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ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Croatia may have left its Alexandria base camp, but the city's connection to the Vatreni runs through Thursday night — and one West End restaurant will be at the center of it, with a television crew in tow.
Taqueria Picoso, which has billed itself as "Alexandria's World Cup HQ" and shown every match of the tournament, will host a watch party Thursday for Croatia's Round of 32 knockout match against Portugal. Fox 5 DC plans to air live coverage from the restaurant ahead of kickoff, adding a spotlight to what has already been one of the area's busiest World Cup gathering spots.
Croatia and Portugal kick off at 7 p.m. ET at Toronto Stadium in Toronto. After a month headquartered in Alexandria, the team carries a local rooting interest into one of the tournament's marquee ties, against a Portugal side featuring Cristiano Ronaldo.
A live broadcast, and an early start
The Fox 5 crew — including reporter Josh Rosenthal — plans to set up in the afternoon and air live segments from the restaurant beginning around 5 p.m., roughly two hours before kickoff. Owner Lynn Umemoto encouraged fans to arrive early to help fill the restaurant for those live shots and be part of the coverage.
There is no entry fee or ticket for Thursday's watch party, Umemoto said. To keep pace with the expected crowd, the restaurant may run a streamlined version of its menu — tacos, nachos, wings, quesadillas and sides.
And yes, the house will be pulling for Croatia. Umemoto said the restaurant will be cheering the Vatreni on Thursday — with one good-natured caveat: if Croatia were ever to meet Mexico, she said, that would be a different story.
A tournament-long gathering spot
Taqueria Picoso has leaned into the World Cup all summer, transforming its dining room with large screens and sound and showing every match, many for free. The restaurant has also hosted a series of ticketed watch parties as fundraisers with TASTE Takeover, a veteran- and Latina-led nonprofit, and has drawn especially large crowds for Latin American matches.
Umemoto said the restaurant will host another marquee watch party Sunday, July 5, at 8 p.m. for Mexico's knockout match, after that team advanced this week. Ticketed fundraiser events are also planned for the World Cup quarterfinals on July 11 and the final on July 19.
Taqueria Picoso is at 1472 N. Beauregard St.
Other places to watch
Taqueria Picoso is not the only Alexandria spot showing the tournament. Bars and restaurants across the city have embraced the World Cup, several showing matches daily. Among them: Bugsy's Pizza Restaurant & Sports Bar in Old Town; Continues Arcade, which hosted a Croatia watch party during the group stage; Atlas Brew Works & Andy's Pizza; LaPluma Coffee & Wine Bar, running World Cup specials through mid-July; and Old House Cosmopolitan Grill, the Old Town Balkan restaurant that leaned into Croatia's stay with team-country dishes. Fans should confirm hours and whether a given spot is showing the match before heading out.
What's at stake
A win Thursday would send Croatia to the Round of 16 against the winner of Spain–Austria, whose own Round of 32 match is set for earlier that day. A loss ends the Vatreni's tournament — and, with it, Alexandria's month-long rooting interest in the team that called the city home.
