The game is in Jerry World (Arlington, TX), the Fan fest is on the Texas State Fair Grounds in the shadow of the Cotton Bowl about 40 minutes east, on the east side of Dallas.

Fan Fest was great! The space is expansive. Think fairgrounds, food vendors, big merch tent and HUGE Screens for match watching including the big amphitheater which holds 20,000.

Locals and internationals all just in great moods. Beer $17, Food $15-25. More expensive than at the game. The Fan Fest is free to attend, just need a ticket so they can manage capacity.

Bottom Line - No entry fee, open every day, not just when a match is in town. Asked a worker how attendance has been - he said “Very Busy, and packed during big matches in the evenings”.

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Hotel lobby packed with soccer fans early. Uber drivers lined up and handing out business cards.

Got to Jerry World around 945a, probably half the people already there.

The security extends out well past the stadium footprint, temporary fencing with FIFA logo’s. 20+ security checkpoints at each entrance, very easy. Once you get inside the “footprint” it’s like its own Fan Fest. Food and beer vendors, big screens everywhere. Lots of places for pictures. Spent about an hour inside the footprint but outside the stadium. Great fan energy.

Entered the stadium about 1045, probably 60% full over an hour before the match. Most of the people in the concourse. About 1130 the seats started filling up and by 1140 seats are 90% filled.

National Anthem of the host country plays 1 hour before the match, pretty cool.

Maybe the best thing about this WC, not including the matches themselves, is the rolling out of the flags and the playing of the anthems. GREAT TEHATER.

Ivory Coast fans were outnumbered by Norway probably 10:1. They were loud but drowned out by the chanting, singing and rowing of the Norway fans.

AND, Norway’s star Erling Haaland with a tap in at 80’ for the winner 2-1.

AND, after the match the fans stuck around for quite a while and the Norwegian Team led them in their now famous “Row”. See here for 2 minutes of CS bad video.

Fan fest outside the stadium remained open a couple hours after the match ended.

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First time the USMNT has been favored in a knockout WC match

Sidenote - above odds are for REGULAR TIME. If the match goes extra time, two 15-minute over times, that is called “advancing” or “qualifying”. Those odds are

The US will look to the combination of Christian Pulisic and Florian Balogun to break down the imposing back line of B-H. These two stars have only played together for the 1H of match 1 against Paraguay, and they looked great together.

Expect the US to control possession and look to take away counters.

BH has been very dangerous on set pieces, and the US must limit fouls in dangerous areas and corner kicks.

The US will need to control the mid-field, give Balogun and Pulisic one on one opportunities on the wing, and avoid breakdown in the back that gives BH set piece opportunities.

This is B-H second WC and first time playing a knockout WC game.

During qualifying, B-H beat Wales in Cardiff UK and then beat Italy, beating them on penalties. They are tested and will be ready for their biggest game in the history of their national team.

21-year-old Esmir Bajraktarevic, born in Appleton, WI and played for the USMNT as recently as 2024 suits up for B-H. Esmir scored the winning penalty in B-H qualifier playoff against Italy.

B-H has a strong back line defense, in fact they have the tallest overall roster at 6’1”.

The first time the USMNT ever played Bosnia-Herzegovina (2013), they trailed 2-0 after the first half, they USA ended up winning the match 4-3, thanks to a Jozy Altidore hat trick.

WINNER plays Belgium or Senegal who play at 3p cst in Seattle.

Harry Kane. Harry Kane. Both in 2H to come back from 0-1 down.

Even match but Netherlands had the goal scorer, Haaland, at 80’ for the winner.

No contest, France look unstoppable.

Great energy on and off the pitch, Mexico yet to concede a goal.

Even match Brazil took at the end, sad to see Japan out of tournament.

Germany looked completely out of synch, Panama took advantage and Germany lose on penalties for first time ever in the WC.

Netherlands played conservatively, Morrocco played aggressive and physically.

Atlanta — Centennial Olympic Park (main hub, ~18 days, up to ~15,000 capacity).

Boston — City Hall Plaza - Smallest one and the city already closed it after group stage. Boo-Boston.

Dallas — Fair Park (large site, full ~34 match days, up to ~35,000 capacity).

Houston — East Downtown (EaDo) (full duration on all match days, ~15,000 capacity).

Kansas City — National WWI Museum and Memorial grounds (18 days, up to ~25,000 capacity; notably pet-friendly).

Los Angeles — LA Memorial Coliseum at Exposition Park (mainly opening period, June 11–14) + many additional official Fan Zones across the region (e.g., Original Farmers Market, Union Station, various parks).

Miami — Bayfront Park (along Biscayne Bay, ~23 days, up to ~30,000 capacity).

New York/New Jersey — Multiple sites across NYC boroughs and New Jersey (e.g., Rockefeller Center Fan Village, Brooklyn Bridge Park, various other fan zones/hubs); no single massive central festival.

Philadelphia — Lemon Hill in East Fairmount Park (~39 days/full duration, up to ~25,000 capacity).

San Francisco Bay Area — No single large central FIFA Fan Festival; distributed fan zones and watch parties (e.g., San Pedro Square Market in San Jose, Pier 39 in San Francisco, and others)
Seattle — Multiple celebrations and fan zones (e.g., Seattle Center, Waterfront/Pier areas); no single large central festival.

Guadalajara — Plaza de la Liberación (full duration, large capacity ~40,000).

Mexico City — Zócalo (one of the largest; full duration, massive capacity up to ~100,000 on big days).

Monterrey — Parque Fundidora (full duration, very large site).

Toronto — Fort York and The Bentway (~22 days, up to ~20,000 capacity).

Vancouver — PNE Grounds at Hastings Park (full duration, with a new amphitheater).