For the FIFA World Cup, Salinas Regional Soccer Complex began hosting tailgate events where soccer fans can get together and enjoy games on a 20-foot screen.
The original plan was to have tailgate parties for the opening and closing weeks of the Word Cup, but the opening weekend was such a success that the Salinas Regional Sports Authority decided to add more dates.
“We tested it during the opening weekend and had a great response, so we decided to keep it going with a few more featured matches,” General Manager Jonathan De Anda writes via email, noting the complex will add a few matches, one per day, this week.
The tailgate starts today, June 18 with Mexico against South Korea at 6pm. Doors open at 4pm.
Other featured matches include:
• USA vs. Paraguay at noon on Friday, June 19.
• Germany vs. Ivory Coast at 1pm on Saturday, June 20.
• Belgium vs. Iran at noon on Sunday, June 21.
De Anda says he doesn’t rule out adding more games in the future.
“This type of watch party/tailgate experience is something we’re continuing to build out,” he says.