Thousands of fans on Wednesday packed Thrive City outside Chase Center in San Francisco as the United States faced Bosnia and Herzegovina in the FIFA World Cup Round of 32. The free watch party drew supporters from across the Bay Area, filling the plaza to capacity and spilling into an overflow viewing area and nearby bars and restaurants. 

Fans wearing U.S. jerseys and waving American flags cheered every scoring chance before erupting as Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman scored in a 2-0 victory. Despite playing the final portion of the match with 10 players after Balogun’s red card, the United States still secured its first World Cup knockout-stage win since 2002. 

  • A large crowd gathers on wide outdoor stairs beneath a modern curved architectural structure, many wearing patriotic attire.
    Fans crowd in to watch the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina on a large outdoor screen during a watch party at Thrive City outside Chase Center in San Francisco on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (Joshua Olawuyi/Bay City News)
  • A large crowd gathers outdoors to watch a soccer match displayed on a massive screen mounted on a modern building.
    Fans watch the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina on a large outdoor screen during a watch party at Thrive City outside Chase Center in San Francisco on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (Joshua Olawuyi/Bay City News)
  • A large crowd gathers outdoors in front of a modern building with "thrive CITY" signage, enjoying a sunny day with drinks and casual attire.
    Fans watch the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina on a large outdoor screen during a watch party at Thrive City outside Chase Center in San Francisco on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (Joshua Olawuyi/Bay City News)

After the final whistle, the celebration continued as music from Warriors DJ D-Sharp filled the plaza. Fans danced and posed for photos, expressing their anticipation for to the Americans’ Round of 16 match against Belgium, and reflecting the excitement surrounding the Bay Area’s role as a host region for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

A group of people celebrate outdoors, with one individual in a "Blue State Vikings" shirt dancing energetically as others cheer and capture the moment on their phones.
Fans celebrate while a DJ spins after the United States defeats Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 during a FIFA World Cup Round of 32 watch party at Thrive City outside Chase Center in San Francisco on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. The victory advanced the United States to the Round of 16. (Joshua Olawuyi/Bay City News)
A person in a red cap and denim jacket stands with a large, shaggy dog wearing an American flag bandana on a sunny day outside a modern building.
A person stands outdoors, waving a flag with a blue field and white stars, wearing a blue shirt and black pants, smiling at the camera.
Left: Irma Aguirre waves a Bosnia and Herzegovina flag during a watch party for the FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Thrive City outside Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif, on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. Right: Solmaz Hashemzadeh and her dog Julie show their team pride as the United States defeats Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 during a FIFA World Cup Round of 32 watch party. (Joshua Olawuyi/Bay City News)
A person with sunglasses and an American flag sticker on their cheek stands outdoors in front of a Chase bank building, smiling upward.
Daniel Marquez watches as the United States defeats Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 during a FIFA World Cup Round of 32 watch party at Thrive City outside Chase Center in San Francisco on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. The victory advanced the United States to the Round of 16. (Joshua Olawuyi/Bay City News)
A group of young people in sports jerseys pose outdoors, making hand gestures, with storefronts and a crowd visible in the background.
Jack West (from left), Marco Mancinetti, Thomas Jorgensen, Konstantin Kornach and Justine Ferrer react as the United States defeats Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 during a FIFA World Cup Round of 32 watch party at Thrive City outside Chase Center in San Francisco on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. The victory advanced the United States to the Round of 16.(Joshua Olawuyi/Bay City News)
Four individuals pose together outside the Chase Center, smiling and dressed in casual, team-themed attire.
(L-R) Sofia Carrilho, Shreya Tandal, Lucia Gonzalez, and Kelly Erdenebaataras at the World Cup watch party at Thrive City outside Chase Center in San Francisco on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. United States defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 during a FIFA World Cup Round of 32. The victory advanced the United States to the Round of 16. (Joshua Olawuyi/Bay City News)

A graduate student at UC Berkeley's School of Journalism, Joshua is a storyteller, documentary filmmaker and multimedia producer with experience across journalism and media production. He is passionate about using compelling narratives to connect communities, amplify diverse voices and explore issues that impact everyday people.