FIFA World Cup 2026 | Kerala's football frenzy, in pictures
Football fans in Kerala, India, are celebrating the 2026 FIFA World Cup with elaborate displays, including giant cut-outs, themed house paintings, and community screenings. The region's intense passion for the sport is highlighted through various local festivities and public support for international teams.
Why it matters
This illustrates the deep-rooted cultural impact of global sporting events on local communities and the unique ways fans express regional identity through international sports.
W hen the 2026 World Cup kicked off in Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca on June 12, thousands of kilometres away, sleepless fans in Kerala were watching the late-night match at the edge of their seats.
Every four years, the FIFA World Cup, one of the largest sporting events in the world, sweeps countries in a football frenzy.
With the final game approaching on July 20, jerseys bearing the names of Neymar, Messi, Ronaldo, and Mbappé became a common sight. Fans expressed their support through late-night live screenings, cut-outs of star players on the streets and even customised lungis and mundus emblazoned with team colours.
Some fans painted their house to match the colours of their favourite teams. An Ernakulam college created a giant portrait of Neymar, Ronaldo and Messi out of scrap. Here is how football fanatics on the Malabar coast are expressing their craze for the game.
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