OAKLAND, Calif. – Thousands of soccer fans packed the Oakland Coliseum for a historic international match between Japan and Mexico, which ended in a 0-0 draw.
The city says it was more than just a game, it was a chance to showcase Oakland’s community and culture.
Hours before kickoff, the Coliseum parking lot was transformed into a massive party zone. Tens of thousands of fans turned out showcasing pride for their teams and for Oakland.
“I’m here because the Raiders played here, the Warriors played here, there’s a lot of history here and this is a great vibe,” said Omar Valdovinos of Oakland.
“Born and raised here, I love Oakland, I will always love Oakland. We just want Oakland to be better, show the community that Oakland is a great place to be,” said Cynthia Rojas of Oakland. “The Mexican community is out here, Japanese fans are out here too and that’s really cool, just shows how diverse and wonderful the city actually is.”
The friendly was one of the highest-profile sporting events at the Coliseum since the departure of the Raiders and A’s. Both national teams will compete at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will include matches at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
Over 40,000 fans packed the stands Saturday. Hector “Caramelo” Chavez, who has attended 521 matches since 1986, was among them.
“I’m very excited because there is a lot of Mexicans, you feel like you’re home, with mariachi, Cumbia, everybody looking color and happiness and it’s fantastic,” Chavez said.
“It’s actually my first soccer game, so it’s kind of a novelty in that respect and it’s still a great stadium to make use of for games like this,” said Miles Maurino of San Francisco.
Some fans traveled great distances, including Mitsu Kurada of Japan.
“I can watch Japan team here, and I also love to see Mexico futbal team too, and I’m so happy to come here,” he said.
Saturday’s match marked Japan’s first-ever appearance in Oakland and the first time in 14 years that Mexico had returned to play here.
Earlier in the week, thieves broke into the Mexican team’s truck outside their downtown hotel. Despite the break-in, the team remained enthusiastic and expressed willingness to return.
This weekend remains jam-packed with activity. Monster Jam is taking over the Oakland Arena, and the Oakland Roots will play at the Coliseum Sunday.
The Source: Original reporting by Betty Yu of KTVU
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