World Cup 2026 live updates: South Bay once again electrified by World Cup as Team USA advances

Thousands of fans packed San Pedro Square on Wednesday night as Mexico made history in the World Cup, defeating Czechia and winning all three of its group-stage matches for the first time.

Thousands of fans packed San Pedro Square on Wednesday night as Mexico made history in the World Cup, defeating Czechia and winning all three of its group-stage matches for the first time.

The watch party in downtown San Jose drew one of the largest crowds of the tournament so far, filling the square to capacity and prompting police to shut down surrounding roads and turn people away.

ABC7 Eyewitness News reporter Tim Johns said the scene was unlike anything he had seen in the area.

Fans began arriving hours before kickoff, eager to secure a spot for the match. Fatima Hernandez of Hayward said she showed up four hours early for the 6 p.m. game.

"It started getting crowded during the second half of the Brazil game. That's when they all started piling up," Hernandez said.

By the time the game began, the square was filled with cheering supporters waving flags, chanting and celebrating Mexico's performance.

"You can feel the excitement. And we're just really excited! We're right here with everybody," said San Jose resident Stacy Sandoval.

The crowds extended beyond the main viewing area, with some fans climbing into nearby parking structures to get a better view.

City officials added more viewing screens and increased security for the event. Despite the large turnout, some attendees said the environment felt orderly.

"I feel like everything's controlled. There's a lot of people but everything's good," one fan said.

Officials had prepared for large crowds after previous matches drew tens of thousands of spectators to the square. An hour before Wednesday's game, barricades were already in place as the area filled quickly.

The turnout reflects growing enthusiasm across the Bay Area as the World Cup continues, with San Pedro Square serving as a central hub for fans.

"It really brought a lot of people from different cultures, different ethnicities together. It's just really nice to see the energy, just everybody getting along," Hernandez said.

More matches are scheduled for Thursday, including a game in Santa Clara and a U.S. national team match in Los Angeles. Another watch party is planned at San Pedro Square, with both games set for 7 p.m.

The Bay Area will host a Team USA World Cup match in Santa Clara next week, drawing heightened attention from federal and local authorities focused on public safety.

The Bay Area will host a Team USA World Cup match in Santa Clara next week, drawing heightened attention from federal and local authorities focused on public safety.

"Our teams are really excited to have the U.S. soccer team playing on July 1. So we'll keep our staying cadence," said Matt Cobo, acting special agent in charge for the FBI's San Francisco field office.

Cobo said the FBI and its partners are maintaining a consistent level of vigilance following earlier matches.

"We've been doing a great job through game four. All four games have seen all that work pay off in the preparation with our federal, local, and state partners. So we will maintain that high level of vigilance as we do in every single one of these games," he said.

A key focus is monitoring potential drone threats near stadiums. Authorities say unmanned aircraft pose risks in crowded environments and are closely regulated during major events.

The Transportation Security Administration says more than 300 drones have been seized near World Cup venues nationwide since the tournament began. In the Bay Area, officials report nine such incidents so far.

"I think we've seen even recently about that it can be used in a mass casualty situation or even plans for a mass casualty situation. So we want to, as our priority, protect the venue and protect the public from these drones. And so they can be used for bad actors and we want assure when these events are at its height and we're protecting that to its ability," Cobo said.

The TSA has issued reminders about "No Drone Zones" in effect during the tournament. All aircraft, including drones, are prohibited within a three-mile radius of stadiums and up to 3,000 feet above ground level on match days. Authorities say violators can face fines of up to $100,000, seizure of their drones and possible federal criminal charges.

The FBI, TSA and Federal Aviation Administration are coordinating surveillance efforts, using counter-drone technology and ground teams to enforce restrictions.

Federal officials say their efforts extend beyond physical security. The FBI is also monitoring for threats including terrorism, human trafficking and financial scams tied to the tournament. Anyone with information about potential threats is urged to report it at tips.fbi.gov.

Security experts emphasize that public awareness is also critical in maintaining safety at large events.

"They should keep their heads on a swivel. They should be aware of their surroundings. Look up from your phone. Pay attention to things that look out of place. Talk to your family about what you might do if you become separated, where you'll meet up," said Matt Osborne, a former CIA officer and security expert.

Authorities say they will continue working with local law enforcement to ensure safety at both stadium events and watch parties throughout the region.

The U.S. is easing its restrictions on Iran's World Cup team, allowing the squad to travel into the country two days before its next match, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday.

The team will still be required to leave after Friday's match in Seattle, a department spokesperson said. A spokesperson for the Iran Football Federation confirmed that the team will leave its base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, on Wednesday for Seattle.

"This was planned on our end," Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House FIFA Task Force, told The Associated Press. "We were going to look at how the first two movements went, and if they went smoothly, we would extend the extra day in light of the longer travel time."

The policy change was first reported by NBC News and comes as officials from both countries negotiate over how to end the war in Iran.

Iran's squad has complained about the travel restrictions levied on the team, and the challenges it has faced since the outbreak of war. Iran originally sought to move its group stage matches to Mexico, with whom it has diplomatic ties. The team's base camp was relocated from Tucson, Arizona, to Tijuana. Several team officials and members of the support staff have been barred from traveling into the U.S. with the team.

For the first two matches, in Los Angeles, the team was not permitted to travel until the day before, which Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei repeatedly said put the team at a disadvantage. The team had less than 24 hours on the ground before its noon match Sunday. "Right now we need recovery more than anything," Ghalenoei said through a translator after the 0-0 draw against Belgium. "The conditions have been extremely hard for us."

It's not uncommon for teams to travel a day before the match, and it's in line with FIFA regulations, which state that "each team shall travel from its team base camp to the match venue one day before matchday (MD1) and in exceptional cases on MD2, and shall return to their team base camp after the match (on MD/MD+1)."

But Iran had asked for more time to acclimate to host cities and recover after matches, especially for the 1,200-mile (1,930-kilometer) trip to Seattle. The team has scheduled a Thursday training at the University of Washington.

"We don't ask for much. We just ask for the same procedure as for all the other 47 teams," Iran national team player Alireza Jahanbakhsh said Sunday. "Hopefully we can bring everyone who is involved and help us with us."

The Iran team has also said it experienced difficulties entering and exiting the U.S. each time it made the 127-mile (204-kilometer) flight between Tijuana and Los Angeles. The typically short trip took five hours the day before its first match against New Zealand, team captain Mehdi Taremi said.

Hours before Sunday's match against Belgium, U.S. Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin told Fox News the Iranians had "tried to get somebody in yesterday" who had direct ties to Iran's Revolutionary Guard. In a statement, the soccer federation vociferously pushed back, calling the claim "an outright and undeniable lie."

It's unclear whether Iran's upcoming opponent, Egypt, will also be allowed to arrive in Seattle two days early. After its 3-1 victory against New Zealand in Vancouver Sunday, Egypt asked to fly directly to Seattle. FIFA denied that request, citing a lack of security resources to accommodate the last-minute demand. Egypt returned to its base camp in Spokane, Washington, a 45-minute flight from Seattle.

Egypt's national team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player to score in six different World Cup tournaments on Tuesday, getting a goal in the sixth minute of Portugal's match against Uzbekistan.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo made history when João Cancelo crossed it to him and he shot with his right foot to make it 1-0. He ran toward the bench and celebrated with his teammates after the score.

The goal makes him the second-oldest player to score at a World Cup behind Cameroon forward Roger Milla, who was 42 when he scored at the 1994 tournament in the United States.

Ronaldo's goal comes after he was criticized for failing to score in Portugal's 1-1 draw against Congo in the team's opening match.

Ronaldo and Argentina captain Lionel Messi became the only men in history to play in six World Cup tournaments this year. Ronaldo's scoring streak started in his debut in 2006 and he also netted goals in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022.

While he shares the record for most tournaments with Messi, he stands alone in scoring a goal in each edition after Messi failed to score a goal at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Ronaldo's goal Tuesday gave him nine goals in the tournament. Messi has 18 after a hat trick in Argentina's opener against Algeria and two more goals Monday against Austria that made him the all-time leading scorer in tournament history.

Tuesday's game was the 230th of Ronaldo's international career, which is the most in history.

This is likely to be the final World Cup for Ronaldo, who won the European Championship with Portugal in 2016 and the Champions League five times with Manchester United and Real Madrid.