LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Thousands of soccer fans are expected to pack Fourth Street Live! on Monday afternoon, hours before the U.S. men’s national team faces Belgium in a World Cup match that organizers expect to draw one of the city’s biggest watch-party crowds of the tournament.
About 1,000 people showed up downtown for the U.S. team's first game a few weeks ago, organizers said. For Monday's match, they are preparing for roughly 5,000 people.
Organizers added an overflow area and another large screen to handle the crowd.
"Everyone wants to be here — they want to bring their friends," said Jordan Rivers, who hosts the watch parties.
Fourth Street Live! has been building on the momentum from other recent soccer watch events, as each game draws fans ready to cheer, eat and drink together in a festival-like setting. Organizers planned to have a DJ, multiple viewing areas and extra seating as crews made last-minute preparations Monday.
"It's almost like when you bring everyone to Thanksgiving," Rivers said. "They're there to have a good time, eat, drink, and be merry."
The World Cup crowds have also brought an economic boost to the downtown entertainment district, where business can slow in the summer and restaurant turnover has been common.
"It has been insane," said Qrentins Adams, the executive chef at Fourth Street Live! "The locals are down, everyone is interacting — it has just been a blast. Everyone is loving it."
Organizers said the watch parties have highlighted Louisville's diverse soccer culture, drawing fans of multiple national teams and turning the downtown entertainment district into a patchwork of colors and flags.
"For the last game, I had no idea we had such a deep Bosnian population in this city," Rivers said. "You saw the rivalry right there."
The watch parties are free and will continue through the end of the tournament on July 19, organizers said.
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