Eddie Vedder did his part. The Pearl Jam frontman was in the house at Lumen Field on Monday night (July 6) for the anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup match between the U.S. and Belgium. The Seattle native and his daughter Olivia got a little face time when the cameras swung to them during the game, but it was a crowd-hyping move the singer pulled off during a second-half hydration break that brought a roar from the sold-out stadium as the U.S.’s chances appeared to be dwindling.
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With the U.S. down 3-1, the Fox cameras swung over to Vedder, 61, who promptly chugged his entire beer, with suds dripping down his face onto his shirt, before hoisting the can onto his head in a silly gesture that hyped up the crowd. Perfectly on cue, the stadium P.A. swelled with the sounds of PJ’s 1991 debut single, “Alive,” which, unfortunately, did not adequately describe the state of the American side, which seemed overmatched for much of the game and limped out of the round of 16 following a humbling 4-1 loss.
Vedder is better-known as a baseball fanatic — specifically his beloved Chicago Cubs — but his appearance at the World Cup game helped bring some joy to an otherwise rough night for the team whose prospects were slim at best against a Belgian side that had only given up four goals to date during their run to the round of 16.
There was hope that the return to the lineup of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun after his one-game suspension due to a red card in the previous game was put on hold thanks to a controversial phone call from President Trump to his friend, FIFA president Gianni Infantino might lift the U.S. to victory. Despite the howls of protest from non-U.S. soccer fanatics about the highly unusual decision, the Belgians had the last laugh, as Balogun was not much of a factor in the game.
Belgium celebrated by posting a pointed message on X after the match: “Overturn this.” They also took a little swing at Trump on their way off the pitch, with the Belgian side gathering at one end of the field to swivel their hips and pump their arms in a mocking tribute to Trump’s signature awkward “Trump Dance.”
Despite the crushing loss, Vedder appears to be enjoying a rare summer break, as Pearl Jam are not scheduled to play any shows until a Sept. 27 appearance at the singer’s Ohana Festival in Dana Point, Calif., which will be their first gig since the departure of longtime drummer Matt Cameron last summer.
