SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — San Diego sports bars are going to start gearing up for the economic boost they expect when the Olympic soccer games come to the city in 2028.
The games will be hosted at Snapdragon Stadium, where plenty of sports bars are located, including McGregor's Bar & Grill, which is located just two minutes around the corner from Snapdragon.
Ian Linekin, managing partner of McGregor's Bar & Grill, said he was thrilled to learn about the Olympic soccer announcement on Tuesday.
"When I woke up and saw that we're gonna have Olympic soccer here, I mean, that's fantastic. It's gonna be wonderful from everybody from here to the beach area," Linekin said.
McGregor's has operated for 30 years and has become a popular destination for soccer fans before and after games at Snapdragon Stadium. Linekin noted that current football events already triple their weekend business compared to normal operations.
"Given we've just found out this morning, you know, the wheels are turning, but our philosophy has always been to treat people like they're family," Linekin said.
The excitement extends beyond venues immediately adjacent to the stadium.
Bluefoot Bar & Lounge in North Park, a well-known destination to watch soccer games, is also preparing for the 2028 Olympics.
Rodney Styles, who runs the soccer program at Bluefoot Bar & Lounge, said the venue is well-positioned to handle the increased crowds.
"For the Bluefoot, we're well prepared because we're used to having big volumes of people in our bar anyway for sporting events," Styles said.
Styles believes San Diego has strong potential as a soccer destination, given its existing infrastructure and fan base.
"San Diego needed this, and they have the stadium; we have the Wave here. This is like the greatest city for soccer in America in my opinion, and now, now we're on the map again," Styles said.
Styles said he's seen soccer enthusiasm in San Diego grow in recent years, particularly after San Diego FC's successful previous season.
Soccer fan Sebastian Perez said the Olympic opportunity represents something the community has been wanting.
"I think that's something that a lot of people here were missing and really wanted and are excited about. We already have some diehard fans. We have a great fan base for the San Diego FC and to see them on this, this world stage is, it's pretty awesome," Perez said.
While San Diego was unable to secure World Cup games, the Olympic soccer matches may be just as good or even better for some fans.
According to City News Service, the schedule for both the women's and men's soccer tournaments, including the dates and match distribution per stadium, will be announced before the first ticket drop in April.
The specific team matchups will be revealed later, following further progress in the LA28 Olympic qualification process and the official tournament draw.
