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As the World Cup moves toward its conclusion this weekend, these photographs from NPR station photographers look beyond the stadium pitches to the places where fans gathered to take in the games. At watch parties just outside the stadiums' gates, on street corners and in public parks and squares, these photos capture the rituals, anticipation, joy, disappointment and celebration that unfolded as the World Cup became, for a brief period, a part of local life.
Accompanied by firsthand reflections from the photographers, these images offer a glimpse of how local communities gathered to share in the Cup, as well as the observations that stayed with the photographers who documented it.
Guests in the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center's wave pool watch Norway play against Senegal on June 22 in Chula Vista, California. The resort was filled with young families for Father's Day, hoping to beat a heat wave, and as soon as the game came on, people began to gather around the screen. Riley Arthur/KPBS hide caption
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Riley Arthur/KPBS
In the first days of the Cup, I photographed a watch party that overtook downtown Chula Vista, Calif., with an estimated 25,000 people, so watching the game at the Gaylord resort felt comparatively subdued. After spending time photographing while bobbing in the water alongside swimmers merrily discussing the game, I left the pool to gather my things. Just before exiting, I looked back and was struck by the surreal juxtaposition in front of me: an artificial beach, a giant screen, two teams from halfway around the world and local fans cheering with the enthusiasm usually reserved for our home MLS and NWSL teams (San Diego FC and San Diego Wave FC)! I rushed to find my camera so I could capture this scene that felt uniquely San Diego County. — Riley Arthur, KPBS
U.S. fans gather to watch their team rout Paraguay 4-1 during the FIFA World Cup on Friday, June 12, outside Amsterdam Tavern in south St. Louis. Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio hide caption
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Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio
More than 1,000 fans gathered outside Amsterdam Tavern in south St. Louis on Friday, June 12, to watch the U.S. Men's National Team open its World Cup run against Paraguay. Co-owner Jeff Lyell closed a block of Morgan Ford Road and rolled in a massive screen, creating one of the city's largest and most authentic watch parties. The scale and energy of St. Louis' soccer community are notable in a city where five local players helped the U.S. stun England in the 1950 World Cup. This moment shows how sport can create common ground and bring people together. — Brian Munoz, STLPR
American Outlaws St. Louis Chapter President Kevin Marshall (second from left) takes a selfie alongside club members and St. Louisans who set up their TV for hundreds to watch after a power outage cut the USMNT vs. Paraguay stream outside Amsterdam Tavern on Friday, June 12, in south St. Louis. Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio hide caption
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Brian Munoz/St. Louis Public Radio
American Outlaws St. Louis Chapter President Kevin Marshall takes a selfie alongside club members and local residents Connor McDonald and Cole Kline as they held their TV up for hundreds of fans outside Amsterdam Tavern on Friday, June 12. Ten minutes into the U.S.-Paraguay match, the tavern lost power and its massive outdoor screen went dark. As fans crowded around phones, McDonald and Kline hoisted the television so the watch party could continue — a small act of levity and camaraderie amid chaos. — Brian Munoz, STPLR
People find shade under tables, benches and blankets at a Mexico vs. South Africa World Cup watch party at SPARK Social SF in San Francisco on Thursday, June 11. Tâm Vũ/KQED hide caption
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Tâm Vũ/KQED
I photographed a Mexico vs. South Africa watch party in San Francisco, where Mexico fans greatly outnumbered their South African counterparts. It was a hot day, and despite a lack of shade, I saw a group of people get creative by finding it under picnic tables and making their own additional shelter using blankets. Instead of going home to watch the game in a more comfortable space, they stayed out to support Mexico amongst the shared community. The ingenuity and commitment was incredibly endearing to me. People were showing their dedication through this perseverance and wanting to share it with other fans. — Tâm Vũ, KQED
Soccer fans rooting for Mexico are launched into the air in celebration ahead of the FIFA World Cup knockout round match against England on Sunday, July 5, along the waterfront in Seattle. Megan Farmer/KUOW hide caption
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Megan Farmer/KUOW
I covered a number of watch parties, but this one along Seattle's waterfront stood out from the rest because it was about much more than soccer — it was also about community, pride and belonging. Thousands of fans rooting for Mexico, many traveling long distances, gathered to celebrate and experience their collective joy. Fans were launched into the air, beer shimmered in the sunlight as it was sprayed onto fellow fans, and dozens sang, danced and waved Mexican flags. Fans held up signs reading "¿Y si sí?" — a rallying cry roughly meaning, "What if we can?" Dr. Leslie Jimenez attended the watch party. "'¿Y si sí?' becomes a reminder that possibility begins with believing we belong," she said. "Being at the match was an embodiment of that question — a celebration of what happens when we gather, when we show up and when we continue to carry our ancestors and our hopes forward." — Megan Farmer, KUOW
Nehemiah, 6, screams for Mexico during halftime at Auditorium Shores during Austin FC's FIFA World Cup watch party for Mexico and South Africa on Thursday, June 11. Patricia Lim/KUT News hide caption
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Patricia Lim/KUT News
At halftime of the opening match between Mexico and South Africa, I noticed Nehemiah, 6, walking around with his parents. His face paint matching his mom's caught my eye, so I photographed them from a distance, then went over to ask their names. Nehemiah seemed happy, and when I asked how he was feeling about the game, he lit up. That's how I was able to capture this moment. He's been a Mexico fan for a while, and this was his first World Cup watch party. Covering the watch party really showed the camaraderie of the sport. Team Mexico is an obvious fan favorite in Austin, Texas, but in the sea of green jerseys, you'd see trickles of South African flags, and at the end of the day, they celebrated the wins and losses together. — Patricia Lim, KUT News
Toshiki Hayashi (center) and other fans cheer for Japan at a Paint It Blue event before the World Cup game Wednesday, June 24, at Harwood Park in Dallas. Yfat Yossifor/KERA hide caption
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Yfat Yossifor/KERA
A park in downtown Dallas was painted blue as fans gathered to celebrate Japan's team. Blue paper lanterns swayed in the wind, and people wore traditional Japanese garments to complete the atmosphere. This group of fans, standing in line for a raffle, flew in from Japan to cheer for their team and experience Texas barbecue. What impressed me was that without stanchions to direct the crowd, fans wove back and forth across the field, creating an orderly line without shoving or cutting. Japanese fans are known for cleaning up after games, and this was just another example of their tradition of order and cleanliness. — Yfat Yossifor, KERA
Soccer fans rooting for Egypt, including Mennatalla Namatalla (center), who was born in Cairo, react to the game's suspense during the FIFA World Cup match against Belgium at a watch party on Monday, June 15, at Occidental Square in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood. Megan Farmer/KUOW hide caption
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Megan Farmer/KUOW
The crowd at this Seattle watch party was overwhelmingly rooting for Egypt, aside from a handful of Belgium fans. Despite this, I noticed that there was an overwhelming lack of animosity between the fans — and instead, camaraderie. The collective energy was full of anticipation and hope for both teams. I took several photos of this group of friends, including Mennatalla Namatalla, who was born in Cairo but now lives in Lynnwood, Wash., as she held hands with her sister, Hebatalla Namatalla. The energy, laser focus on the game and excitement among this group was a joy to witness. — Megan Farmer, KUOW
Mexico fans cheer their team during the team's Tuesday, June 30, game against Ecuador at a watch party hosted at the Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, Calif. Carolyne Corelis/KPBS hide caption
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Carolyne Corelis/KPBS
Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, Calif., is a dark, cavernous space built to host concerts, indoor soccer and arena football. On Tuesday, June 30, the arena was filled with the green and red of Mexico's iconic jersey. LED screens illuminated anxious faces watching Mexico vs. Ecuador. As the game continued, the energy in the stands shifted. When Mexico won 2-0, the crowd erupted into cheers, whistles and laughter. Among the celebrations, one fan caught my eye. He was just so happy. This win felt like a victory for the Latino community. A celebration of resilience, heritage and belonging. Mexico was the home team. This was their turf. — Carolyne Corelis, KPBS
Juydo Janssen and "The Queen of Cheese" dressed up in modified Dutch traditional outfits to symbolize the Netherlands before the team's World Cup match against Japan on Sunday, June 14, in Arlington, Texas. Yfat Yossifor/KERA hide caption
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Yfat Yossifor/KERA
Netherlands fans took over the street in the Dutch Orange Army — a march behind an orange double-decker. Standing on a planter for a vantage point, the parade created a sea of orange, everyone moving from left to right in sync to the song. Self-proclaimed as "the Queen of Cheese," this fan even wore wooden clogs. To me, she embodied the celebration of sports and national pride in such a joyful way. Japanese fans joined the parade, as well as Mexican fans wearing orange shirts with the words "No era panel," referring to a 2014 penalty kick that won the Netherlands the match against Mexico. Everyone celebrated together. — Yfat Yossifor, KERA
Brenda Moss and her daughter, Rome, 8, leave the FIFA World Cup match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Wednesday, July 1. Beth LaBerge/KQED hide caption
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Beth LaBerge/KQED
After the U.S. won its match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, a colleague and I stayed outside the gates in the evening light as fans made their way out of the stadium in Santa Clara. Even after spending hours at the match and, for many, facing a long commute home, people still seemed energized by the experience. I noticed Brenda and her daughter, Rome, because of their matching face paint and enthusiasm. Their excitement reflected something I saw throughout the day: For many fans, this wasn't just about watching a match; it was a rare chance to experience the World Cup in person, surrounded by family, friends and community, in a place that felt familiar. — Beth LaBerge, KQED
Scottish and Haitian fans dance and chant together inside Boston's South Station while waiting to board MBTA trains to the World Cup match between Scotland and Haiti in Foxborough, Mass., on Saturday, June 13. Jesse Costa/WBUR hide caption
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Jesse Costa/WBUR
On the opening weekend of the World Cup, I was at South Station to photograph thousands of fans heading to Gillette Stadium. The station was packed, mostly with kilt-wearing Scottish supporters whose chants echoed through the terminal. Then a small group of Haitian fans arrived and answered with chants of their own. At first, it felt like a competition, but it quickly turned into both groups chanting together in unison. It was quite wonderful. They smiled, embraced and celebrated side by side. Though their teams would soon face each other, the fans shared a moment that captured the spirit of the tournament. — Jesse Costa, WBUR
Hannah Bourne, of Edmonds, Wash., reacts during the second half of the FIFA World Cup knockout round match between the U.S. and Belgium during a watch party on Monday, July 6, at Occidental Square in Seattle's Pioneer Square neighborhood. The U.S. lost, 4-1. Megan Farmer/KUOW hide caption
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Megan Farmer/KUOW
The expression of stunned disappointment on Hannah's face felt representative of what many fans around me were feeling in that moment. The energy was in direct contrast to what I witnessed earlier in the day — an overwhelming sense of joy, anticipation and celebration, more than I'd seen in a long time in Seattle, as tens of thousands of fans poured into the city to watch the U.S. take on Belgium. A collective heartbreak lingered in the air as the U.S. ended its World Cup run, losing 4-1. Despite the disappointment of the loss, the World Cup felt like a triumphant win for this host city. A reminder that two things can be true at once. — Megan Farmer, KUOW
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