A shooting outside a World Cup fan zone in California on Sunday resulted in one fatality and another person sustaining life-threatening injuries. The incident took place in an area where fans had gathered to watch soccer matches.
No World Cup games were being broadcast at the time of the shooting, as the only scheduled match for Sunday had concluded around 2 p.m. local time. Police responded to a heavy presence in the area, and a Reuters journalist observed an individual covered by a white sheet being carried from the scene on a stretcher.
The shooting adds to a series of recent gun violence incidents that have occurred around World Cup-related gatherings. With an estimated 10 million travelers expected to visit the United States, which is co-hosting the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada, gun violence has been identified as a potential concern for international visitors.
Earlier in June, nine people were injured in a shooting near the England national team's base camp in Kansas City, Missouri. On June 16, also in Kansas City, one person was killed and several others were injured in separate roadway shootings, believed to be carried out by a single suspect, while transporting fans to a World Cup match. In Brockton, Massachusetts, five individuals were struck by gunfire and one was stabbed on June 21 during celebrations for a Cape Verde World Cup match against Uruguay. Less than a week later, four people in Brockton sustained gunshot wounds following gatherings to celebrate the result of another Cape Verde match.