Mexico is playing South Korea in the World Cup, and L.A.’s watch parties are bound to be buzzing

You don’t have to score a ticket inside SoFi Stadium to soak up the electric atmosphere of the FIFA World Cup: Thanks to watch parties all over Los Angeles, the celebratory soccer vibes have spread to landmarks, parks and city streets, often for free.

But there’s one particular match on the horizon that’s remarkably reflective of L.A.’s deeply intertwined multicultural roots and—as KCRW took the words right out of our mouth—“the most L.A. World Cup game ever.” On Thursday, June 18, Mexico will face South Korea at 6pm Pacific time, and while the group stage match takes place in Mexico, the watch parties in L.A.—two in particular—are bound to be absolutely magnetic. The two countries’ camaraderie has captivated social media, and it’ll likely be the event to watch in L.A. on Thursday night.

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First up is a watch party in Koreatown, a neighborhood that’s the capital of Korean culture and cuisine in L.A., as well as a majority Latino one—and really, what could be more L.A. than the fact that K-town’s main watch party this week takes place across from the city’s most famous Oaxacan restaurant, Guelaguetza? But judging by the jerseys at last week’s watch party along Wilshire Boulevard, this is very much a rally for team South Korea supporters.

This time around, the Los Angeles Korean Festival Foundation will hold the festivities slightly farther south at Seoul International Park (965 S Normandie Ave). Since parking is limited in the area and it’s a bit of a hike to the nearest Metro stop, you can opt for pre-paying for parking closer to Wilshire and taking a shuttle to the event. The festival grounds, full of food and snack booths and local vendors, will open at 10am and close at 10pm; once the match starts at 6pm, you’ll find the action on a screen set up on Irolo Street.

Meanwhile, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes is doubling as Mexico’s official cultural hub during the tournament, but since their watch party is sold out, the momentum for team Mexico seems to be coalescing around Boyle Heights. The neighborhood’s chamber of commerce is hosting a watch party along 1st Street at Vicente Fernández Street with live music, local organizations and the participation of the many restaurants along this block of Boyle Heights. The festivities kick off at 4pm and run until 10pm; given that it’s all right next to a Metro stop, you’ll want to take the E Line to Mariachi Plaza instead of wasting your time searching for street parking.