(KRON) — The San Jose watch party for Sunday’s Round of 16 World Cup clash between Mexico and England will no longer be taking place at San Pedro Square. Tuesday’s match, which saw Mexico defeat Ecuador by 2-0 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, drew tens of thousands of fans to San Pedro Square.
A statement from the City of San Jose said that the venue was being changed for Sunday’s match in anticipation of a large turnout. With even more fans expected to turn out for Sunday’s game, the watch parties have been moved to two larger venues; SAP Center and Discovery Meadow.
Bay Area World Cup recap: attendance topped 400K, according to FIFA
“We’re showing the rest of the country what it means to be a soccer city,” said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. “The enthusiasm and energy our community is bringing to these matches is incredible. On the eve of historic matchups between Mexico and England, and Brazil and Norway, we’re opening larger venue where fans and families can come together and celebrate safely.”
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – JULY 01: Soccer fans gather at San Pedro Square Market for a watch party of the United States vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32 FIFA World Cup match on July 01, 2026 in San Jose, California. Hundreds of fans packed the plaza to cheer on the teams just a few miles from Levi’s Stadium, where the match was being played. (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
Celebrations around San Pedro Square Tuesday were also marred by instances of violence.
Two people were stabbed, multiple others were arrested and officers declared an unlawful assembly. Fireworks were also set off in the crowd and officers responded to multiple fights.
City officials said that Sunday’s watch party was being moved “to support a safe and welcoming experience for all fans.” At a news conference Friday, Mayor Mahan reiterated that the watch parties for Sunday’s games were relocated from San Pedro Square due to high demand.
Since the Soccer Celebration at San Pedro Square first kicked off on June 11 with the first match of the tournament, the events have drawn more than 400,000 fans, including 30,000 each for the last Mexico and USA games, according to the City of San Jose.
Watch parties at San Pedro Square are expected to resume on Monday for the USA’s Round of 16 meeting with Belgium.
Tickets for Sunday’s watch party at Discovery Meadows are available on The San Jose Earthquakes website, beginning at 12 p.m. Friday.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.