A shooting outside a packed World Cup watch party in San Francisco has pushed one of the city’s most popular viewing venues to shut down its remaining tournament events, while a separate night of violence in San Jose left two more people stabbed.
What Happened at Spark Social SF
The trouble started Tuesday night at Spark Social SF, an outdoor food hall and bar complex in the Mission Bay neighborhood that had turned into a go-to spot for fans watching the tournament on big screens. Police said officers were called to the 600 block of Mission Bay Boulevard around 9:10 p.m., right as the Round of 32 match between Mexico and Ecuador was wrapping up.
Investigators say a verbal argument broke out among people watching the game, and it escalated quickly when a man pulled out a gun and fired shots into the crowd.
Two people were hit and rushed to the hospital. Fortunately, both are expected to survive, and their injuries are considered non-life-threatening. The shooter took off before police arrived, and as of Wednesday morning, no arrests had been made.
The following key details stand out from the incident:
- Location: Mission Bay Boulevard and Fourth Street, outside Spark Social SF
- Timing: Around 9 p.m. Tuesday, during the final minutes of the Mexico-Ecuador match
- Cause: A verbal dispute that turned physical when a gun was drawn
- Outcome: Two victims hospitalized, shooter still at large
Venue Responds by Canceling Future Watch Parties
In a statement released Wednesday, Spark Social SF announced it was calling off every remaining World Cup watch party scheduled for the rest of the tournament.
Organizers said the decision came down to keeping guests, staff, vendors, and the surrounding community safe. The business will stay open for regular operations, but matches will no longer be shown there.
Management expressed disappointment over the decision but stood firm that safety had to come first going forward.
Trouble Spreads to San Jose
The violence wasn’t limited to San Francisco. Across the bay in San Jose, a World Cup celebration spiraled out of control late Tuesday night, prompting police to declare an unlawful assembly.
Two people were stabbed in what authorities described as separate altercations, and several arrests followed. Like the San Francisco victims, those injured in San Jose are expected to recover from non-life-threatening wounds.
Bigger picture: With large crowds gathering across the Bay Area to watch World Cup matches, local police departments are now weighing how to handle security at future watch parties, especially as high-profile matchups like the upcoming USMNT game against Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to draw big turnouts.
For now, fans looking to catch a game at Spark Social SF will need to find somewhere else to watch, at least for the rest of this World Cup.
