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NEW YORK — When Leroy Sané scored less than two minutes into Germany’s June 25 match against Ecuador, the German House of Soccer erupted.
Nearly 10 miles away, more than 80,000 fans watched from MetLife Stadium. But for many of the Germans gathered in an event space in Chelsea, the watch party offered something the stadium could not.
“The food, the drinks, all the Germans,” said Bennet, a fan who traveled from Frankfurt, when asked what made the watch party appealing. “I think it’s nicer here because in the stadium there are more fans from Ecuador.”
The German House of Soccer, a temporary World Cup home for German fans, offers free admission, large TV screens, and German food and beer. Several hundred fans arrived two hours or more before kickoff, and by the start of Deutschlandlied, Germany’s national anthem, there was almost no standing room left.
It’s one of many watch parties around New York drawing fans and brands outside official FIFA events.
Kalshi was one of the brands using Thursday’s watch party to expand its presence around the World Cup. The prediction market platform sent its robot BingBot to the German House, donned in a German soccer jersey with a Kalshi logo on the front and back. The robot was a fan favorite, with many German supporters taking photos and videos with it.
Kalshi has not been allowed to advertise inside stadiums, with ADI Predictstreet serving as the official prediction market partner of the World Cup. That is soon to change however, with Kalshi expected to announce a partnership with FIFA Friday.
Bitburger, a German brewery and official partner of the national team, was another brand on full display. Fans could purchase Bitburger beer on draft or in a can for $10, with a non-alcoholic version also available. Food options available included bratwurst, käsespätzle, and Bavarian pretzels.
Bitburger and other international breweries are unable to sell their product inside stadiums. Beer drinkers at World Cup games are limited to select Anheuser-Busch offerings, such as Michelob Ultra and Stella Artois.
“Here, the watch party is free and we have German beer, so it’s way better,” said Simon, a German fan who now lives in the U.S.
Fox Sports, the tournament’s U.S. English-language broadcaster, brought Giants quarterback and World Cup correspondent Jameis Winston to the German House. Winston filmed a handful of hits for Fox’s pregame coverage and social media, trying German food and interviewing fans.
While the American audience is certainly familiar with Winston, the majority of German fans Front Office Sports spoke with were unaware of who he was. The quarterback stayed at the watch party through halftime, before leaving for an Ecuador event, where he celebrated Gonzalo Plata’s game-winning goal.
For some traveling fans, watch parties filled the gap when match tickets were too expensive or difficult to secure.
“All of the tickets were out of our budget,” said Cersten, a longtime fan who traveled from Munich.
“I did the same tour 32 years ago with my father,” he said. “We had tickets [to the matches], we went to sports bars, and people from all over the world were able to go. It’s a shame we can’t go anymore.”
Despite Thursday’s 2–1 loss to Ecuador, Germany finished first in Group E and will advance to the round of 32, which begins June 28.
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