USA vs Paraguay: World Cup fever grips Los Angeles despite Trump policies

Los Angeles, California — Juan Cortes has hung the flags of the United States and Mexico outside his mechanic shop in Los Angeles as he celebrates the return of the FIFA World Cup to Southern California after 32 years.

Despite his love of the game and the tournament, Cortes will not attend a single World Cup fixture in the football-mad metropolis, which is hosting eight matches – including USA’s opener against Paraguay on Friday – a few kilometres from his business.

Exorbitant ticket prices have pushed World Cup games out of reach for die-hard fans like Cortes, who will instead settle for watching the action on the screen.

“I wish they would help us out – so people like us, who are into the game and have the passion for their teams, were able to go see our idols play,” Cortes told Al Jazeera as he stood with the two flags behind him and cars whizzing past on the busy road in front of him.

Tickets for the home team’s opening game were still available on resale platforms less than 12 hours from kickoff.

Despite the heartache, the Mexican-American fan is ecstatic about being incredibly close to the action and was thrilled to have seen the Paraguay team bus drive past his shop earlier.

“Every four years, I get excited. I know my Mexico can make it further than the World Cup before, and if they don’t make it far, I know my US [is] right behind them,” he said.

As World Cup fever grips Los Angeles, excitement for the tournament has slowly overcome the controversies surrounding it, including the travel and immigration policies implemented by US President Donald Trump’s administration.