The Brief
- The Bay Area Host Committee launched the official opening night party for the World Cup at Pabu Izakaya in San Francisco.
- The event, dubbed the “Culinary Kickoff,” brought together local politicians, celebrity chefs, and professional athletes to celebrate the tournament.
- San Jose’s San Pedro Square will host a major party tomorrow to initiate a month-long World Cup festival for the region.
SAN FRANCISCO – The World Cup is officially arriving in North America tomorrow, and soccer fever has taken over the region. The Bay Area Host Committee celebrated the tournament’s impending arrival by hosting an official opening night party in San Francisco on Wednesday evening.
World Cup Opening Night Party Launches in San Francisco
The event brought together some of the Bay Area’s top chefs, musicians, and athletes ahead of the global matches scheduled to take place across North America and locally in the Bay Area later this week.
“Let’s go World Cup, Let’s go San Francisco, have a great time,” said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie as he kicked off the celebration. “Our neighborhoods are going to be on fire in a very good way for 39 days. I can’t wait.”
High-Profile Attendees Gather at ‘Culinary Kickoff’
Dubbed the “Culinary Kickoff,” the celebration was held at Pabu Izakaya, a restaurant created by celebrity chef Michael Mina. Mina, an avid soccer fan originally from Egypt, operates more than 40 restaurants worldwide.
“You know everyone is going to be coming to this city to see how beautiful and what we have to offer here,” said Mina.…