Longtime Westlake resident Steve Granados grew up going to MacArthur Park, so attending a World Cup watch party there felt familiar. What surprised him though was that after everything the community has endured over the past year, residents were still willing to gather in the park to celebrate together.
“Watching a game here at MacArthur Park isn’t something I thought was going to be possible a few months ago, a year ago, with everything that’s happened to this community, so I thought it’d be a great experience and so far it has been,” he said.
The gathering, organized by the city, arrives after a turbulent year for MacArthur Park and the surrounding neighborhood, including immigration enforcement sweeps, and multiple drug raids by federal and local officials that have placed the green space in the public spotlight.
Granados said the tournament has allowed him to share the same passion for soccer with his son that once connected him to his own family.
“This World Cup is special,” he said. “I grew up watching soccer with my dad and my brother. It was something we could bond over. I’m a huge fan of all sports, so when there’s something like the World Cup, the biggest stage in the world, the biggest sporting event, that gets everyone excited, soccer fans or not, it’s something that brings communities together.”
Among those in attendance was Claudia Cipriani, who is originally from Spain’s Canary Islands and now lives in Ventura County. She discovered the event online and said she was drawn to the idea of watching the match outdoors alongside other fans.
“I wanted to be in community,” she said. “The World Cup is very intense. I think Spain has done alright. They’re playing really conservative, but they need to get more aggressive.”
As she watched Spain take on Cape Verde, Cipriani was encouraged by what she saw but felt the team still had room to improve.
“Cabo Verde had really good defense, but I saw Spain really fast and quick, dominating the ball,” she said. “I was expecting a goal. I think they were playing really well, but I wish they controlled more where to shoot. I definitely think they can do way better.”
For Billae Dine, who is originally from West Africa and now lives in Beverly Hills, the watch party offered something more than soccer. He said he went because he didn’t want to watch the match alone.
“I like that football brings all of us together no matter what we look like,” Dine said. “That’s the main reason why I’m here. It feels like we’re all family.”
Dine said he is rooting for both Spain and Argentina during the tournament.
“I’m a Barcelona fan, so I’m going for Spain,” he said. “Also, I’m a big Messi fan. Wherever Messi goes, I go.”
The city has organized another watch party at MacArthur Park on June 25 starting at 1 p.m. with the Curaçao vs. Ivory Coast game. There will also be a two-day open streets celebration on July 10 and 11 at MacArthur Park for the World Cup’s quarterfinals.
