FIFA Chief Infantino Launches LA World Cup Festivities, Warns of 'Happy Barbarians' of Soccer Fans
FIFA President Gianni Infantino kicked off World Cup celebrations in Los Angeles on Tuesday, joking that the city would be 'invaded' by soccer fans from around the world. The 48-team tournament begins Thursday in Mexico City and features the first U.S. match on Friday in Los Angeles, with the city hosting eight matches and multiple fan zones. Infantino emphasized the tournament's scale and global unifying potential, calling it 'the biggest and greatest FIFA World Cup in history.'
FIFA President Gianni Infantino launched World Cup festivities in Los Angeles at a star-studded event at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, using colorful language to describe the influx of international soccer fans expected during the tournament. He told attendees the city would be 'invaded by a horde of barbarians. But it's happy barbarians, don't worry,' emphasizing that fans of all ages would arrive in national colors and jerseys to celebrate. The 48-team tournament, jointly hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, represents a historic expansion and will feature a quarter of the world's countries. Los Angeles is scheduled to host eight matches along with fan festivals and 10 fan zones across the area. Infantino compared the tournament's scale to staging '104 Super Bowls' over a month and a half, underscoring its magnitude as a global sporting event designed to unite people across nations.
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FIFA chief warns LA of World Cup 'happy barbarians'
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