WATCH: More than 50,000 soccer fans — many of them from south of the border converged on BC Place Tuesday for the Women’s World Cup. The U.S. is taking on Nigeria. Julia Foy has the details.
Beatty Street was a sea of red, white and blue Tuesday afternoon as U.S. fans held a parade that made downtown Vancouver look like Main Street USA on the 4th of July.
Fans of the U.S. women’s soccer team, who call themselves American Outlaws, gathered outside BC Place ahead of the US team’s Women’s World Cup match against Nigeria holding flags, banners and more than few selfie sticks as they chanted their mantra: “I believe that we will win!”
More than 52,000 people attended Tuesday’s game at BC Place with almost all of them cheering for a U.S. team featuring big names like Alex Morgan, Abby Wambach and Hope Solo. Crowds were impressive for the first two U.S. games in Winnipeg, but a bigger, more boisterous crowd was expected in Vancouver, due to its proximity to the Pacific Northwest, which is one of the biggest hotbeds of soccer in the U.S.
Some American Outlaws referred to the U.S. match as a very friendly and very temporary invasion.
“Look around, this is pretty much a home game for us,” said Daniel Hamilton of Seattle.
“I feel like we invaded you guys a little, sort of by accident,” joked friend Drew McMurray.
McMurray and Hamilton drove up from Seattle clad in blue-and-white blazers and red pants. They are both members of a Seattle Sounders supporters club and became American Outlaws when the U.S. men’s side played a match against Panama in Seattle back in 2013.
“We kind of realized it’s not about your club, it’s about your country,” said Hamilton.
They were hardly alone. Prior to Tuesday’s game, northbound border crossings were jammed, with reports of two-hour waits to enter Canada. Many fans arrived earlier with the American Outlaws hosting an event last night. Some fans even got a tour of the EA Sports facility in Burnaby.
The Outlaws follow the U.S. men’s and women’s teams to international soccer events. They were largest contingent of travelling fans at last year’s men’s World Cup in Brazil. At the 2015 Women’s World Cup, the American Outlaws set up travel packages for U.S. fans to travel north of the 49th parallel, making them by far the biggest group on international fans at this year’s tournament.
The Outlaws will go home happy as the U.S. beat Nigeria 1-0 to take top spot in Group D.
The U.S. team noticed the crowd support.
“I thought the crowd was amazing,” said U.S. head coach Jill Ellis. “I think that had a big part to do with our energy tonight.”
-with files from Canadian Press
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