Downtown Greenville tests first free World Cup watch party with U.S.-Australia match

The excitement for the FIFA World Cup continues! Now that excitement is coming to downtown Greenville. The city is hosting a free watch party for everyone to enjoy.

The match today between the U.S. and Australia has been highly anticipated after both teams won their opening matches last week. The United States defeated Paraguay 4-1, while Australia beat Türkiye 2-0.

Both teams are looking to take control of their group.

Troy Dreyfus with the Downtown Greenville Partnership says the idea for holding this watch party came from working with soccer fans from Greenville United FC.

He said this first event is being used as a test run for future sports watch parties.

In fact, this is the first time the Downtown Greenville Partnership has hosted an event like this.

Dreyfus says the watch party is a great way to bring a global event to the local community and bring people together downtown.

There’s no bigger sporting event than the World Cup. So to be able to have a cool event where everyone can come together in downtown Greenville, it’s kind of the next best thing to being there.

Dreyfus says he hopes that if the United States advances deeper into the tournament, more watch parties will be held.

We did ask if they plan to hold any larger events outdoors, and he said that would depend on funding.