The Bay and Sarasota Paradise Launch Free World Cup Watch Party Series Along Sarasota Bay

Opening festival on June 14 transforms The Bay into a community-wide soccer celebration with live match broadcasts, 3v3 tournament, fan zone, food trucks, and special appearances from Sarasota Paradise players and coaches.

SARASOTA, FL – June 1, 2026 — This summer, global soccer excitement comes to Sarasota Bay as The Bay and Sarasota Paradise launch a FREE World Cup Watch Party Series celebrating the FIFA World Cup 2026™ with large-screen match broadcasts, family-friendly festivities, and community programming in the heart of Sarasota.

The series kicks off Sunday, June 14 with an all-day festival-style celebration at The Bay featuring World Cup matches shown on stadium-quality large screens beneath a massive shaded tent overlooking Sarasota Bay.

The June 14 Kick-off Festival takes place from 12:30-7:00 p.m. and includes:

- Featured World Cup Matches:

- Germany vs. Curaçao at 1:00 p.m.

- Netherlands vs. Japan at 4:00 p.m.

- A community 3v3 round robin soccer tournament from 12:30–2:30 p.m. (Go here to learn more and register by June 10: https://www.thebaysarasota.org/event/3v3-round-robin-community-tournament-with-sarasota-paradise/)

- Meet-and-greets with Sarasota Paradise players and coaches – including a special appearance by Head Assistant Coach Trevor Sinclair, former England national team and Premier League footballer and FIFA World Cup competitor.

- Interactive fan zone experiences, including soccer drills, lawn games, face painting, giveaways and more.

- Local food trucks and themed food and drink offerings.

Designed to bring the community together around the world’s most popular sport, the series creates a new bayfront gathering experience for fans of all ages — from lifelong soccer supporters to families discovering the excitement of the World Cup together.

“Sarasota Paradise was built around bringing people together through soccer,” says Donny Moore, Sarasota Paradise Vice President of Marketing. “Partnering with The Bay allows us to extend that mission beyond the stadium and create an exciting, family-friendly atmosphere where the entire community can celebrate the World Cup together.”

“We’re excited to partner with Sarasota Paradise to bring the global energy and community spirit of soccer to The Bay,” says Diana Shaheen, Chief Operating Officer of The Bay. “These watch parties are about more than the matches — they’re about creating shared experiences and memorable moments through the ongoing free, welcoming programming that brings people together at this ‘One Park for All’.”

Additional Watch Parties in the Series include:

- Wednesday, June 17 | England vs. Croatia | 4:00 p.m. | The Bay

- Monday, June 22 | Argentina vs. Austria | 1:00 p.m. | The Bay

- Sunday, July 19 | FIFA World Cup 2026TM Final Championship Match | 3:00 p.m. | Sarasota Paradise Stadium

- Plus, enjoy additional FIFA World Cup 2026TM matches shown on the large stadium-quality screens throughout the tournament | Various times — park schedule permitting | The Bay

Guests are encouraged to wear their team colors and bring lawn chairs for comfortable seating.

All events are free and open to the public.

For event details and registration information, visit https://www.thebaysarasota.org/event/world-cup/.