For This World Cup, Nashville Latinos Have Space For Epic Viewing Parties

The World Cup only comes around every four years. So this is the first chance for Plaza Mariachi in South Nashville to throw viewing parties.

The multicultural shopping mall opened a year ago and resembles a Mexican village inside, and centers around a theatre-sized food court and stage. The plaza has been opening early to accommodate World Cup games, but despite renting additional seating the crowds have still swelled to standing-room-only.

Hundreds have been coming out for games in the past month — even on weekday mornings, and especially when Latin-American teams are on the pitch, like when Brazil faced off with Mexico on Monday.

WPLN’s Tony Gonzalez was in the crowd, and put together an audio postcard that captures the chants, the drumming, the epic goal calls by broadcasters and the excitement of attendees.

The voices in this story are: Plaza Mariachi owner Diane Janbakhsh, Mexico supporters Darwin Alvarez and Fernando Guerra, and Brazil backers Jana Lindblom and William Kawai.