LANSING, Mich — Fans from across Mid-Michigan gathered at Ozone's Brewhouse in Old Town on Monday night to watch the United States take on Belgium in the round of 16 at the FIFA World Cup.
WATCH: Mid-Michigan fans pack Lansing bar for USA vs. Belgium World Cup match
Fans travel from across the region
Mark Farmer drove in from Flushing to support Team USA. Farmer said he attended World Cup matches in person in 1994 at the Silverdome and said the way communities come together around the sport is what makes it meaningful.
"It reminds me of all the good things that you want to come out of America and the way that people come out and get together," Farmer said.
First-time viewer drawn in by online buzz
Meagan Wozny of Okemos said she had not watched any World Cup matches before Monday but was drawn out after seeing videos online of fans gathering to watch together.
"I've seen some stuff online about how stoked everyone is for the World Cup and how it's really bringing people together, and I haven't gotten to experience it yet," Wozny said. "And I got here an hour ago and it was packed. I couldn't even sit at a table."
Wozny said it was meaningful to see the Lansing area and the country unite behind a common cause.
"It's really easy for areas like this, we're so spread out, and there's so many different kind of pockets where people like to collect, so it's easy to feel separate," Wozny said. "So it's really nice to have something where we're all kind of a joint front on this."
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