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The entire room stood up, put their hands on their hearts and started singing the Mexican national anthem at Cloud Puncher Restaurant for the FIFA World Cup 2026 opener.
Juliana Lopez, founder of OKC Latina, had never been in an environment like this in the U.S.
Lopez, an American-born daughter of a Mexican immigrant from Guanajuato, wanted to bring families together for the World Cup and, in partnership with local businesses like Cloud Puncher and Bungalow 23, started hosting watch parties for Mexico's games.
At every watch party, fans would stand and sing their home country's national anthem with pride.
"That's one of the most powerful ways I've seen people come together," Lopez said. "We are all very proud of where we come from, and to be able to share that in a collective space at any point is awesome, but to do it on a world stage, to be proud of our national teams for just making it to the World Cup and being able to play in these historic stadiums."
Mexico is one of three host countries in this year's tournament, alongside the United States and Canada. While the sport is ingrained in Mexican fans' blood, the rise in popularity in the U.S. came more recently.
American Outlaws is a U.S. Soccer-supporting group founded in 2007 and has since seen a huge rise in membership across the country, including in Oklahoma City.
What started as a small group has grown to around 140 members across the metro.
"Soccer is, and has been, on the rise in America for the past 30 years," said Trent Miller, Vice President of the OKC Chapter. "From hosting the World Cup in 1994, to the launch of the MLS shortly after. You now have American soccer franchises worth hundreds of millions of dollars, with big-name players coming over to join the league. Pretty impressive for a country that’s only had a league for a short while compared to others across the world. The future of American soccer is bright."
Like OKC Latina, American Outlaws has hosted watch parties for the U.S. games at Skinny Slim's, a soccer bar in Bricktown. The bar, which usually fits about 50 people inside, opened an outside bar on its patio and rented the parking lot behind the establishment for an extra screen and space during the opening game against Paraguay.
More: Why is Spain ESP? Or Switzerland SUI? How World Cup three-letter team codes are defined
"We as fans invest a lot of time watching matches and meeting up at local pubs to watch matches, so when the biggest tournament in the world can bring all these people together, it brings me a lot of joy," Miller said. "I look forward to passing this feeling on to my children."
Oklahoma City is not hosting any World Cup matches, but sits right between Dallas and Kansas City, two host cities. Many fans traveling between the two locations might stop in OKC, or even those who are taking the opportunity of the tournament to travel across the country.
Local photographer Luis de la Rosa remembers meeting a group of Argentines who were traveling from the two host cities and decided to make a stop in OKC, as they didn't know when they would get the chance to travel again. De la Rosa said the group drove up because, while in Dallas, they were told to try Braum's.
More: What happens when a World Cup knockout game ends in a tie? Extra time, penalties
So while the closest stadium is three hours away, Oklahoma City is still part of the World Cup madness.
"There are a lot of friends of mine who have never watched soccer, and because they're seeing all this craziness, they're like, 'How can I be a part of this?'" De la Rosa said. "I had family friends that I grew up with, they hae never played football, but USA was playing and they were like 'Hey, can we come over and we can have a watch party?' There were like 20 people there. They were asking me what an offside? What are the rules? So it was pretty cool."
For Lopez and other first-generation Americans, the connection to their national team gave them a closer relationship with their countries of heritage and community growing up, helping them establish a unique identity.
Lopez recalls her family's connection to Mexican athletes going beyond soccer. She would watch NASCAR with her dad as a child, even going to the racetrack in Texas occasionally. A predominantly white sport, Lopez remembers when Juan Pablo Montoya, a Colombian driver, joined the grid, or when Checo Pérez started driving in Formula One.
"All of a sudden, I see myself," Lopez said. "I see my dad represented in something that he has spent so much time, money and energy supporting. And now there's someone who represents him driving every Sunday...Those are folks that are making it possible for the little kids watching to grow up and become the second, or the third or the fourth until we find it too much to keep counting."
As the recent earthquakes in Venezuela brought tragedy to the nation, local communities put sports rivalries and competition aside to come together in support. At least 1,719 people have been confirmed dead after the two earthquakes struck the country, including at least three youth soccer players and families of active footballers.
De la Rosa said a group of Colombian fans had a donation drop-off on Friday, while others started fundraisers all over the city.
"It doesn't matter who you voted for, for this whole month, as the tournament is going on, everybody is just worried about the game," De La Rosa said. "Unfortunately, the earthquake happened, but it's bringing a lot of communities from different parts of the city together. It's great to see. Soccer, or football, has always been there, but I think it's being elevated to a different level."
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. CT Monday, July 6, in Seattle (Fox, Peacock)
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. CT Sunday, July 5, in Mexico City (Fox, Peacock)
Isa Almeida is a trending reporter for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Isa? She can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @ialmeidasports. Support Isa's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How OKC soccer fans are inspiring the next generation: 'The beautiful game is for everyone'
Continue reading...
Juliana Lopez, founder of OKC Latina, had never been in an environment like this in the U.S.
Lopez, an American-born daughter of a Mexican immigrant from Guanajuato, wanted to bring families together for the World Cup and, in partnership with local businesses like Cloud Puncher and Bungalow 23, started hosting watch parties for Mexico's games.
At every watch party, fans would stand and sing their home country's national anthem with pride.
"That's one of the most powerful ways I've seen people come together," Lopez said. "We are all very proud of where we come from, and to be able to share that in a collective space at any point is awesome, but to do it on a world stage, to be proud of our national teams for just making it to the World Cup and being able to play in these historic stadiums."
Mexico is one of three host countries in this year's tournament, alongside the United States and Canada. While the sport is ingrained in Mexican fans' blood, the rise in popularity in the U.S. came more recently.
American Outlaws is a U.S. Soccer-supporting group founded in 2007 and has since seen a huge rise in membership across the country, including in Oklahoma City.
What started as a small group has grown to around 140 members across the metro.
"Soccer is, and has been, on the rise in America for the past 30 years," said Trent Miller, Vice President of the OKC Chapter. "From hosting the World Cup in 1994, to the launch of the MLS shortly after. You now have American soccer franchises worth hundreds of millions of dollars, with big-name players coming over to join the league. Pretty impressive for a country that’s only had a league for a short while compared to others across the world. The future of American soccer is bright."
Like OKC Latina, American Outlaws has hosted watch parties for the U.S. games at Skinny Slim's, a soccer bar in Bricktown. The bar, which usually fits about 50 people inside, opened an outside bar on its patio and rented the parking lot behind the establishment for an extra screen and space during the opening game against Paraguay.
More: Why is Spain ESP? Or Switzerland SUI? How World Cup three-letter team codes are defined
"We as fans invest a lot of time watching matches and meeting up at local pubs to watch matches, so when the biggest tournament in the world can bring all these people together, it brings me a lot of joy," Miller said. "I look forward to passing this feeling on to my children."
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Oklahoma City is not hosting any World Cup matches, but sits right between Dallas and Kansas City, two host cities. Many fans traveling between the two locations might stop in OKC, or even those who are taking the opportunity of the tournament to travel across the country.
Local photographer Luis de la Rosa remembers meeting a group of Argentines who were traveling from the two host cities and decided to make a stop in OKC, as they didn't know when they would get the chance to travel again. De la Rosa said the group drove up because, while in Dallas, they were told to try Braum's.
More: What happens when a World Cup knockout game ends in a tie? Extra time, penalties
So while the closest stadium is three hours away, Oklahoma City is still part of the World Cup madness.
You must be registered for see images
"There are a lot of friends of mine who have never watched soccer, and because they're seeing all this craziness, they're like, 'How can I be a part of this?'" De la Rosa said. "I had family friends that I grew up with, they hae never played football, but USA was playing and they were like 'Hey, can we come over and we can have a watch party?' There were like 20 people there. They were asking me what an offside? What are the rules? So it was pretty cool."
For Lopez and other first-generation Americans, the connection to their national team gave them a closer relationship with their countries of heritage and community growing up, helping them establish a unique identity.
Lopez recalls her family's connection to Mexican athletes going beyond soccer. She would watch NASCAR with her dad as a child, even going to the racetrack in Texas occasionally. A predominantly white sport, Lopez remembers when Juan Pablo Montoya, a Colombian driver, joined the grid, or when Checo Pérez started driving in Formula One.
"All of a sudden, I see myself," Lopez said. "I see my dad represented in something that he has spent so much time, money and energy supporting. And now there's someone who represents him driving every Sunday...Those are folks that are making it possible for the little kids watching to grow up and become the second, or the third or the fourth until we find it too much to keep counting."
You must be registered for see images attach
As the recent earthquakes in Venezuela brought tragedy to the nation, local communities put sports rivalries and competition aside to come together in support. At least 1,719 people have been confirmed dead after the two earthquakes struck the country, including at least three youth soccer players and families of active footballers.
De la Rosa said a group of Colombian fans had a donation drop-off on Friday, while others started fundraisers all over the city.
"It doesn't matter who you voted for, for this whole month, as the tournament is going on, everybody is just worried about the game," De La Rosa said. "Unfortunately, the earthquake happened, but it's bringing a lot of communities from different parts of the city together. It's great to see. Soccer, or football, has always been there, but I think it's being elevated to a different level."
USA vs Belgium
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. CT Monday, July 6, in Seattle (Fox, Peacock)
Mexico vs England
KICKOFF: 7 p.m. CT Sunday, July 5, in Mexico City (Fox, Peacock)
Isa Almeida is a trending reporter for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Isa? She can be reached at [email protected] or on X/Twitter at @ialmeidasports. Support Isa's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How OKC soccer fans are inspiring the next generation: 'The beautiful game is for everyone'
Continue reading...
