Charlotte, NC (WBTV) – The 2022 World Cup The competition kicked off this weekend with Ecuador beating Qatar in their first match in four years.
Charlotte FC will host a viewing party for its first U.S. game at Roma Bearden Park on Monday, while other teams plan to head to popular sports bars like Courtyard Hooligan’s.
“Go Senegal, go America!” said one fan, Mamadou Keita.
Keita, a man with many allegiances, said the circumstances didn’t matter. When it’s game time, he’ll watch.
“2018, gentlemen. 2014, gentlemen,” he said.
This year will also be the first time the U.S. returns to the game in eight years.
Another fan, David Allard, said: “The U.S. national team is doing something special these days, so it’s very exciting to watch some of this year’s games.”
There are so many people thinking the same, which means it can get pretty crowded in a place like Hooligan’s.
“It’s going to be crazy from start to finish,” said the bar’s general manager, Brandon Burton. “We almost had to triple or even quadruple our orders.”
But at the end of the day, many say that bringing people together from all over the world is worth it.
“This particular alley has a lot of energy, especially the alley in Hooligan, with a lot of fans,” Allard said.
“I’ve been in Charlotte the longest and I always come here for the World Cup,” Keita said. “It’s always a good time.”
The World Cup lasts until December. 18.
related: Qatar bans beer sales at World Cup venues
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