A line of people waited to get into Legends Sports Bar & Restaurant, in Long Beach, on Wednesday afternoon, July 1. An American flag hung from the side of the popular sports bar’s exterior. Thousands of people also gathered at Dignity Health Sports Park, in Carson; they were there for a free watch party hosted by the LA Galaxy.
The watch parties in Long Beach and Carson — and, presumably, bars and households across the Southland — were for U.S.-Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 2026 World Cup — round of 32. The first knockout round of the tournament that has captivated the United States. Win or you’re out.
So for those who gathered at Long Beach, Carson and elsewhere, Wednesday was about celebrating soccer and national camaraderie — and, as the match unfolded, it was about nervousness.
In the end, the United States men’s national team advanced to the round of 16 by defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in Santa Clara. The U.S. will play Monday in Seattle against the aging golden generation of Belgium. But it took grit, fight and brilliant free-kick goal from midfielder Malik Tillman to secure Wednesday’s victory, after the U.S. had to play the last third of the match down to 10 men because star striker Folarin Balogun received a controversial red card.
Despite the stressful ending, the vibes at the Carson and Long Beach watch parties were immaculate. More than 200 people converged on Legends, a popular bar on Second Street that’s home to the Long Beach chapter of the U.S. supporters group American Outlaws.
Adam McDonnell, 21, from Yorba Linda, was among the crowd there, surrounded by friends and wearing a Team USA jersey.
“I came out here because I love the Legends Sports Bar atmosphere,” McDonnell said. “You get a ton of U.S. fans here celebrating a game that I feel needs more exposure in the U.S., and I’m really excited to support our country. I think that the World Cup coming here was a huge step for soccer in the U.S., and also worldwide; bringing such a big event here is awesome.”
At Dignity Health Sports Park, meanwhile, fans spread blankets on the grass to sit down before the match began — while others stood with excitement and anticipation.
People donned star-spangled outfits, waved American flags and sported USMNT jerseys. One person even dressed as a bald eagle.
The watch party also offered attendees an opportunity to participate in lawn games and play soccer.
“We have a capacity of around 2,000 for each one of these watch parties,” said Adam Duvendeck, general manager of Dignity Health Sports Park. “Yesterday we went complete capacity for the Mexico game. Today we expect it to be a sellout.
“We’ve had really great responses, largely that started out with the watch parties we were doing with the city of Long Beach on Pine (Avenue),” Duvendeck added. “I think out of that success, people had such a great time there; we were bringing it here to our home in Carson at the stadium in Galaxy Park. We’ll be here for yesterday, today and round 16, then we’ll pick it back up again in the city of Hermosa for the semifinals and finals.”
Before the match, fans there, like those in Long Beach, were excited to see the U.S. potentially do something they’d only done once before, in 2002 — win a World Cup knockout.
“Super excited, super great that they put it on,” said Mariana Koontz, 47, from Orange County. “We are L.A. Galaxy fans, so it does feel a lot like a home game in more ways than one. We bring our kids here, so they like to play around with all the activities that they have here.”
Koontz – who wore red-and-white striped pants and a red bandana around her neck – said she was both excited and nervous for the match.
Many fans shared that excitement, largely because of the strong performances the team put on in its first two group stage matches.
“I’m excited because they haven’t done this well since 1930,” Arbin Lubian, from Lawndale, said as he watched with friends at Galaxy Park.
Lubian was referencing the inaugural World Cup, when the United States made it to the semifinals. But only 13 teams competed that year and making it out of the group secured a spot in the semis. The best the U.S. men have done in the modern era was 2002, when they beat rivals Mexico to make it to the quarterfinals — that lone knockout match. Now, the tournament featured 48 teams and those that eventually make the semifinals will have to win three knockout matches.
“I hope that nobody gets injured,” Lubian said, likely not anticipating a bizarre red card would occur. “Hopefully just going through and getting some of those goals, and hopefully not a tie and a half because Bosnia is a good team. But I hope they take it seriously and move on.”
Fans at Legends in Long Beach shared similar sentiments.
“They’re doing really good, really impressive,” said Kyle Wilson, from Long Beach, who was with his wife, Megan. “(Mauricio) Pochettino, our coach, I think we’re really seeing the effects of having an elite manager, and really excited about our striker (Folarin) Balogun; he’s electric.”
Indeed, Balogun scored his third goal of the tournament shortly before halftime, giving the U.S. a 1-0 lead.
The Wilsons said they are big soccer fans and were ready to have fun watching the game among the crowd of U.S. fans.
“We just had to be around other USA fans and be part of the atmosphere,” Wilson said. “If anyone is watching the U.S. play in the World Cup in America, you gotta get outside and get out of the house.”
As the game began, those at Dignity Health Sports Park and Legends cheered, stood for and sang the national anthem — and chanted “USA” afterward.
When Balogun scored, the crowds erupted.
Jimmy Ramos, from Downey, waved a large American flag in the air at the Long Beach sports bar.
“I think they deserve it,” Ramos said about the first U.S. goal. “They’ve been attacking, attacking, attacking, and finally we got the goal before the half, and it makes a big difference. It crushes the opponent, because now they’re down one to zero. Hopefully in the second half, they come out and do it again.”
They did. But then came a collision between Balogun and Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic collided while going after a loose ball around the 60th minute. Balogun accidentally stepped on Muharemovic’s ankle. After a replay review, the referee showed Balogun a red card — ejecting him from the match and suspending him from the next. The U.S. had to play the next 30 minutes, plus stoppage time, down a player.
Nervousness abounded.
But the U.S. didn’t bunker and try to hold the lead. They were compact and smart, yes — but also picked their spots to attack. And then, in the 80th minute, wingback Sergino Dest drew a foul just outside the penalty area. Tillman — who was born in Germany, but is able to represent America because his father was in the U.S. military — stepped up to take the free kick. Up and over the wall. Off the Bosnian keeper’s outstretched hand. Into the back of the net. 2-0, United States.
Breathing room.
The fans in Carson and Long Beach went crazy — with the ecstasy in the latter even spilling onto Second Street.
The U.S. team then held on until the final whistle.
“I feel empowered and excited,” Natalie Nunez, from Long Beach, said after the game. “We knew we could do it. This whole venue made it feel like a huge community that came out. I’m so happy; we have another game to do this all over again, celebrate and be here with everybody who’s cheering the U.S. on.”
The sports bar, like the Santa Clara stadium where the U.S. beat Bosnia, began playing the song that has become the summer anthem for the U.S. men’s national team: John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads.”
The hyped fans at Legends, both those lingering inside and the ones heading into the Long Beach night, sang in unison.
But for now, the destination is neither home nor country roads. For the U.S. team, rather, it’s take me to Seattle.