DENVER — Flags representing 48 countries competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup are on display at Skyline Park in downtown Denver, where organizers are turning one city block into a celebration of soccer.
The event is centered at Arapahoe Street and 16th Street, in the heart of the city.
The Colorado Rapids, nonprofit Street Soccer USA and Downtown Denver Partnership are partnering to host watch parties on a big screen throughout the World Cup. Beyond the games, the event will feature music, food, a beer garden and activities for kids.
⚽️ WATCH: Here's what to expect at Skyline Park's World Cup watch parties
"In terms of the magnitude of this event, the Super Bowl has around 200 million viewers every year. The World Cup has 5 billion viewers," Colorado Rapids Chief Business Officer Haley Durmer said.
While Denver is not a host city for the 2026 World Cup, officials said the space is designed to create community and connection — while also delivering economic benefits.
"It is an incredible environment when you look at what we have today compared to the impact of the pandemic and many crises that every downtown in the country experienced following 2020," said Kourtny Garrett, CEO of Downtown Denver Partnership.
Dane Erickson, a national board member of Street Soccer USA, said the goal is to draw people downtown and generate long-term economic growth without the heavy infrastructure costs that come with hosting World Cup matches.
Denver
Denver bars gear up for World Cup surge
"We're not spending a ton of money on infrastructure, but we're interested to bring people together and create long-term economic growth, so let's bring everybody down," Erickson said.
Erickson said the park will offer the best soccer-watching experience in the metro area and that the spirit of the sport itself reflects what organizers hope to build.
"When you're playing soccer or other sports, people don't care what neighborhood you come from, what your language you speak," Erickson said. "They care if you try hard, if you're a good teammate, and if you have fun."
For the full watch party schedule, click here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.