The FIFA World Cup is supposed to bring people together—but not everyone got that memo. On Monday in Times Square, Argentina and Algeria supporters discovered that cheering for your home country can quickly escalate into something a lot more physical when opposing fans are standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the middle of Midtown Manhattan.

What started as competitive banter between the two groups shifted into a full-blown brawl captured on video. According to reports, fans were initially just congregating and trading insults about their respective squads. Then the jawing turned physical, and suddenly there were supporters from both countries shoving, kicking, and punching each other in one of New York’s most crowded public spaces. The NYPD showed up to break things up and restore order, but the damage to the vibe was already done.

It’s worth noting this is one of the first violent altercations of the tournament—which makes it feel like a real step backward. Earlier in the competition, we’ve actually seen the opposite energy: Mexico and South Korea fans bonded together in a genuinely heartwarming moment that went viral, with Mexican supporters even chanting BTS to celebrate with a Korean fan among their group. That’s the kind of cross-cultural connection World Cup fever usually inspires.

The real test comes soon. Argentina and Algeria are set to face off in a Group J match in Kansas City in a few hours, so the question becomes whether fans in the stands will take the Times Square chaos as a cautionary tale or just another chapter in an increasingly tense story. Either way, tournament organizers are probably hoping for a lot less fists and a lot more of that Mexico-Korea magic.