By Olamilekan FAWAS
The 2018 World Cup FIFA Fan Fest, venues created new World Cup stadiums to cater for non-ticket-holding fans, has already welcomed 2.5 million visitors.
World football governing body FIFA, the Russia 2018 Local Organising Committee (LOC) and the Russia 2018 Host Cities who announced this on Friday said they were thrilled about this development.
TBI Africa reports that the FIFA Fan Fest venues are the best place outside the stadium to experience the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
The 2.5 million number is a record in the history of the innovation which began at the 2006 World Cup in Germany, because Russia 2018 has just gone 23 matches.
“The fact that this 2.5 million milestone has been reached so early in the tournament is the living proof of that the party is just getting started though…!’’ Alexei Sorokin, Chairman of Russia 2018 LOC, said on Friday.
The FIFA Fan Fests are open on all match days so that football fans can watch the matches live and enjoy an exciting music and cultural entertainment programme, free of charge.
National and international visitors from all over the world flow into the venues, which are located at some of Russia’s most iconic locations.
The tournament’s official mascot Zabivaka and Ambassadors Marcel Desailly and Alexander Kerzhakov are currently touring through Russia to meet and greet the FIFA Fan Fest visitors.
Since Germany 2006, the FIFA Fan Fest has become part of the Official Programme and continued for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa and the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Almost 30 million people have attended these events over these past three editions.
