Shooting at World Cup Fan Zone in California Kills One
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Football fans gather to watch USA and Paraguay at San Pedro Square for a FIFA World Cup watch party in San Jose, Calif. on June 12, 2026.
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One person died and another person sustained “life-threatening” injuries, according to police, following a Sunday night shooting in a popular spot in California known for hosting World Cup festivities this summer.
Police in the city of San Jose announced on X just after 10 p.m. local time that they were investigating a homicide in the area of N Market St. and W Santa Clara St. near San Pedro Square—one of several zones in the greater San Francisco Bay Area where World Cup fans have gathered for watch parties. The announcement also advised residents to avoid the area.
No World Cup games, however, were being screened when the incident occurred, with the only scheduled game on Sunday ending at around 2 p.m. local time.
Reuters reported that one of their journalists on scene witnessed an individual on a stretcher covered by a white sheet being carried away from the area by uniformed personnel. It also reported a heavy police presence in the area.
Gun violence has been a persistent problem in the U.S. The latest available statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that around 44,000 people died of gun-related injuries in the country in 2024.
With up to 10 million travelers expected to enter the U.S.—one of the 2026 World Cup’s host countries along with Mexico and Canada—to watch the games, gun violence has been described as a potential concern for visitors.
Earlier this month, nine people were injured in a shooting near England’s national team base camp in Kansas City, Mo., and on June 16 in the same city, one person was killed and several others injured, including an Uber driver who was taking fans to a World Cup match, in a series of roadway shootings believed to be committed by one suspect. On June 21, five people were hit by gunfire and one other was stabbed In Brockton, Mass., during celebrations of Cape Verde’s World Cup tie against Uruguay, and less than a week later, four people in Brockton sustained gunshot wounds after gathering to celebrate the result of another Cape Verde match.