Hill Station owner Daniel Bryant is turning his Hillcrest restaurant into a watch party headquarters for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which kicked off on Nov. 20. Fans can head to the restaurant, now decked out in flags from each of the 32 nations competing, to watch every single game of the soccer tournament.
Bryant’s goal to stream every game will mean some early wake up calls, with four games per day and kickoff times as early as 4 a.m. during the group stage, including on Thanksgiving. The restaurant will have an abbreviated menu during the games for fans to enjoy, and the section of Kavanaugh in front of the restaurant will be closed on Nov. 25 to make room for a family-friendly turf soccer field.
The United States Men’s National Team is back at the World Cup after eight years, having failed to qualify for the 2018 tournament. Despite being tied for the second-youngest group among the 32 nations competing, expectations are high for what many followers are calling a golden generation in U.S. men’s soccer.
The U.S. opened up its tournament against Wales on Nov. 21. The team’s possession-dominant first half approach paid off, with the high-profile Christian Pulisic assisting an impressive goal from forward Timothy Weah in the 36th minute.
The second half saw a dropoff in energy, though, and Wales took advantage of their opportunity in the 82nd minute thanks to a bad penalty given away by defender Walker Zimmerman. Wales superstar Gareth Bale beat goalkeeper Matt Turner to equalize, and the U.S. couldn’t find another before the final whistle.
Both teams will take one point from the game and will need wins in the next few matches to have a chance of getting out of the group.
The USMNT faces England on Nov. 25 at 1 p.m. CT in what was already a high-stakes matchup. England comfortably beat Iran 6-2 earlier in the week and will be looking to build on that success.
For viewers at home, games will stream on Fox and FS1 in English, and in Spanish on Telemundo.
Held every four years, the World Cup is one of the largest sporting events in the world, and the competition is being held in the winter for the first time in its history. Criticism of host nation Qatar, for everything from human rights abuse in preparing for the tournament to the last-minute ban on beer sales in the stadiums, has come from players and spectators alike.
Photo Credit: Hill Station Facebook
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