There were wins, losses, and a few draws, but on balance the past weekend of sports brought joy to the world.
Who could not be thrilled by the New York Knicks pulling out their fourth come-from-behind victory — including a comeback for the ages — to claim their first NBA championship in 53 years? To put their fans’ longing in perspective, a similar drought would last until 2079. The nice thing about the triumph of the New Yorkers is that grit rather than glamor was at the heart of it.
While scenes of exuberant demonstrations in the streets and parks in the five boroughs streamed over the airwaves Saturday night, there was a video of an ecstatic throng on the other side of the world. At Federation Square in Melbourne, fans of Australia’s Socceroos were celebrating their team’s 2-0 victory over Türkiye in the opening round of the World Cup.
Every four years since 1930 — excepting 1942-46 — the world championship of football, a k a soccer, has been a spectacle that inspires passionate interest throughout the globe. When the World Cup was hosted by the United States in 1994, I took my family to two matches at the Rose Bowl, watching Romania defeat a feisty U.S. team and then take down Argentina. Seats in the stadium cost $25.
Ticket prices have soared to hundreds and thousands of dollars in this era of excess fostered by the powers that be. But if you can’t afford to attend a match, the next best thing is to find a place where a crowd gathers around a TV screen to experience what sociologists call “collective effervescence.” Santa Barbara and Goleta offer many such opportunities.
The Press Room on Ortega Street rightfully calls itself the town’s World Cup headquarters. It was established in 1995 by James Rafferty as a traditional English pub, but fans of all stripes jam its friendly confines when the World Cup comes around. Rafferty remembers the 2006 tournament when a Togo tribesman showed up to view his country’s only appearance. In 2002, when the telecasts from Japan and Korea reached the U.S. in the middle of the night, the Press Room was the only West Coast bar to be open for every match.
It can be said that all the matches are scheduled to start at “5 o’clock somewhere,” as alcoholic beverage consumption is indulged by many adult fans, but the older I get, the less I feel the need.
I squeezed into the Press Room to watch the opening match of the 2026 World Cup between Mexico and South Africa. I was seated between Justin Jimenez, who played on the great Santa Barbara High soccer team that went 31-1 in 2010, and Erica Urech, a regular patron who holds the Zinedine Zidane headbutt in the France-Italy final of 2006 as her favorite memory.
“Meh-ico, Meh-ico, rah rah, rah” chanted the crowd as the match got under way. “Boooo,” they shouted when the screen showed FIFA president Gianni Infantino, the personification of greed and political favoritism in their minds.
Mexico’s 2-0 victory made it a happy day for its many jersey-wearing fans, who also crowded into Dargan’s across the street from the Press Room and created a green belt outside the bars along the 500-600 blocks of State Street.
A 2-1 comeback victory by South Korea over Czechia capped the first day of the World Cup, and a late goal by Canada earned a 1-1 draw with Bosnia & Herzegovina that preceded Friday’s big event, the U.S.A. team taking on Paraguay in Los Angeles.
Mario Martinez was among those wearing the green of his native Mexico on Thursday, but a day later he wore a red U.S.A. shirt in the crowd at the Goleta Community Center, site of a family-friendly game watch hosted by Santa Barbara’s neighbor city. “People say 'Why do you support the U.S.A.?' but I’ve had a good life here,” said Martinez, 62. He migrated across the border 40 years ago to join his uncle, who worked at the Daily Bread store.
The U.S.A. team rewarded the support of Martinez and 100 others in the auditorium with a display that truly represented “the beautiful game,” as it is deemed by soccer aficionados. Folarin Balogun, a multinational player who chose America over England and Nigeria, scored twice, and a beautiful goal by Gio Reyna capped the U.S.A.’s 4-1 victory. “I was thinking the U.S.A. might be so-so,” Martinez admitted, “but I see a lot of chances for them to advance. They made the people happy.”
Goletans will also be following the Austrian team, which has a training base at UCSB, as well as staging a pair of street parties on Pine Avenue, including the June 24 match between Mexico and Czechia.
Qatar is another local adoptee, holding its training base at Westmont College, and it provided a stunner at the start of Saturday’s schedule — a perfect cross and header in the final minute to tie Switzerland, 1-1, in San Francisco.
I watched another 1-1 draw, between Brazil and an impressive Morocco team, at Buena Onda, which has installed two large TVs in its patio off Haley Street. Four years ago, besides serving savory empanadas, Buena Onda became the place where a throng of fans showed up to watch Argentina defeat France in a thrilling World Cup final. It’s sure to be busy for every Argentina match later in the tournament.
Scotland and Australia were joyful winners later Saturday. Curaçao was overjoyed to score a goal in its World Cup debut even as Germany dominated it by a 7-1 score.
The Public Market on Victoria Street has become a popular venue where there are many varieties of food and drink to consume, a large TV at Cooney’s Bar, and other screens throughout the market. At midday Sunday, it was a gathering place for almost two dozen members of Santa Barbara’s De Witte family, adorned in the orange garb of the Netherlands.
Holland can claim to be the best team never to win the World Cup, having been in the finals three times. It began the 2026 tournament with a thrilling match against Japan, a back-and-forth affair that ended in a 2-2 draw. That was a good outcome for Caroline (De Witte) Rodriguez, a Holland supporter, and Aya Miyazak, her lifelong friend with roots in Japan.
Outside the Public Market, the gentle afternoon sunshine beckoned me to head to Santa Barbara High’s Eddie Mathews Field to check out the Santa Barbara Foresters on the second weekend of their 2026 summer baseball campaign. I was reminded how delightfully walkable the city is. It took me 20 minutes to follow Victoria to Olive Street and arrive at the ballpark on the corner of Olive and Canon Perdido.
Midway through their fourth decade, the Foresters have kept the flame of the national pastime burning brightly in this community. Fortified by talented college ballplayers from around the country, they have never experienced a losing season. On this day, they raised their record to 7-1 with an 8-4 victory over the San Diego Bombers.
Also on this over-the-top weekend of sports, a shout out to the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. As for the UFC event at the White House ... not my cup of bile.
For me, it was back to the World Cup, where the Ivory Coast and Ecuador were tied 0-0 when I arrived home during the second half. It came to a dramatic conclusion as Amad Diallo scored in the 90th minute for the Elephants against an unlucky Ecuador. Sweden ended the day in an explosion of goals, a 5-1 win over Tunisia.
After the weekend, there were still 94 matches remaining in this World Cup, all the way to the championship on July 19. Still to play were the favorites, Spain and France, as well as England, whose fans can take some hope from the New York Knicks; it’s been 60 years since their one and only title in 1966.
An Englishman’s quote in The Athletic website expressed the poignancy of being a fan during the World Cup: “Every tournament makes me feel 8 years old again — not only the desperate hope that we win, but feeling like I’ll cry if we lose.”
Thirty-two of the original 48 teams will advance out of group play and proceed to the knockout rounds starting June 28. At noon on Friday, June 19, the U.S.A. tries to keep its lead in Group D against the Socceroos. Get out and find a place to share the excitement.