Massive crowds of soccer fans flooded the Bay Area to celebrate Mexico advancing to the Round of 32 in the World Cup following a 1-0 victory over South Korea on Thursday. In San Jose, an estimated 30,000 fans packed San Pedro Square to capacity, heavily outnumbering the previous week’s turnout. The overwhelming attendance prompted a heavy police presence, and security officials restricted access to the main plaza before halftime. The lack of space forced resourceful fans to find alternative viewing angles, with some crowding onto the upper levels of a nearby parking garage. One group even used DoorDash to order a television, a power inverter, and an extension cable to stream the match on the street. “It was crazy, I didn’t think it was going to be this busy,” said Victoria, a San Jose resident. “But it was really fun.” Local businesses felt the surge as well. At The Old Wagon Saloon Grill, management reported stocking up on nearly two dozen kegs a day to meet the demand. Following the event’s success, San Jose organizers said they are considering closing additional streets to expand the viewing area for the next watch party. Meanwhile, across the bay in San Francisco, thousands of fans filled Thrive City Plaza outside the Chase Center for a free outdoor screening. The event kicked off with a march led by a Mexican banda, six lowrider cars, and San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie. The plaza quickly reached capacity, leaving hundreds of fans cheering from outside the gates. While Mexican supporters made up the majority of the crowd, fans of other nations joined the festivities. South Korea fan Andrew Choi said he and his group were embraced by Mexico fans who wanted to take selfies. “It’s so supportive, no hate at all, just love,” Choi said. Esteban Diaz, a visitor from Guadalajara, Mexico, who bought tickets months ago for an upcoming World Cup match in Santa Clara, said he was blown away by the local support. “I am proud for this, I was expecting a much smaller crowd,” Diaz said. Due to the immense fan interest, Chase Center officials announced they will add several other free viewing events at Thrive City for upcoming tournament matches through July 19. ...read more read less