OAKLAND — On Fb and in group chats with fellow Mexican-American immigrants, Luis Ortega noticed rumors and messages urging to train warning.
He ignored them. Clearly, so did 1000’s of different festive soccer followers, wearing a sea of purple, inexperienced and white, who partied effectively into the night time inside and outside of the Oakland Coliseum.
Amid a federal immigration crackdown, the Mexican nationwide group’s tour cease in Oakland on Saturday — that led to a 0-0 draw in opposition to Japan — drew some concern that such a concentrated gathering might turn out to be a goal for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“It’s not gonna happen here,” Ortega mentioned, confidently, amid tailgaters earlier than the match.
He was proper.
There was little trepidation among the many introduced crowd of 45,278 — a sellout — however a lot of celebration. And much more tequila.
For supporters of El Tri, the group’s first go to to Oakland since 2011 provided them probably their solely likelihood to see their squad main as much as subsequent 12 months’s World Cup.
Whereas the event will come to Santa Clara, these matches are unlikely to characteristic the Mexicans, who will both play in Estadio Azteca or Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium in the event that they emerge from the primary stage within the prime two in Group A, as anticipated.
The pleasant in opposition to Japan, the primary group to qualify, served as a warmup for Mexico, driving the momentum of first-place finishes within the Gold Cup and Nations League. The Japanese, ranked seventeenth on the earth, supplied a high-level opponent — and a take a look at for Javier Aguirre’s Thirteenth-ranked squad, which made a stunning exit within the group stage from the 2022 event.
Soccer followers stroll previous a vendor within the parking zone earlier than a pleasant soccer match between Mexico and Japan on the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Space Information Group)
Eddie Aguayo, from San Leandro, joked that the group was on “probation” for him. However that didn’t cease him from rounding up a gaggle of 25 or 30 associates from their hometown in Jalisco, Mexico. Regardless of the place El Tri performs in 2026, he mentioned, “I’ve gotta go.”
It’s the 12 months he’s set to retire as a development employee, and he provided a two-word reply when requested about President Donald Trump’s embrace of the event, which is being hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Trump introduced final month that the draw for the event will happen on the Kennedy Middle in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 5.
“(Expletive) Trump,” Aguayo mentioned. “We’re building America. It’s sad. I’ve got friends, family who don’t have papers. But they pay taxes. If they pay taxes, they should give them a chance.”
When it got here to the specter of ICE, the placement of this pleasant — within the Bay Space — represented considerably of a haven compared to Los Angeles, the place there have been widespread immigration raids since Trump took workplace.
One vendor named Maria, who requested solely to be recognized by her first title, hoped to make $1,500 hawking all kinds of attire in Mexican colours. Tons of of others had every part from tacos, micheladas and recent fruit on the market to the fashionable Labubu dolls.
She made the drive from Los Angeles and mentioned she felt safer doing enterprise within the Coliseum parking zone than exterior El Traffico, the rivalry match between LAFC and the Los Angeles Galaxy, one locale she’s been working at for the previous 5 years.
Mayor Barbara Lee reassured followers a day earlier than the match.
“We do not cooperate with ICE,” she mentioned. “We have our challenges, yes, but we have such opportunity. And this is a weekend of opportunity. People should be joyful, not worried. Even though I know that the anxiety is here.”
At one level, Aguayo interrupted the interview to take a photograph with 5 males in purple spandex fits, dressed as the standard Mexican superhero El Chapulin. Waterfalls of tequila flowed from sufficient bottles to lose depend, together with these in Aguayo’s group.
Alameda County Sheriff deputies patrol the parking zone earlier than a pleasant soccer match between Mexico and Japan on the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Space Information Group)
It was nearly simple to neglect there was one other group, whose supporters are additionally well-represented among the many Bay Space’s demographics. Not for Aguayo, although.
Each Japan fan wearing a blue jersey who handed by their tent bought a move of silver agave liquor poured into their mouths. Inside, Japanese supporters had been outnumbered about 10 to 1.
“I think it’s wonderful to see our Mexican fellow citizens show up in big droves to support their team,” mentioned Kentaro Matsuura, who was born in Okayama, Japan, and now lives in Burlingame.
Sporting a nationwide group jersey he bought in 1995, Matsuura introduced with him his spouse and their three children — aged 8, 6 and a couple of — who weren’t but born the final time he bought to see his group in particular person.
“It’s pretty special,” he mentioned. “It’s like a once-in-a-decade type of thing.”
Ortega, who has lived within the shadows of the Coliseum since shifting from Nayarit, Mexico, in 1992, mentioned Oakland wanted extra days like these after the departures of three professional sports activities groups.
Soccer followers stroll previous vendor tents within the parking zone earlier than a pleasant soccer match between Mexico and Japan on the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Space Information Group)
“We used to have these kinds of events before, when we had the Warriors, the A’s, the Raiders,” he mentioned. “Oakland, hey, we’ve gotta unite. The communities have to unite in Oakland.”
Aguirre, the Mexican head coach, summed up the expertise in a single phrase: “Fantastico.”
“I would have liked to give the fans a win,” he mentioned. “But the area has been great, the training facilities (in Alameda), the hotel (in downtown Oakland), it all was terrific.”
That mentioned, coming again to California subsequent 12 months hasn’t crossed his thoughts.
“I don’t want to think about it,” he grinned. “Mexico, Mexico.”
Mexico’s Jorge Sánchez (2) battles Japan’s Kauro Mitoma (7) for the ball in the course of the first half of a pleasant soccer match on the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Space Information Group)
Mexico followers cheer for his or her group in the course of the second half of a pleasant soccer match on the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. Mexico and Japan ended the sport with a 0-0 tie. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Space Information Group)
A vendor sells merchandise within the parking zone earlier than a pleasant soccer match between Mexico and Japan on the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Space Information Group)
Initially Revealed: September 7, 2025 at 12:05 PM PDT
