Mexican Heritage Plaza watch party set for World Cup matchup
Mexican Heritage Plaza hosts watch party for Mexico vs. South Korea World Cup match
San Jose's Mexican Heritage Plaza is gearing up for a World Cup watch party on Thursday, when the Mexican national team will face off against South Korea. The party will both celebrate the community's cultural heritage and benefit the local economy, with many area restaurants serving attendees as vendors. The plaza will host several watch parties over the course of the World Cup.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - All eyes are on Thursday night’s major FIFA World Cup matchup as Mexico takes on South Korea, and a massive celebration is already brewing on San Jose’s East Side.
Mexican Heritage Plaza watch party
Local perspective:
The match will officially kick off in Guadalajara, Mexico, but local fans are gathering at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose for a massive watch party.
The event requires a ticket and is expected to reach maximum capacity.
City leaders are celebrating the event as a major win for the East San Jose neighborhood.
"These multiple activations that will be hosted in East San Jose are historic," said San Jose City Councilmember Peter Ortiz. "Since we’ve been talking about these planning events... especially our Mexican community."
Jessica Paz-Cedillos , chief executive director of Mexican Heritage Plaza, said that they're treating the soccer games like a family-friendly "festival."
The excitement follows last week's massive turnout, where crowds ahead of the Mexico versus South Africa match were huge.
Soccer fans swarm San Pedro Square for World Cup match
The World Cup kicked off with Team Mexico winning against Team South Africa 2-0. Fans filled up the San Pedro Square in San Jose for community, connection, and of course soccer.
Crowds flooded the streets of downtown San Jose, erupting in cheers for every goal and celebrating intensely when Mexico won the match.
Thursday night's game brings added tension, as the last time these two national teams faced off was in September 2025.
That match ended in a 2-2 draw, proving the two teams are evenly matched.
Lovefest on social media
Despite the fierce competition on the pitch, there has been a notable "lovefest" building online between the opposing fanbases.
Videos shared on social media show South Korean and Mexican fans sharing drinks, hugging, and dancing together in the streets.
The highly anticipated World Cup match is set to start at 6 p.m. However, if it's anything like last week, the streets of San Jose will be filled with fans ready to watch together hours before the first whistle.
The Source: FIFA, prior KTVU reporting, San Jose City Councilman Peter Ortiz, Jessica Paz-Cedillos , chief executive director of Mexican Heritage Plaza,