For many Columbia businesses, especially sports bars, the summer season can be one of the quieter times of the year.
With Mizzou athletics and college sports on hold, and the NBA and NFL seasons over, there are fewer sporting events that consistently draw crowds out.
Restaurant owners said leagues like the MLB and WNBA, which continue through the summer, still don’t always generate the same atmosphere as other major sporting events do throughout the year.
However, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has helped fill that gap this summer.
Restaurants and sports bars across Columbia are welcoming fans for matches. Some business owners said the tournament is bringing in new customers, creating a lively atmosphere and providing a much-needed boost during a traditionally slower stretch on the sports calendar.
While the tournament has provided a boost in customers, Southside Pizza & Pub manager Simone Magueja said one of its biggest benefits has been the sense of community it has created.
“But it is really nice to see people from different backgrounds come together and celebrate the same thing,” Magueja said. “It’s really nice to have diversity (here) because you don’t think too much about diversity in Missouri, but it’s nice to see the World Cup bring that out.”
Soccer fans show out
International Tap House, commonly known as iTAP, located on Ninth Street, is beloved by many Columbia residents and foreign travelers, especially during the World Cup.
Although college students typically leave for the summer, soccer fans have showed out at iTAP.
“Most of these night games just completely pack up,” Raven Saylor, the general manager at International Tap House, said. “We’re doing football season numbers.”
This business is the home for the American Outlaws, the largest supporting group for the U.S. soccer team during the 2026 World Cup.
“The U.S. games are always super positive,” Saylor said.
It doesn’t matter the countries that are playing, International Tap House is never empty on a game day, Saylor said.
There is also a large turn out for teams like Mexico, France, England and Colombia.
“Last night, Mexico (fans were) electric,” Saylor said. “They were having so much fun.”
The different cultures that come to this business will be able to get drinks from all different countries, including drinks not offered year-round.
“I get to buy fun beer that I don’t get to buy during the school year,” Saylor said. “I’ve got a ton of kegs back there that I just get to rotate more.”
iTAP provides soccer fans a space to watch every game, and is benefiting from the foot traffic immensely.
“I don’t think we’d have anybody at this time,” Saylor said. “It’s going well for us. I’m really happy with it.”
Bringing in new people
La Terraza Mexicana Grill sees some of its busiest days during World Cup matches that feature Latin American teams.
Owner Luis Ramirez said the restaurant’s revenue heavily increases when the Mexico team plays, with their match against Ecuador bringing in the largest crowd yet.
“It’s really helping to increase the numbers probably by 20% or 30%,” Ramirez said. “Overall, it’s helping our business, on game days, to have better numbers.”
To keep up with the demand, Ramirez said La Terraza schedules additional employees on game days and keeps staff on call for highly anticipated matches.
“Most of the time on game days, we put extra people to work,” Ramirez said.
Moreover, Ramirez said the restaurant also decorated its dining room with flags representing every country in the tournament to create an atmosphere that makes fans feel welcome, no matter which team they support.
“We wanted people to have the feeling of going to a place where all the teams are here,” Ramirez said. “We have a flag for all 48 of the teams that have participated.”
Ramirez said a lot of customers return for Mexico’s matches, while other games bring in different groups of fans.
“It’s one of those things where the whole world is focused on one thing, it’s not just one city, one state or one country,” Ramirez said. “We’re talking about the whole world looking at the same thing at the same time, so it brings so many new people here.”
With Mexico having not conceded a goal so far in the tournament, and advancing through the first round of the knockout stage Tuesday night, he expects the crowds to continue growing.
“It’s exciting,” Ramirez said. “I wish the World Cup was every year.”