Several California venues and cities have canceled or significantly tightened security for public World Cup watch parties due to escalating violence and overcrowding. These measures come after celebrations following Mexico's 2026 FIFA World Cup victories led to multiple incidents, including shootings, stabbings, street takeovers, and confrontations with police.
Universal Studios Hollywood has ended its public viewing events at CityWalk for the remainder of the tournament. A spokesperson for Inside Universal confirmed the decision on Facebook, stating the parties were canceled.
In San Francisco, SPARK Social SF canceled all remaining World Cup watch parties after a shooting occurred near its Mission Bay location on Tuesday night. The gunfire resulted in two individuals sustaining non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, and the suspect fled the scene, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
San Jose has also opted to abandon its downtown watch party setup following unrest after Mexico's 2-0 victory over Ecuador. The city announced that official watch parties for upcoming matches would be relocated to larger, ticketed venues at Discovery Meadow and the SAP Center. This move follows separate incidents near the downtown celebrations that resulted in two stabbings and one fatality.
Revelries in San Jose on Tuesday night devolved into disorder after Mexico's win, with additional reports of stabbings in separate altercations. The San Jose Police Department declared an unlawful assembly and ordered crowds to disperse. While police noted that most fans celebrated responsibly, a disruptive element engaged in fighting, set off illegal fireworks in crowded areas, climbed onto an ambulance, and threw bottles at officers. The stabbing victims' injuries were not considered life-threatening, and several arrests were made.
Los Angeles has also experienced issues, with celebrations after Mexico's victories spilling into street takeovers, the use of illegal fireworks, and violent clashes that injured multiple deputies.
These incidents across the state have prompted cities to move away from open public viewings towards cancellations or strictly controlled, ticketed events in an effort to prevent further escalations of lawlessness during tournament celebrations.