City football fans getting hooked to live World Cup action
The city football fans are now geared to cheer their favourite teams in biggest footballing extravaganza.
As the World’s most followed sports carnival got the ball rolling with hosts Russia taking on Asian giants Saudi Arabia on Thursday, the city isn’t escaping the football fever. The city football fans just filled the Mumbai Football Arena to capacity during the Intercontinental Cup which India eventually won. The city football fans are now geared to cheer their favourite teams in biggest footballing extravaganza. With India not there in the World Cup the loyalties as usual are divided. The preferences are based on the basis of favourite second country, favourite club and even individual players like Lionel Messi, Christiano Ronasdo. Many haven’t their favourite teams like Netherlands and Italy playing otherwise regulars in the Fifa World Cup, so they are waiting for the tournament to begin, to pick their favourites.
The monsoons can’t be more exciting with live screening of games arranged in pubs, clubs and public places as many find it boring to watch football matches in their home alone. Many pubs and clubs like SMAASH, Monkey Bar Bandra, Irish House Andheri, One Two Many, Navi Mumbai etc are screening all the games and few like The Studs Sports Bar & Grill, Juhu only the top draw games beginning with Portugal v Spain game on Friday. Some have also kept one time season tickets and given discounts on hard drinks.
Many consulates in Mumbai whose teams are playing in the Fifa World Cup are also arranging for screenings. German Consulate General and the Belgium Consulate General in Mumbai, the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC) are organising a thrilling LIVE screening experience of the FIFA World Cup 2018 matches at Aqaba, Lower, Parel.
Many fan clubs like Mancheeter United fans in city also have arranged for screenings for fans at 3wiseMonkeys in Khar.