Football fans rush to Russia for long-awaited World Cup

ABO/VNA – 2018 World Cup donning jerseys and caps of their favourite teams crowded the Noi Bai international airport on June 13 morning, waiting to board their planes to Russia, where the 2018 World Cup will be kicked off on June 14.

Vietnamese football supporters captured in a stadium (Photo: VNA).

They shared a highly excited mood, looking forward to the moment they can live in the cheering atmosphere of the global biggest football festival.

Nguyen Hai Duong, CEO of the M2 Vietnam Joint Stock Company, said he feels lucky to get a ticket to the opening game between Russia and Saudi Arabia.

“I love football so I want to be present at the largest festival for football fans in the world,” he said, adding that he also has a special love for Russia.

Not all fans are lucky enough to get tickets to the opening game and matches of their favourite teams.

Nguyen Huu Hien, a former student of a Russian university, said he and four other friends decided to spend their savings on buying World Cup tickets since early May, but they could not buy tickets for all the five of them.

Hien said: “In our trip to Russia this time, we cannot watch the first match in the stadium. But we still feel fantastic to stand outside the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow and cheer our teams.”

Hai Duong said he was lucky to get the tickets thanks to the help of friends in Vietnam and Russia, adding that he bought tickets to the matches of Russia - Saudi Arabia, Germany – Mexico, Argentina – Iceland, and others, at prices of four to six times higher than the set prices.

Vietnam Television will broadcast live all 64 World Cup matches. Many major media agencies like the Vietnam Television and Vietnam News Agency have sent their reporters to the Russia to cover every minutes of the event.

The FIFA World Cup 2018 will take place in 12 stadiums in Russia from June 14 to July 15.

(Source: VNA)