A wave of jerseys representing countries from around the world took over Mission Beach as doors opened on Thursday, June 11 for the Mexico vs. South Africa match at Fit Social. Fans gathered early, bringing their passion, flags, and chants as San Diego FC’s Soccer Celebration, presented by Adriana’s Insurance, officially kicked off the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
Opening Weekend featured a packed schedule of World Cup action, interactive activations, and live entertainment from music partners including Baja Beach Fest, K-Pop Club Night, If You See Me You See Me, Por La Mañana, DJ Dynamiq and more. Throughout the day, fans of all ages came together to celebrate the global game and experience the excitement of the tournament alongside the SDFC community.
The tournament’s arrival in North America has created excitement across San Diego, especially among fans who were unable to attend a match. Just up Interstate 5, fans can attend matches in Los Angeles, but those unable to make the trip can still experience the atmosphere, passion, and excitement of the tournament right here in San Diego.
“Us also being really close to Mexico, we saw that in the fan base and how excited people are over this. You can't get on social media right now without seeing this everywhere and I think it's good, it's nice for people to come in and have something for free, something that they can check out, they can still go to the beach,” said Angel Tril, the General Manager of Fit Social. “If they want to, they can kind of plan their day around it. They can take their kids into the (Belmont) Park. It's really cool that it's all ages. For those that maybe couldn't make it to an actual match but want still like an experience.”
Months of planning and hard work paid off as fans began to fill Fit Social in Belmont Park. Fans from across San Diego County filled the venue, representing countries from around the world while cheering on their national teams.
"Watching it come to life is the most special feeling, and starting with Mexico, I think was the craziest kickoff that any of us could have imagined, but the energy from the fans, the second we opened the doors, made everything come together on another level,” said Ashlee O'Grady, Executive Assistant at Belmont Park. “Even seeing them build the screen, the decorations, the risers, everything coming together just was a huge sigh of relief. So, it felt really good and we're excited to see how the next days go.”
The United States opened their FIFA World Cup appearance on Friday afternoon against Paraguay. Fit Social was filled with fans representing the red, white, and blue. Just like Opening Day, supporters brought nonstop energy as they celebrated every goal and cheered their teams to victory. The atmosphere continued into Saturday as fans dressed in green and yellow gathered in front of the stage to support five-time World Cup champions Brazil.
“It's a dream, because the city never had a professional club, a soccer club in MLS. So, it's the first time the city is doing something so big. This is like a mark for the city. So, to be able to be involved, for me, it’s just a dream come true. I had no words to describe it, how it's my feeling right now to be able to provide this for the Brazilian community,” said Roberta Goulart, Executive Director for Samba Futsal Club. “We have over 30,000 Brazilians living in the city. My feeling is that this is a dream come true."
SDFC’s Soccer Celebration continues throughout the FIFA World Cup 2026™ all summer long, bringing fans together for every stage of the tournament! The chants and the camaraderie will be at Fit Social until the final when the World Cup wraps up on July 19.
San Diego native and If You See Me You See Me founder Sasha Marie Sandoval helped bring world music to the Soccer Celebration. Along with performing during Opening Weekend, she helped curate additional artists and DJs, giving fans the opportunity to experience sounds from cultures around the globe. Although she wasn't a diehard soccer fan before, the energy surrounding SDFC has helped her develop a deeper appreciation for the sport.
“I've traveled to Europe and abroad, I've seen how serious people take football and how long the conversations will be and how much the bars fill up with fans and stuff like that,” said Sandoval. “So getting to experience that and seeing that here is definitely something on another level. I like the passion.”
Through social media, several fans discovered the celebration at Fit Social and came together to root for their teams. For many attendees, the event offered more than just a place to watch matches. It also provided a sense of community.
"There's not many places where you get to talk to everybody about this stuff, and even if you're not super into it, it's exciting to feel the energy, and not everybody gets the privilege to go watch the game in person. So to have a place where we can all feel like we're celebrating it’s really special,” said Zoe Delgado, an Arizona native who has now lived in San Diego for six years.
Don’t know where to watch your favorite team? Catch a match or every remaining match at SDFC’s Soccer Celebration this summer. RSVP today and join the Chrome and Azul for a free and family-friendly experience.
