Free watch parties for today’s telecast of the World Cup final between Argentina and Germany will be held at Santa Monica Place and Wilmington Waterfront Park.
The Santa Monica Place party will begin at 11 a.m. and include live music, authentic Samba dancers, demonstrations by freestyle soccer players, games, prizes, face-painting and a pregame stretch session.
The Wilmington party will begin at 10 a.m. in the park’s plaza area near C Street and Neptune Avenue. Soccer-themed activities will be held before the game, while food from local restaurants will be sold.
All attendees will need to bring low-profile lawn or beach chairs or blankets for seating. Coolers will be allowed, but pop-up tents, grills and barbecues are prohibited, as are drugs and alcohol. Los Angeles Port Police officers will be on patrol throughout the day.
The ABC telecast of the game from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil will be shown on a 33-foot wide, 19-foot tall HD screen and is scheduled to begin at noon.
Germany advanced to the final thanks to a 7-1 victory over Brazil Tuesday in the most one-sided semifinal in World Cup history.
Argentina earned its spot in the final by defeating the Netherlands, 4- 2, in a penalty kick shootout Wednesday after regulation play and overtime ended in a 0-0 tie.
Germany has outscored its opponents, 17-4, in the World Cup, winning five matches, including one in overtime, and tying one.
Argentina has outscored its opponents, 8-3, winning four times in regulation, once in overtime and once on penalty kicks. Argentina has shut out its opponents in each of its last three matches and has not allowed a goal in its last 373 minutes.
Germany is attempting to become the first European team to win a World Cup played in the Western Hemisphere. Five European teams have lost World Cup finals in the Western Hemisphere.
Germany has won three World Cups, all as West Germany, most recently in 1990. Argentina was the World Cup champion in 1978 and 1986.
This is the third time Germany and Argentina will meet in the final, with Argentina winning in 1986 and Germany in 1990.
ESPN’s Soccer Power Index gives Germany a 63 percent chance of winning.
The index uses historical data on both the international and club level to predict the outcome of a match.
The algorithm uses several years of data, taking into account goals scored and allowed, quality of the lineup fielded and the location of the match. Recent matches are weighed more heavily and the importance of a match is also a factor.
