It was a clear June afternoon and the shadows had started creeping across a wide green field when one of Senegal’s midfielders was tripped in their international soccer match against Saudi Arabia.
Sadio Mané, one of the best wingers in world football over the last decade, stepped up to take the free kick. The fans started to stand and the stands started to rumble.
“Se-ne-gal! Se-ne-gal!” they chanted as their feet stomped and slammed.
Mané curled a free kick beyond the wall, only for a Saudi Arabian defender to fly in and send the ball out of play.
Senegal and Saudi Arabia both qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup that is being hosted across North America in June and July. On Tuesday, the two nations squared off in a pre-tournament friendly at San Antonio FC’s Toyota Field.
It was one of many tune-up games played across the continent to help players prepare for the competitive matches that will make or break hearts around the world.
While the match at Toyota Field might not have meant much on paper, it was hard to avoid the jubilant fans, notable players and feeling that a piece of the tournament had landed in San Antonio.
“To be able to be a part of, even a small part of, World Cup fever was pretty cool,” said Jose Lizardo, operations director at Toyota Field.
Lizardo works for San Antonio FC, the USL Championship team that plays in San Antonio. The 8,500-seat soccer stadium on the city’s Northeast Side is owned by Spurs Sports and Entertainment.
Lizardo said planning to bring Senegal and Saudi Arabia to San Antonio started three years ago, when Toyota Field started working with FIFA to be a host site for teams visiting the U.S. for the tournament.
San Antonio ultimately was not selected, but Lizardo and his team built relationships with some of the nations that were interested.
“Saudi Arabia was one of the teams that came down a couple times and was considering using our facilities and we built a great relationship. They really fell in love with the city of San Antonio, and everything that the city had to offer,” Lizardo said. “They didn’t choose us, but they asked if we would be open to hosting this kind of game and, obviously, we jumped at the opportunity.”
Unique opportunity for fans
David Gonzalez directs a local youth football club, Castroville United Fair Oaks. The friendly represented a notable opportunity for his club’s players.
“Our kids walked out with both teams during the national anthem,” he said. “It was a unique experience for the club.”
Kids were excited to stand alongside international-caliber soccer players, he said. And it was exciting to see international soccer in San Antonio.
“It’s a good beginning and it’s something we should do a lot more often,” Gonzalez said.
He enjoyed the culture and atmosphere international football brought to Toyota Field. It’s something he hopes to see more of in the future. That could happen, Lizardo said, adding that San Antonio’s facilities were praised by international football officials.
“We’re in the conversations and getting calls about different opportunities,” Lizardo said. “I can tell you we were working a couple for later this year that hopefully we can close and bring.”
Fans showed they were willing to travel to San Antonio from across the country and across the world for the match.
“It was an amazing game, especially the fans. It was really motivating,” said Ahmed Al Anaziz, who came from Saudi Arabia and is following the team on its World Cup journey.
“It’s a really great match. It’s my first time in San Antonio. I’m really enjoying it,” added his brother, Abdulrahman Al Harbi.
Mayna Diouf is Senegalese, but she lives and works in Austin. She had to come down to see her country play.
“It’s a great pleasure seeing Senegal in the United States,” she said, tearing up as the team walked out onto the field and Senegal’s national anthem came on over the speakers. “I feel so good, that will make me cry.”
Diouf did point out some of the controversies that have swirled around the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Travel restrictions and visa revocations by U.S. officials have impacted fans, team personnel and even referees.
“The World Cup this year does not feel like the World Cup,” Diouf said.
Other fans noted high ticket prices.
Andrew Osborn, a fan who traveled from Austin, said he couldn’t afford tickets to World Cup games, but wanted to see good, international football.
“We don’t have any games in Austin,” he said. “This is the next best thing. We’re Austin FC fans. We’re chasing the vibe.”
Still, for some San Antonians, the high prices aren’t keeping them away from a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Kevin Witt and his son attended the Tuesday game and plan to see superstar Cristiano Ronaldo play before he retires.
“My son is a big soccer fan,” he said. “We’re going to see Portugal in Houston in two weeks.”
Parties are just getting started
Plenty of San Antonio venues plan on welcoming fans over the next five weeks as fans seek places to watch and cheer on their favorite teams. The Rock at La Cantera will show U.S. games and some knockout games later on in the tournament.
Pearl is hosting watch parties for more than a dozen games in June and July, using a blueprint for large public gatherings that has served fans and surrounding businesses well during the San Antonio Spurs’ run to the NBA Finals.
They’re not the only place to watch the game. The Broadway corridor, in particular, seems to be a hot spot for San Antonio’s soccer watchers.
“This will be our second World Cup being open, and we were packed the first one, even though we were only open less than a year. We are expecting an even higher turnout this time around,” said Christina Jacobo with The Cottage Irish Pub and Eatery.
The pub on Broadway will show games throughout the tournament, she said.
Even businesses that don’t usually sell food or drink are getting excited. The Soccer Factory is co-hosting a watch party for the World Cup’s opening game — Mexico versus South Africa — at the Social Spot starting at 11 a.m. Thursday.
“We’ve been waiting for four years. As soon as the World Cup ends, we’re ready for the next one,” said Melvin Villarreal, The Soccer Factory’s store manager.
San Antonio fans are excited, he said, and have flocked to the store for merchandise.
“It hasn’t started yet and we’re sold out of Spain, Argentina, Mexico and U.S. jerseys for kids,” he said. “Everybody has been going crazy for the World Cup.”
