a local student, speaking to Reuters at the Bay Area Stadium.
