World Cup fans gather at Grant Park to watch USA take on Germany
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Thousands of World Cup fans gathered at the Petrillo Band Shell in Chicago's Grant Park to watch Team USA take on Germany in Brazil.
U.S. Soccer hosted the viewing party for the match Thursday. Fans dressed in red, white and blue sprinted into Butler Field to get a good view of the two giant screens. Organizers estimated the crowd to be at nearly 20,000 people.
PHOTOS: World Cup fans gather in Grant Park to watch USA vs. Germany
U.S. Soccer also hosted a fan fest drawing lots of future Team USA hopefuls. But the match was the real draw. And even though security was tight and alcohol was strictly prohibited, spirits were high throughout the game, even for those who couldn't really see the screens very well.
"It's all right," said Becca Bunch. "I can't really see the players. I need better glasses, probably."
In the end, despite the loss, there was celebration as the U.S. advances to the next round of the Cup.
"There's no reason to be disappointed," said fan Jose Ramirez. "They're still going through and it's still going to be awesome."
"Even if they lost today, it don't matter," said Rhoan Chatterjee. "They go forward, forward, forward. Go United States!"
As the U.S. continues playing in Brazil, the number of watch-party attendees grows in Chicago. This past weekend, about 20,000 people came to watch Game 2 against Portugal - double the number that turned out for Game 1 against Ghana. Organizers made accommodations for an even bigger crowd to watch Game 3. With so much riding on the match between Team USA and Germany, more than 20,000 fans were expected to watch in Grant Park.
"It doesn't get any better than that. I mean, you're in the city of Chicago, which is phenomenal, right?" Craig Bradley said. "Right down here on Lake Shore, we're going to have a blast."
USA Men's National Team Head Coach Jurgen Klinsman encouraged people to take the day off. U.S. Soccer posted a "doctor's note" he wrote on Twitter.
The note asked employers to forgive their staff for their absences. He assured them it is for an important cause and the team needed the support of the nation on Thursday.
Since many of those attending the viewing party were expected to come in from the suburbs, Metra advised commuters to be ready for packed trains during the late morning rush and later Thursday afternoon after the game is over. The commuter rail service also banned alcohol on all trains for the day.
