Milpitas' World Cup watch party brings generations, cultures together

The Bay Area's soccer roots run deep in this East Bay suburb, and a U.S. Men's National Team home match next month is about to test just how deep.

Families packed the Milpitas Community Center Saturday night for a World Cup watch party as Curaçao took on Ecuador, part of a celebration organized around the city's long history with the sport.

For BJ Navarro, who helps run a local youth soccer league, the event marked a milestone. She's lived in Milpitas since 1981 and called the gathering "a really big first" for the city. It's also a family affair: her grandchildren have caught the soccer bug, with her 3-year-old grandson already calling out player numbers for Bay FC, the Bay Area's professional women's soccer team.

"They love soccer," Navarro said of her toddler grandchildren.

The excitement is about to get a lot closer to home. The U.S. Men's National Team clinched the top spot in its group Friday, locking in a July 1 match in Santa Clara, meaning World Cup soccer is coming to the Bay Area's own backyard.

"It's going to be crazy," Navarro said. "I think the stadium is going to be sold out."

That enthusiasm comes with a price tag. Tickets to next month's match have soared, with seats in the upper sections running roughly $3,500 to $4,000 each, according to our last check of ticket resale sites. For Navarro and many other families, that means watching from a big screen instead of the stands.

"In the nosebleed section, they're like 4 grand each!" she said.

Still, organizers say the cost of admission isn't stopping the community from getting a taste of the fun. Anna Salonga, another attendee, said the watch party was about more than the game itself.

"I think what's really super important is bringing families together into our community," Salonga said. "All walks of life. Milpitas is about diversity."

Milpitas has long been shaped by generations of immigrant families who brought their passion for soccer to local parks, clubs and youth leagues — a legacy organizers leaned into Saturday with performances from homegrown music artists and booths from local vendors, including a Japanese restaurant owner who said the event offered valuable exposure for his business.

"Getting really good exposure," said Kota Tatebayashi, owner of Meat Time in Milpitas. "I'm really grateful to have this kind of opportunity."

For Navarro, the night was also about passing something on to the next generation. She handed her grandsons American flags and said she's working on teaching them the national anthem — even if they're not quite there yet.

"They know to stand, take their hat off and put their hand on their chest," she said.

While tickets to Santa Clara may be out of reach for many local families, in Milpitas, the World Cup spirit has already arrived.