Chicago Fire FC hosts watch party for USA World Cup game against Australia

The Chicago Fire Football Club hosted a watch party for the U.S. vs. Australia World Cup game on Friday afternoon.

The team estimated up to 1,000 people came out to the Endeavor Health Fire Pitch in the North Center neighborhood to watch the U.S. Men's National Team win 2-0 to clinch a spot in the knockout round.

"We were super excited to find this watch party that's very family friendly, so that was another way to kind of add to the hype of it," soccer fan Samantha Haugen said. 

Fans set up lawn chairs on the pitch, decked out in USA gear from head to toe.

The U.S. got off to a quick start with their first goal just 11 minutes into the game and then scored again before the end of the first half.

While most of the fans were watching the game, a lot of the kids in attendance were playing on their own. Chicago Fire inflatables were set up on the pitch alongside all kinds of activities to keep kids entertained. Throughout the game, they took their own shots on soccer goals.

The U.S. won even without star Christian Pulisic, who was out with a calf injury. Fans were delighted by the victory. It was the first time the U.S. has won back-to-back games in the World Cup since 1930. They defeated Paraguay 4-1 in their first World Cup game last week.

"The U-S came out hot in their first game, so it got everybody excited," Haugen said.

The U.S. plays its next game against Türkiye Thursday night. The Fire will host another watch party for that.