“We’ve always loved watching football, soccer, it’s been just a passion, and overall, just seeing the community together. I think to me, that’s amazing,” said Jose Ornels.
Ornels was one of dozens of people who took time on Friday morning to head out to PayPal Park in San Jose and watch the FIFA World Cup draw with other football fans. For them, it’s just another way to be a part of the growing excitement for the upcoming games.
“You really get a chance to just collaborate, you communicate with people,” said Alex Reyes, who drove up from Salinas to watch the draw. “The real fans show up during the World Cup time. After that, it’s every now and then. You don’t see too many World Cup fans walking around, let’s say downtown or anything. This is the spot where you want to be.”
Neither Reyes nor Ornels has tickets to the matches yet, but they hope to be in the area no matter what. For Ornels, it’s about the atmosphere.
“It’s kind of like a dream, in a way, where people, even when the World Cups are in different countries, you’re like, ‘Oh, I wish I could go.’ Then when it’s here, it’s like, well, it’s different,” said Ornels.
Longtime football fans Sherri and Tom also joined the crowds for the draw. They’ve been football fans since the last time the World Cup was in the Bay Area in 1994. For them, the draw is important, but so is the game itself.
“Well, of course, [we want to see] the USA and after that, good soccer,” said Sherri.
Santa Clara will play six matches in total: five in the group stage and one in the round of 32. The Dec. 5 draw determined which teams will play in which groups, but the actual match schedule is yet to be released.
What we do know is that the teams playing in Santa Clara for the FIFA World Cup this summer are in one of three groups: Groups B, D and J.
Group B is headlined by one of the host cities, Canada, and will feature Qatar, Switzerland and the winner of the European Playoff that includes Italy, Wales, Northern Ireland and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Group D is headlined by the United States and will feature Paraguay, Austria and the winner of a different playoff group that includes Kosovo, Romania, Slovakia and Turkey.
Finally, Group J is headlined by Argentina and includes Algeria, Austria and Jordan.
While there is no guarantee that all of these countries will be playing in Santa Clara, there is a chance that the Bay Area will see either the USA, Argentina or Canada in the opening round.
The FIFA World Cup matches scheduled to take place in Santa Clara on the following dates:
- Saturday, June 13, 2026
- Tuesday, June 16, 2026
- Friday, June 19, 2026
- Sunday, June 21, 2026
- Thursday, June 25, 2026
- Wednesday, July 1, 2026 (Match of 32)
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