(Central News Agency, Los Angeles, 9th, Combined Foreign Reports) FIFA President Gianni Infantino warned today at a World Cup kick-off party held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum that the city is about to be 'invaded' by football fans from around the globe. The star-studded party also kicked off the celebrations for this year's World Cup.
According to Reuters, the 2026 World Cup, featuring 48 teams, will kick off in Mexico City on the 11th, followed by the US team's first match in Los Angeles on the 12th, with fans from all over the world expected to pour into the city.
Infantino told the crowd at the LA Memorial Coliseum: 'You are about to be invaded, invaded by barbarians. But don't worry, they are happy barbarians.'
The party was attended by a galaxy of stars, including actors Will Ferrell and Brendan Hunt, singer Lance Bass, former NBA star Robert Horry, and US football legends Mia Hamm and Cobi Jones.
Infantino said that as fans with painted faces, wearing jerseys, and waving national flags arrive, the football tournament will turn Los Angeles and other host cities into a sea of national colors.
He said: '(Fans) young and old, men and women, they will have their country's colors painted on their faces.'
This World Cup is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and is also the first to feature 48 national teams. Infantino noted that a quarter of the world's countries will appear on the pitch, and billions of people around the world will watch the event.
He said: 'This is not just a World Cup. It will be the biggest and best World Cup in FIFA's history.'
Infantino compared this World Cup to holding '104 Super Bowls' over a period of more than a month, referring to the total number of matches in the three host countries.
He said: 'Over the next month and a half, call it Football or Soccer, it doesn't matter, as long as we can immerse ourselves in it and enjoy it to the fullest.' (Editor: Liu Shuqin) 1150610
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- Source: CNA (Central News Agency)
- Category: Event
- Organizations: FIFA