Portland’s Soccer Fever Peaks Ahead of USMNT Clash with Australia
Portland, long nicknamed "Soccer City USA," is buzzing as it prepares to host a series of watch parties for the U.S. Men’s National Team’s World Cup showdown against Australia.
The USMNT arrives in the tournament fresh off a dominant 4‑1 victory over Paraguay, a result that has raised expectations and added momentum to the upcoming match.
A Summer of Soccer
Local watering holes have turned into impromptu stadiums, with Prost! — a German bier bar on Mississippi Avenue in North Portland — among the most anticipated venues. Co‑owner Ted Olin says he expects the house to be packed, and the bar is part of a summer‑long initiative called the Soccer Haus that strings together multiple locations.
Other spots across the city, including Beulahland, North 45 Bar, McMenamins Kennedy School, Away Days Brewing, GOL Soccer Bar and OMSI, are also slated to broadcast the game, and organizers warn that long lines and ticket requirements may be inevitable.
The last time the USMNT played in the Pacific Northwest was in June 2016, when they defeated Ecuador in the Copa América Centenario quarterfinal in Seattle, a memory that adds a nostalgic layer to the current excitement.