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Moments after the U.S. men’s national team beat Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1 to advance to the round of 16 in the World Cup, the Portland Timbers made moves of their own.
The team announced it will host a Portland Timbers Soccer Celebration event at Providence Park on Monday, July 6, with live viewing of the 5 pm match against Belgium. It will be the city’s largest match-viewing atmosphere of the tournament, according to the press release. Tickets were free, but needed to be reserved in advance.
Hopefully, soccer fans responded with the kind of lightning-fast reflexes necessary on the pitch, though: All tickets were claimed by 10 am July 2. That’s about 20,000 seats.
“The response to this watch party has been incredible and speaks to something we’ve known for a long time: Portland is truly Soccer City USA,” said Portland Timbers CEO Heather Davis in a statement. “Providence Park has always been the place where our city comes together to celebrate the game, and we’re excited to open our doors for this special World Cup moment.”
For the lucky 20,000 who made it in, seating is general admission, but fans can choose to sit on the field, in the stands, or on the Pub Beer Patio. Doors open at 4 pm, game is at 5 pm.
This is a continuation of the soccer celebration that the Timbers hosted in mid-June at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Davis says the team is exploring future celebration options if the U.S. or Mexico makes it through to the round of eight.
