We Are One (Part IV)

FIFA Fan Fests

Every host city of the 2014 FIFA World Cup is destined to be flooded with thousands of fans from around the world, sometimes waiting a few days before the match they came to see.  Not to mention all the locals looking to experience some World Cup action.  And with three to four games being played a day during the group stages, it raises the all-important question of where to watch all these games?!?

To help solve this problem, FIFA set up admission-free Fan Fest areas for spectators to gather and cheer on their favorite teams with hundreds of other fans.  However, not all Fan Fests were created equally.  We never made it to the Brasília venue as it was held far outside the city due to feared protests, or so we were told.

The Recife Fan Fest was held along the water in the narrow streets of Recife Antigo, the old colonial section of the city.  We went there to watch the Brazil vs Chile match and only stayed until half time as the combination of density of people and lack of shade made for a sweaty and claustrophobic viewing experience. Not only that, but there was only one large screen, paled by the intense sun.  (We actually ended up watching from the Sony sponsored booth's flatscreen which was akin to being sardined into a friend's living room with no furniture.)

Hot, sunny, and cramped Recife for the Brazil vs Chile match.

Rio's version was situated on the spacious expanse that is Copacabana Beach.  This venue was popular and organizers actually added a second screen visible to people just outside the Fan Fest in an attempt to include more people and probably lower the body density.  We came here for the USA vs Belgium knock-out stage match.

Ready to cheer on Team USA from the Rio Fan Fest!

Sun going down on Copacabana and the USA - Belgium battle well underway.

Argentina had won the match prior to the USA/Belgium game and many
excited fans had stuck around to continue celebrating.
It appears Neymar Jr. now plays for La Albiceleste.

Verdict is in and, of the three cities we visited, Rio's Fan Fest is the clear winner.  Hard to complete with Copacabana, though!

We Are One (Part III)

USA vs Germany
Our second and final FIFA World Cup match took us to wet and humid Recife in the northeastern state of Pernambuco to see if Team USA could advance out of their "Group of Death," otherwise known as Group G.  After winning against Ghana and drawing with Portugal, odds were in the United States' favor to advance, however, it wasn't a guarantee.

The morning of the match Recife awoke to torrential rain and flooded streets.  To make matters more complicated, the Itaipava Arena Pernamuco stadium is located some 17 kilometers outside the city, in the municipality of São Lourenço da Mata.  After trudging through shin-deep puddles to a bus stop were were already soaked.  A bus ride to the metro station, train to the end of the line, bus to the middle of nowhere, and a half-mile walk to the stadium in the unrelenting rain and were there!  I've never been so happy to have seats in the upper-decks; under cover and out of the rain we actually began to dry off a bit.

Wet and happy: #ibelievethatwewillwin

Itaipava Arena Pernambuco: Good luck filling this thing after the World Cup.

Germany won the match 1-0, but due to the results of the Portugal/Ghana game running concurrently, both teams in front of us advanced to the next round of play.  A little strange leaving the venue for the long trek back to Recife with both sets of fans happy with the results.

Our entire crew reunited after the match: USA! USA! USA!