Just like the boys in red, white and blue, the region’s best soccer celebration is back this summer. PMB Events, American Outlaws St. Pete, and the Tampa Bay Rowdies are teaming up to once again host Tampa Bay’s biggest Team USA FIFA World Cup watch parties at three of St. Pete’s most iconic venues.
Watch parties will take place for all three of Team USA’s group stage matches, which are slated for June 12, 19, and 25. Thanks to North America hosting, all three games will be played during primetime, making for an even rowdier atmosphere. Tickets for each event are $10, and we expect these to sell out in advance. Additional watch parties will be held when (not if!) the Yanks advance to the knockout stage, with details to come closer to the dates.
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Here’s the lineup for this year’s watch parties, with each venue featuring a massive 20-foot LED screen visible to all, multiple bars, food, and pre-game pep rallies:
- June 12th @ 9:00 PM: USA vs. Paraguay at Al Lang Stadium (the kickoff event in collaboration with the Tampa Bay Rowdies) | Ticket link
- June 19th @ 3:00 PM: USA vs. Australia at Jannus Live (the same site as the wildly successful USA Knockout round watch party in 2022) | Ticket link
- June 25th @ 10:00 PM: USA vs. Turkey at Ferg’s Pavilion (the new covered concert venue in the back of Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill) | Ticket link
Each event is curated to be a festive, patriotic powerhouse as the fans cheer on Team USA. Attendees will experience pre-game pep rallies led by the American Outlaws St. Pete chapter, complete with the chants and energy that define the USMNT supporter culture. When Team USA finds the back of the net, the venues will ignite with special effects and the inevitable, tradition-fueled “beer showers.”
In addition to the match-day experience, every event will feature a massive giveaway: one lucky pair of attendees at each venue will win tickets to a World Cup match in Miami. Anyone who has looked up tickets knows how valuable that is, and you’re automatically entered to win just by attending the watch party.
Tampa Bay’s best and biggest Team USA watch parties
I attended the last 2022 World Cup watch party at Jannus, and it was genuinely one of the coolest soccer experiences I’ve been a part of. So often, you see live shots from crowded squares and downtowns all over the world during huge international tournaments. On that day, St. Pete measured up and then some. Being part of the crowd that went wild watching USA score was a blast, and we can’t wait to repeat it in primetime this summer.
To hear the team behind the parties say that this year’s events will be even bigger and better sets a standard worthy of the world’s biggest sporting event.
“We think we’ve really improved the program from our first go at this four years ago and just want to bring together soccer fans and patriots to celebrate these historic occasions for USA Soccer,” said organizer Pete Boland. “We think the U.S. is going to make a run this year, and we can’t wait to share in the moment with the greater soccer community here in Tampa Bay. The atmosphere will be electric. We’re pumped to feel the energy and see the reactions when we score. We’re gonna fire up the crowd and then focus on the games. If you can’t be in the stands at the actual USA World Cup matches, this will be the next best thing, and it’s right here at home for a fraction of the cost and for a good cause.”
We should also add, this is by far the most affordable way to catch a game with something anywhere close to an in-stadium experience. Ticket prices just to get in the door at games across the U.S., Canada and Mexico are upwards of $2,000, and that’s not counting travel, hotels, and food and drink. 10 bucks and sleeping in your own bed after is a much better deal. Plus, you may even win free tickets to go see more World Cup action in Miami.
The experience with 2,000 of your closest friends promises to be full of energy. The local American Outlaws chapter will be leading the way with chants and songs pre-game, while food and libations will be flowing all night to keep spirits high. Michelob Ultra, Stella Artois, and NÜTRL will all be on hand helping to make the party a full-on celebration.
There will also be raffles, giveaways, and even pre-match pep rallies, with gates opening 90 minutes ahead of kickoff for each game. Bars will also be open, whether you’re going for a classic Budweiser or want to keep it light with a NUTRL.
Sport is the rare thing with a universal power to unite, and as divided as things have felt lately, this is an opportunity to come together in celebration and support of our 11 vs. theirs. There’s nothing like the pride and excitement that the World Cup sparks in countries across the globe, and St. Pete will be home to one of the best parties in the country this year.
And the icing on top: proceeds benefit local nonprofit OceanAid360, which supports our local waters in Tampa Bay and the Gulf, as well as The Williams Park Partnership.
“It was a dream come true to pull off those events four years ago and to see so many passionate soccer fans come out in St. Pete,” said PMB Events founder Pete Boland. “I want people to feel that patriotism like they feel at a US soccer match. We think we have a real soccer following here in St. Pete and we’re really excited to host this super high-energy event.”
Meanwhile, for those who find themselves in the throes of World Cup fever this summer, watch party partner Mary Margaret’s Irish Tavern (29 3rd St N) will be downtown St. Pete’s headquarters for World Cup action throughout the tournament. Every single game will be shown, with the kitchen serving great food and the bar pouring the good stuff every day. You can’t beat fish and chips with a side of international football (and a pint of Guinness, if we’re being honest).
