On the ball
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A soccer fan, his forehead painted with the Chinese characters "South Africa World Cup," poses inside the South Africa Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo. Andy Wong / The Associated Press |
China did not qualify for the World Cup, but this has done little to dampen enthusiasm for the football festival in South Africa, which kicked off on June 11. Hundreds of millions of
people have been tuning in to cheer on their second favorite team. National broadcaster CCTV is covering all the 64 matches both on TV and on its website, while other media groups are vying to provide up-to-date and in-depth reports on all the action. Meanwhile, bars and
restaurants around the country are playing host to eager fans and luring customers in with large screens and special offers. For four weeks, like the rest of the world, China is going soccer crazy.
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Youngsters play table soccer at a shopping center in Beijing. Da Wei / for China Daily |
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A man in Beijing plays with a soccer ball during a promotional event. Ng Han Guan / The Associated Press |
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A kid learns to play soccer from his father in Haikou, Hainan. Huang Yibing / for China Daily |
(China Daily 06/26/2010 page11)
