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How 3 St. Louisans became heroes when a U.S. World Cup watch party went dark

St. Louis Public Radio | By Sarah Fentem,

Brian Munoz, Brian Heffernan

Published June 15, 2026 at 8:45 AM CDT

United States fans celebrate a goal during a FIFA World Cup watch party outside Amsterdam Tavern on Friday in south St. Louis.

"We're men of the people," said amateur TV hoister Cole Klein of himself and his buddy Connor McDonald. "We saw that everyone was in trouble, and, you know, we wanted to come save the day."

Folarin Balogun may have scored two goals in the United States' first World Cup game Friday night, but many fans in south St. Louis crowned a different MVP.

More than a thousand fans flocked to the Amsterdam Tavern's outdoor watch party on Morgan Ford Road to watch the U.S. take on Paraguay.

Picture it: Ten minutes into the game, the mood couldn't have been higher. The U.S. scores early. Beer is flowing and flying through the air.

Then, an unexpected tragedy: The satellite feed cuts, the Amsterdam loses power. An error message flashes on the movie theater-size screen, which inexplicably begins playing a "Rock 'n' Roll Heaven" slideshow. The collective groan is heard blocks away. Some fans pull out their phones to stream the game, and friends crowd around. The U.S. scores a second goal.

Enter the heroes of this story: a few guys in an apartment high above the soccer bar's watch party. The friends carry a large flatscreen TV up onto the railing of their second-story balcony so the crowd below can watch. Fans erupt with cheers of "M-V-P! M-V-P!" then, "U-S-A! U-S-A!"

Connor McDonald, left, and Cole Kline hold up a television outside their friend Matt Waller's apartment (not pictured) after an outdoor World Cup watch party's stream cut due to a power issue on Friday.

"We're men of the people," amateur TV hoister Cole Kline said of himself and his buddy Connor McDonald when interviewed at halftime. "We saw that everyone was in trouble, and, you know, we wanted to come save the day."

The owner of the large television, Matt Waller, was down below on the street when he saw his buddies pick up his TV. He said he was nervous, but "then I was like, you know what, I trust them. It'll be OK, and the people are loving it."

That's just the collective, communal spirit of the World Cup, Waller said. "We're all cheering for the same thing," he said. "I know some people may not be that interested or big into soccer, but they want to cheer on their country and root together as one."

Behind the Amsterdam, a technician for Ameren was working to restore power to the bar and the feed outside.

It went live shortly before the end of the first half, when U.S. striker Balogun notched his second goal of the match. Bliss.

The U.S. would go on to rout Paraguay 4-1. America's next game is at 2 p.m. Friday against Australia.

Waller said he again plans on watching the game with friends, and may even go to the Amsterdam Tavern across the street — "if the power's on."