Fans pack Levi's Stadium for Jordan vs. Austria World Cup matchup

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - World Cup fans from across the Bay Area and around the globe descended on Santa Clara on Tuesday for a highly anticipated evening match between Austria and Jordan at Levi's Stadium. Austria won the game by a score of 3 to 1 against Jordan.

Pre-game celebrations brought high energy to the streets outside the stadium. Supporters of Team Austria paraded toward the gates, celebrating the country's return to the tournament.

"The energy is really, really good," said Kat Olschnegger, a Team Austria fan who traveled from Los Angeles. "It’s so fun to be here and be part of it, after 28 years of not being in the World Cup."

Just a few feet away, a dueling pre-game celebration was held by fans of Team Jordan, marking the country's first-ever World Cup appearance.

"It’s absolutely amazing," said Nader Oweis, a Team Jordan fan from Petaluma. "The fact that we have the World Cup here, and we have Jordan playing Austria and all the cultural aspects, and all of our family, and all of our friends that are here, it’s just absolutely amazing."

Ridership records

Thousands of spectators arrived for the late-evening match utilizing public transit systems. The Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority prepared heavily for the influx of travelers after a record-breaking opening weekend.

According to VTA officials, the transit agency helped more than 37,000 riders navigate their way to the Bay Area's World Cup opener over the weekend, smashing the stadium's all-time ridership record.

"This is huge, because this is a world stage," said Menominee McCarter of the VTA. "We’re just out here, we’re just trying to make sure everyone gets to the game safely, and that they have a lot of fun out here while they’re doing that."

Global visitors

Local hotels, including the Hilton Santa Clara just across the street from the stadium, were entirely booked with fans hosting watch parties and viewing the historic match on big screens.   

Khalil and his family flew in from Arizona to support Jordan. "It feels like we’re in Jordan, there’s a lot of Jordanians out here, and it feels like a takeover," said Khalil.

Amer Abunawas and his father, who traveled directly from Jordan, noted that the welcoming environment made a strong impression. "It’s a very unique experience you know, it’s my first time in America, and the Bay Area is very beautiful," said Amer.

Lea, a visitor from Austria, shared a similar sentiment regarding the community environment outside the stadium. "It’s such a nice feeling, like it’s like a big family, just staying together," she said.

The World Cup action in Santa Clara is scheduled to continue later this week, with Turkey taking on Paraguay this coming Friday.