What to Know
- Mexico and Jamaica play tonight at 7 in the Rose Bowl in the Copa America.
- The stadium's parking lots will open at 3 p.m. and stadium gates at 4:30 p.m.
- A fan fest which will include food and music will begin at 3 p.m.
The historic Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena will be packed with Mexico soccer fans Thursday night who hope to see a repeat performance against Jamaica in the Copa America Centenario soccer championship.
The last time Mexico faced Jamaica, it left the field as the champions of a major international tournament on U.S soil. Although Mexico can't win a trophy in Thursday night's rematch of last year's CONCACAF Gold Cup final, El Tri can take a big step toward Copa America success in the friendly confines of the Rose Bowl.
The Mexicans hope to clinch a spot in the quarterfinals when they essentially host the Reggae Boyz before tens of thousands of their fans in Southern California.
Mexico coach Juan Carlos Osorio and his players are wary favorites. They know all about Jamaica's ability to surprise any opponent with opportunistic goal-scoring, particularly through the air. Osorio hasn't lost in eight games as Mexico's new manager.
Mexico is unbeaten in its last 20 international matches and is still perfect under Osorio, the Colombian who took over the difficult job when Miguel Herrera was fired two days after winning the Gold Cup by beating Jamaica in Philadelphia.
Mexico opened Copa play last week with an impressive 3-1 victory over Uruguay, looking comfortable in Osorio's schemes against a difficult opponent. Jamaica needs a boost to its Copa hopes after a dispiriting 1-0 loss to Venezuela in its tournament opener. The Reggae Boyz haven't beaten Mexico since 1997.
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
Pasadena police advised fans to arrive at the Rose Bowl no later than 5 p.m. because of traffic on freeways and streets around the stadium. Fans should arrive at the stadium gates no later than 5:30 p.m. due to heightened security measures and plan for additional wait times at gates due to the screening process, police said.
The Rose Bowl is a clear bag venue, requiring 12-inch by 6-inch by 12- inch clear bags for entry. Clutch-size bags no larger than 4.25 inches by 6.25 inches will be allowed in even if they are not clear.
The stadium's parking lots will open at 3 p.m. and stadium gates at 4:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. game. A fan fest which will include food and music will begin at 3 p.m.
General parking in Brookside Park and on the Brookside Golf Club course is $40. Preferred parking in the Rose Bowl's Lot H is $60. Carpooling is encouraged, with a $10 meal voucher provided to vehicles with four or more passengers, while supplies last.
Metro advised fans to use the Gold Line, then transfer to a shuttle after a short walk from Memorial Park Station. The shuttle will drop fans off at the Rose Bowl, starting three hours before the match. Service ends one hour after each match.
The ride costs $5. The walk from the station to the Rose Bowl takes about 20 minutes.
The Copa America features top international players in a 16-team competition played in 10 United States cities. The field features 10 teams from South America, including Argentina, led by superstar Lionel Messi.
Quarterfinal rounds in this year's tournament will be in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Foxborough, Massachusetts, Santa Clara and Seattle. Semifinal matchups will be in Chicago and Houston, with the final set for June 26 in East Rutherford.
