Mon, June 15, 2026 at 2:02 AM UTC
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off its first game in Arlington on Sunday, and hundreds of fans packed Sundance Square in Fort Worth to watch as the Netherlands and Japan battled.
Some Dutch and Japanese fans were in attendance, but mostly neutral fans were watching. Many fans, including Emanuel Luna, said they wanted to come for the experience.
Fans gather in Sundance Square for a World Cup watch party during the Japan-Netherlands game on Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Fort Worth.
“I wanted to come out to Sundance Square just for the atmosphere for the game,” he said. “It’s been a dream of mine to go to the World Cup since I was a kid.”
The square offered two viewing areas, with one screen showing the Fox broadcast in English and another area showing the Telemundo broadcast in Spanish. The square had streets closed off around it, with food trucks parking on the street. Restaurants were still open as well, and the square had live music before the match.
Fans gather in Sundance Square for a World Cup watch party during the Japan-Netherlands game on Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Fort Worth.
Sundance Square will continue to show matches throughout the World Cup, including at 11 a.m. Monday when Spain plays Cape Verde.
Fans gather in Sundance Square for a World Cup watch party during the Japan-Netherlands game on Sunday, June 14, 2026, in Fort Worth.