Ways to Watch the Women's World Cup in the Twin Cities

by Leah Prinz, ABF Communications Specialist

Happy Women’s World Cup! At the Ann Bancroft Foundation, we celebrate the incredible achievements of women in sports. This year, the United States team aims for their third consecutive World Cup win. This marks the first Women’s World Cup since U.S. National soccer teams reached a pay equity agreement, a monumental step in the fight for gender parity in sports. Australia and New Zealand are co-hosting this year’s tournament, which means a big time difference from Minnesota. With games at odd hours, it will be a little more difficult to cheer on the U.S.A. live. Luckily, there are a few options in the Twin Cities to capture the magic with a crowd.

1: If you're a local women's soccer fan- Minnesota Aurora FC

Minnesota Aurora FC has been bringing women's soccer to the Twin Cities since 2021. They plan to host a watch party for the first U.S.A. game on Friday, July 21. Though the event is free, tickets are required for entry. See more details here, and support the Minnesota Aurora all through the year!

2: If you love the Loons- Allianz Field

Allianz Field will host Minnesota United FC’s watch parties for the first two USA matches this world cup. They advise fans to stay tuned for more all-ages screenings coming up as the tournament continues. Space for the events is limited and resgistration is required. Click this link to learn more about the event and RSVP! 

3: If you won’t be missing a single match- Black Hart of St. Paul

Black Hart of St. Paul has a mural of Megan Rapinoe on the outside of the building, so you know they take the Women’s World Cup seriously. This LQBTQ+ soccer bar will be open for ALL the US Women’s National Team games this World Cup. Since this World Cup is in Australia, the bar has special permission to stay open and serve alcohol at all hours for games. Black Hart owner Wes Burdine advocated to the Minnesota legislature to make a special exception to liquor laws for World Cup games, which was signed into law in 2022. If you plan to support team USA around the clock, this is the bar for you!

4: If you’re looking for a beer garden- Surly Brewing Co.

Surly Brewing Co. will open their beer garden for the first two USWNT games. This event is free and open to all ages. If you want to soak in the summer weather, this is a great way to watch!

5: If you love tacos as much as you love soccer- La Doña Cervecería

La Doña Cervecería aims to celebrate and uplift Latino culture within Minnesota. They will air a few games in the brewery and replay any after-hours games upon request. They also have a vibrant food menu with tacos, quesadillas, and tres leches cake.

6: If you’re looking for a British Pub- Merlin’s Rest 

Merlin’s Rest serves British classics, from sausage rolls to fish and chips. The restaurant also has a kid’s menu and is friendly to all ages. Here, you can catch a number of Women’s World Cup games, including many that don’t involve the USA. This is a great choice to go truly international for this World Cup. They are regularly screening replays for those who want to watch games at a more reasonable hour in Central Time.