‘Kick it at the Res,’ a series of free, public soccer watch parties begins Friday June 19, and a 2nd viewing party to be held at Town Hall
UPDATED: The Select Board added a second World Cup viewing party, this one at Town Hall, for Friday, June 19. The town previously announced a “Kick it at the Res,” free watch party so that locals could have a chance to cheer on Arlington’s own Miles Robinson, a member of the US Men’s national team.
Due to suspected inclement weather this week, the second watch party at the Reservoir Beach, Tuesday, June 23, has been canceled.
The FIFA World Cup soccer tournament officially kicked off last week in Mexico City. On June 12, Team USA saw its first tournament action and won over Team Paraguay in California. The Boston area has been flooded with fans of Scotland, Haiti, Morocco and other national teams playing in Foxborough, and numerous area communities are hosting viewing parties for US team matches and other World Cup action.
Those first Arlington watch parties come on the Juneteenth holiday, with Arlington schools closed. Early enthusiasm for the event at Reservoir Beach, which can accommodate 2,500, indicated that it will be packed. On June 19, the Res parking lot will be closed and Lowell Street will be one way, westbound. This would allow for better traffic and pedestrian safety, according to town officials. The Res, near the Lexington border, is accessible from the Minuteman Bikeway.
Town-hosted viewing parties
The second party, which will be held in Town Hall with beer and beverages by Waltham’s Mighty Squirrel Taproom & Kitchen and a food truck, was approved by the Select Board at a specially called meeting on Tuesday, June 16. The board voted 5 to 0 to approve the second public gathering. The event will be free to attend, the food and beverages are available for a cost. There will be seating both inside the Town Hall auditorium and outside in the Robbins Memorial Gardens.
A shuttle will run between Town Hall (730 Mass. Ave.) and the Reservoir recreation area (210 Lowell St.) and Russell Common parking lot off Mystic Street in Arlington Center. According to a town press release, “both events are rain or shine. No dogs allowed.”
Of course people can watch the matches at homes or at area businesses airing the game, but there was a push to have town-sponsored viewings to help celebrate the World Cup and Robinson being on the team. Currently, there is only one party scheduled for Town Hall, but four dates are scheduled for the Res.
The free, public soccer watch parties at the Reservoir, officially called “Kick it at the Res.” Refreshments will be available for purchase, featuring local brews and non-alcoholic beverages from Arlington Brewing Company. Residents are invited to bring a lounge chair and cheer on the local athlete with friends and community members.
Free entry to the watch series at the Res begins one hour prior to the game start time. Swimming will be permitted during this time until tusk. According to the event website, while there are no tickets required to attend, event capacity is limited and entry will be denied when that number is reached. For photo ops, two cut-outs of Miles Robinson, an Arlington native who plays for the U.S. team, will be available, “mostly” at the Res, Deputy Town Manager Christine Bongiorno said.
The full schedule for the viewing parties at the Reservoir is available below:
Friday, June 19 (showing back-to-back matches)
3 p.m. USA vs Australia
6 p.m. Scotland v Morocco
Tuesday June 23: CANCELED DUE TO RAIN
4 p.m. England v Ghana
Wednesday June 24
6 p.m. Scotland v Brazil
Friday, June 26
3 p.m. Norway v France
This story was published on June 16, 2026, and was updated. YourArlington founder Bob Sprague contributed to this report.
