Fans donning stars and stripes show up in droves at World Cup watch parties in Miami-Dade, Broward

MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - As the U.S. took the pitch to play against Paraguay in their first 2026 FIFA World Cup match, fans came out in droves to a watch party in Wynwood to support the American team.

Frenetic energy coursed through Grails Miami Sports Bar in Wynwood as fans chanted USA following an own goal by Paraguay that gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead early into their first match of the World Cup, Friday night.

At just seven minutes into the game, it was the fastest goal, the Americans ever scored in the tournament.

At every corner of the bar, fans were decked out in their best gear for the stars and stripes.

“It’s going to be wild, we’re going to have a good time,” said Hector Gomez, a U.S. fan.

Definitely for me. I’m probably going to be screaming a lot, I’m going to lose my voice,” said Juan Diaz, a U.S. fan.

Many fans were confident the U.S. would put on a strong showing in the start to the tournament since they got to play on their home soil in Los Angeles.

“We’re 100% going to take that dub,” said Gomez.

“I’m excited. I truly believe in this team that we can defeat Paraguay. We have the players, the team and the coach to do it,” said Diaz.

“I’m going to be honest, I’m expecting a win from them and will be a little disappointed if they don’t come home with a win,” said Mario Lazzo, a U.S. fan.

It wasn’t just Americans cheering on their country at Grails.

Many traveled thousands of miles to show support for Paraguay.

“It’s all happiness for us,” said a Paraguayan fan.

Some Paraguayan fans were also standing by their squad, convinced they would be able to pull off a stunning win over the Americans to start the World Cup.

“We waited 16 years for this World Cup. This is our opportunity to win the game,” said Daniel Farrar, a Paraguayan fan.

As the game progressed through the evening, the electric energy inside of Grails grew as fans cheered the full throttle contest.

That exhilarating energy wasn’t exclusive to Miami-Dade watch parties.

At Mickey Byrne’s Irish Pub in Hollywood, The American Outlaws, one of the largest supporting groups for Team USA was proudly showing their American pride.

The pub was filled with uproarious energy throughout most of the night.

“It is no holds barred as you can hear behind me. It’s kind of crazy but we’re all here supporting our men,” said Matthew Quintana, a U.S. fan.

No matter which country you end up rooting for, it’s clear that every watch party is filled with fans sharing their passion for soccer and proudly showing off how strongly they support their teams.

“This is incredible. I know there’s a lot of talk about USA not being a soccer nation but I think it’s growing, it’s getting better,” said Eddy Marino, a U.S. fan.

Copyright 2026 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.