Elementary Students from 37 Schools Celebrate World Cup Together in San Jose, CA on June 12, 2026.

Around 800 students enjoying a day of soccer and welcoming the 2026 FIFA World Cup to Silicon Valley. The San Jose Unified School District is holding a large-scale summer soccer and student connection event. So here at the Plex in San Jose, California students are getting hyped up about the World Cup where it helps unite students and the community together just through sports. So let's take a look at what some of the students have to say. Hi, we're from East Elementary and we're excited for the World Cup. Thank you San Jose Unified. Hey, are you having fun today? Yes! We were practicing soccer and so like we're practicing to pass it and play like real games. I think the performance was so good. We had so much fun with all the kids' energy like pushing us through the performance. It was just a really fun time seeing all the reactions and everyone just seeing all the everyone. They really lifted up the mood. Yeah. Like all the kids they were all really happy, dancing, happy. These are elementary students from grades two to six in the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program. On Thursday, it's about the Mexico versus South Africa teams as they face off. Do we hear a favorite? My pick is Africa is going to win. For me, this is like the smile on their faces is honestly like the best thing in the world. Just being able to have something like this for them to just come and play and and have fun, watch the World Cup game together. It just it gives them hope and it's the best thing for them to know that they have a community. I feel like I feel very honored that we have the ability to be here and to represent our country and our school. I'm really honored to also be here because we got to perform for like something that's really big like the World Cup. It's all around the world. And that there's adults and people that are willing to like take the time to come play with them and really just be there for them. I think that's the best thing about like what I do personally. 33 schools are in attendance. In this venue specifically, they go to one quadrant. Each quadrant is going to have different activities that they get to rotate through. After we're done with that part, students come back to this area and we watch the World Cup game. I hope you guys have a great summer. I am so proud that our city, San Jose, is helping to host the World Cup. Are you proud of San Jose? Sports and music tend to unite people. Like there is just one language, right? It doesn't matter where you're coming from. The sport, it's kind of what unites everyone. Now this year, 11 of U.S. cities are hosting the World Cup games and with that, the community is kicking it together. David Lam, NTD News, California.