If you think of a World Cup watch party, you probably imagine something like the ones that have been happening at Brit’s in downtown Minneapolis. Fans of each team mingle peaceably enough on the lawn but they’re unmistakably boisterous. There’s beer, there are chicken fingers, there’s probably a little face painting and a lot of kits and maybe even a few vuvuzelas. It can get a bit rambunctious.
At the American Swedish Institute, it’s a little different. For Sweden’s 9:00 a.m. Round of 16 matchup against Switzerland, there are still kits and plenty of yellow and blue clothing, plus a few modest flags, but there are also a lot of kids, plus coffee and pastries from FIKA, the restaurant and café located in the lobby.