World Cup Final Draw Watch Party Brings Fans to Local Hudson County Bars

FIFA partnered with ten New Jersey and New York sports bars to host live screenings of the 2026 World Cup Draw, including two venues in Hudson County. Residents could watch from Departed Soles Brewing Company in Downtown Jersey City or Mulligan’s in Hoboken.

Brian Kulbacki, owner of Departed Soles Brewing Company, said he has hosted watch events for several years. “We’ve been working with the Red Bulls now for seven or eight years.” He described the brewery’s approach to local supporters’ groups, noting, “I’ve always said we’re a community brewery. We want to be a place where anybody can come hang out, no matter what team you root for.” He added, “We work with the American Outlaws for Team USA, the Viking Army for the Red Bulls, and Cloud9 for Gotham FC. We’ve done a bunch of watch parties and stuff like that.”

Kulbacki said the draw event came together quickly. “It was all kind of last minute too. I think it was just either last Friday or this past Monday, so we only had a few days to put this all together and get the word out.”

As the draw progressed, patrons reacted to country introductions and group placements. After the raffle for four Red Bulls premium tickets, fans discussed matchups. German National Team supporter Oliver Lunt described his outlook on Germany’s group. “On paper, it looks doable.” He added, “You never know, it’s a big tournament and every other team will do everything they can to beat Germany.”

Next summer the United States, Mexico, and Canada will jointly host the FIFA Men’s World Cup, with MetLife Stadium serving as a major hub for the tournament.