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FIFA World Cup fever builds in San Jose
The FIFA World Cup kicks off in under two weeks, but the soccer excitement is already rolling into the South Bay.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The FIFA World Cup kicks off in under two weeks, but the soccer excitement is already rolling into the South Bay.
Fan hub takes shape at San Pedro Square
What we know:
Crews spent nearly four hours on Friday assembling a massive, nine-foot-tall replica soccer ball outside San Pedro Square in San Jose. The giant installation will serve as the centerpiece for the city’s upcoming tournament celebrations.
The arrival of the giant structure quickly drew crowds of camera-wielding fans looking to capture a piece of the building global hype.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Michelle Geffroy who works in San Jose as she watched the construction.
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The installation is one of just 16 giant soccer balls being built across select host cities. Standing at more than nine feet tall, the display features the official Adidas "Trionda" design, which uses fluid geometry and a tricolor scheme to represent the three host nations: the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Building the massive structure was no small feat, requiring an instruction manual and a dedicated crew to piece it together.
"It's nice to build something that people are going to get to stop by and take some pictures—you know, a nice memory," said Pablo Bernal with shipping logistics company Maersk, who helped construct the ball.
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The giant ball is just the beginning of a month-long celebration. San Pedro Square Market is preparing to transform into a massive fan hub, hosting watch parties for every single game of the tournament. Organizers are installing viewing screens throughout the property, including a flagship screen spanning nearly 500 square feet.
"I think we're going to see some really big turnouts, especially for the bigger games like U.S., Mexico, and Colombia. So we are preparing for that," said John Burroughs, operations manager at San Pedro Square Market.
Businesses gear up for crowds
Local perspective:
Business leaders expect the tournament to drive non-stop foot traffic into the downtown corridor.
"This is going to be full of people for the over 100 games that the World Cup is hosting," said Leah Toeniskoetter, president of the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce. "So I see people in and out all day long for three weeks."
For neighboring businesses, the massive scale of the tournament presents both an incredible opportunity and a logistical puzzle. Managers are currently calculating extended hours and scaling up inventory to meet the influx of international sports fans.
"We'll be able to optimize after every game. Pivot whatever way we need to," said Randy Musterer, owner of Sushi Confidential.
Musterer noted that a packed sports calendar has already heavily benefited local businesses, but the World Cup is the main event.
"We had the Super Bowl, we had the Sweet Sixteen, so we're ready to knock it out of the park again," Musterer said.
World Cup matches officially begin on June 11.