Uh oh...
It appears that you're using a severely outdated version of Safari on Windows. Many features won't work correctly, and functionality can't be guaranteed. Please try viewing this website in Edge, Mozilla, Chrome, or another modern browser. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused!
Read More about this safari issue.
“There is one specific reason why someone might not want to watch a World Cup match with those in the local chapter of the American Outlaws fan group,” said member and die-hard football fan Ramzyz Herburger.
“It’s going to be loud.”
Otherwise, “it’s a big camaraderie thing, and it becomes a good friendship thing,” said Herburger, who goes by Ram.
As the World Cup kicks off this week in North America, interest in the sport – in this article, we’re calling it ‘football’ – continues to grow. Viewership data indicates more Americans are tuning into games than ever, and as of late 2024, it became the third-most-liked sport in the country, overtaking baseball to claim that spot.
There’s evidence of this shift in Northwest Arkansas, too. Plans have been announced for a professional football club in Rogers. With the opening of The Botanical in Fayetteville’s entertainment district, the region now has two football-focused pubs. The Botanical opened its first location in Bentonville in July 2023.
It’s the Fayetteville location that is the dedicated home for the loose collective of enthusiasts who make up the local American Outlaws club. It’s part of a nationwide network of affiliate groups that cheer on the U.S. men’s and women’s teams. While national dues are required to access certain members’ areas of the American Outlaws network and website, the local chapter doesn’t require that. The expectation is only that people show up together and cheer on the team. Group members will gather at The Botanical for many World Cup matches, but the emphasis is on the three Group Stage matches already scheduled for the United States men’s national team.
The World Cup starts Thursday (June 11), and the U.S. team’s first match is at 8 p.m. Friday (June 12) against Paraguay. They also play at 2 p.m. on June 19 against Australia and at 9 p.m. on June 25 against Turkey. The opening matches are in a round robin format, and additional games are not guaranteed. To move on into the knockout stages, the U.S. team would have to perform well against the first three opponents.
“A lot is riding on the U.S. team performing well,” said Wes Harris, the managing director of the still-in-development professional football club that will be known as Ozark United FC. Football is more top-of-mind for Americans than ever before, but the pressure is on the shoulders of this World Cup roster.
“I certainly feel we’re standing on the ledge [for something bigger for football in the U.S.], but a lot of that will have to do with the performance of the men’s team,” he said.
Moving into the quarterfinals accelerates the sport’s standing, but getting “grouped” – meaning they don’t make it out of their round-robin bracket – could set progress back by a decade.
The only thing left to do is watch and hope.
“There are watch parties in the region, which is further confirmation of the sport’s growth,” Herburger said. “For a while, it was hard to find a football match on television. The now-closed Smoke & Barrel Tavern in Fayetteville was home to football fans for a while and was the official watch location for the Outlaws. Farrell’s Lounge Grill and Bar frequently shows football matches, but does pre-empt them for major college sports events.”
Time zones and Razorback sports won’t be as big a challenge for the current tournament, however. With all matches in North America, they are generally aligned with daytime viewing hours for Americans.
The Botanical will host a series of pop-up events to coincide with highly anticipated matches. Local food trucks will be stationed at The Botanical on several occasions, but the dates are still being finalized.
Ozark United FC is also hosting a pair of watch parties as part of the FIFA-sanctioned Global Game Fest. Harris said getting FIFA approval for the local events was a months-long process.
The first of Ozark United’s free watch parties takes place during the USMNT’s first match on Friday, with events scheduled from 6-10:30 p.m. in the Upper Ramble in Fayetteville. The second will take place during the tournament final on July 19. Although a location has not been formally announced, it will take place in Benton County.
The watch party features a DJ, a miniature field (also known as a pitch) and food trucks. Harris said that even after a career playing football, some of his favorite memories come from watch parties. He said the very nature of the game provides collective moments for those gathered.
“It’s so different when you enjoy it with people, with others. It’s so innate to the sport. A goal goes in, and those are the moments you remember,” he said.
Farrell’s also plans to show every match, confirmed owner Tim Farrell. He noted that roughly half of all matches fall during the Dickson Street restaurant’s happy hour, and outside of happy hour, the bar is offering drink specials throughout the tournament.
Herburger said that all levels of fandom would feel welcome at a watch party. He’s found watch party culture to be inviting, and someone who watches the game would be happy to explain what’s happening to a novice. And even the most loyal, studied fans are likely to debate over two frequently discussed rules in the sport: what constitutes offside, and how to define a “handball.”
Regional cities like Kansas City, Missouri, and Dallas are hosting official World Cup matches. But as tickets for individual games continue to climb into the hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars despite recent price drops for some matches, a local gathering with friends and local food might be the perfect answer.
“Being here with people will be just as fun,” Herburger said.
Continue reading at Fayetteville Flyer
We do the work.
You check your email.
Sign up for our weekly e-news.
Get stories sent straight to your inbox!
Like this story? Read more from Fayetteville Flyer - Kevin Kinder
Reading the walls inside the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in...
Sports are great! They give us commonality, a shared experience that...
In a story told by Alejo Benedetti, the concert photographers Jim...
Join the Conversation
Leave a Comment