Pro Iowa and Des Moines Menace to host Women’s World Cup watch parties

USA vs. Netherlands watch party scheduled for Wednesday, July 26, at Big Grove Brewery

DES MOINES, Iowa (July 24, 2023) — Pro Iowa, the initiative to bring professional soccer to Iowa, and the Des Moines Menace invite Iowans to attend a series of FIFA Women’s World Cup watch parties. Just as the World Cup brings together the soccer community around the globe, Pro Iowa and the Des Moines Menace plan to unite central Iowa communities by hosting World Cup watch parties.

The family-friendly watch parties for the Women’s World Cup group-stage series of games will begin with the USA vs. Netherlands match on Wednesday, July 26, at 8 p.m. at Big Grove Brewery, located at 555 17th St. in Des Moines. Pro Iowa and the Menace will announce more watch parties as the knockout stage of the competition begins.

The watch parties are open-house style and free to the public to attend. Although a reservation is not required, fans planning on attending are encouraged to register in advance by clicking HERE. On July 26, guests are welcome to arrive early to enjoy live music from Lady Revel from 7–8 p.m. on the Big Grove patio.

The first 250 guests in attendance will receive a U.S. women’s soccer team-inspired T-shirt. The T-shirt provided Wednesday is the first in a series of three unique U.S. women's soccer team-inspired T-shirts that will be given away throughout the World Cup, should the team advance.

Sitting and standing room will be available both inside Big Grove and on the patio. Seating is first come, first serve. Limited parking is available on the north side of the building, along with street parking.

“We’re happy to connect Iowans’ love for soccer with a community establishment they already know and love, Big Grove Brewery,” said Kyle Davy, director of revenue for Pro Iowa. “We hosted a series of successful watch parties for the Men’s World Cup last fall, and we’re proud to put on these events again as we cheer on the women’s teams. Through the watch parties, we hope to make new friends and create more soccer advocates, whether they are lifelong fans of the sport or simply want to tune in to watch the excitement surrounding these international matches.”

These events are made possible thanks to a Prairie Meadows Community Betterment Grant.

“We are incredibly grateful to be a recipient of a Prairie Meadows Community Betterment Grant,” said Dan Jansen, program manager for the Iowa Soccer Development Foundation (ISDF), the fundraising arm of the Pro Iowa Initiative. “We appreciate their efforts in funding projects that enhance central Iowa. Through the Pro Iowa Stadium and Global Plaza and the Women’s World Cup watch parties, the ISDF looks forward to creating a cultural connector that entertains, invests in and gives back to the community, just as Prairie Meadows does.”

Last year, watch parties for the Men's World Cup brought 3,500 people to downtown Des Moines for nine events. For the USA vs. England watch party hosted at Big Grove, the event drew in 700+ people. The ISDF, Pro Iowa and Menace hope to achieve a similar level of engagement with the women’s watch party events.

To learn more about the watch parties, visit the registration page. Learn more about the Pro Iowa Initiative at USLProIowa.com and the Menace at MenaceSoccer.com. For more information on the FIFA World Cup series, visit FIFA.com.