Cheers erupted throughout Curbside Eatery and Drink in La Mesa as the U.S. Men's National Team powered past Paraguay 4-1 in its World Cup opener Thursday night.
The East County sports bar was packed with fans decked out in red, white, and blue, many saying they had been counting down the days until the match.
"I love soccer. I've been a soccer fan my whole life, and I'm so happy that it's here in the U.S.," said soccer fan Cierra Salzano. "The World Cup is here."
The victory gave supporters even more reason to celebrate as excitement continues to build around the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
For many fans, the tournament is years in the making.
Salzano said having the World Cup in North America and seeing local watch parties thrive is something she never imagined growing up.
"A dream, honestly," she said. "I am just so happy to see that the U.S. is trying to get more excited about soccer. It's the best sport in the world."
The enthusiasm extended beyond longtime soccer fans. Many said the tournament has become a major event for their families.
"Soccer is huge in my family," said fan Megan Chodzko. "My husband's been playing since he was 4 years old. He still plays, so the World Cup is a big deal in our household."
Throughout the night, chants of "USA! USA! USA!" echoed through the restaurant as supporters celebrated goals and shared the experience with fellow fans.
"It's super exciting," Chodzko said. "It's fun to share with other fans. It's much more exciting to be surrounded by other people than sitting at home, so we're just happy to be here and supporting our community."
Fans said the atmosphere inside the packed sports bar reflected the growing popularity of soccer in the United States.
"I'm so happy to see people behind me with their jerseys," Salzano said. "I've been wanting to wear this jersey for a few years now for a U.S. World Cup game, so I'm so happy that the energy is just so uplifting here."
For Curbside's staff, the watch party highlighted the role local businesses can play in bringing communities together around major sporting events.
"It is an honor to be able to serve as a sports bar in East County and to be a place that is desired to come and have all of this excitement and all of this energy and people coming out and wanting to have watch parties here," the owner of Curbside, Brenda Lee said.
Following the U.S. team's convincing 4-1 victory, fans left hopeful that the win is just the beginning of a memorable World Cup run.
