Fans pack malls for Spain's World Cup victory

A wave of football fever swept through Hong Kong overnight as passionate fans gathered at shopping malls across the city to watch the World Cup final, undeterred by the time difference.

Multiple venues in the SAR broadcast the decisive match live on Monday morning, with Kai Tak Mall emerging as one of the hotspots drawing sizeable crowds.

Many supporters turned up in the jerseys of their favourite teams – Argentina and Spain – cheering loudly for every play.

The electric atmosphere reached a fever pitch when Spanish forward Ferran Torres netted the winning goal in extra time, sealing Spain’s championship victory. The crowd erupted in ecstatic cheers as the final whistle blew.

To enhance the viewing experience, the mall distributed complimentary drinks and snacks to fans, while several nearby eateries stayed open overnight.

One fan described the match as thrilling from start to finish.

"I didn't expect it to go into extra time. There were a lot of goal-scoring opportunities, and both sides' attacking and defending were quite enjoyable to watch," he said.

"It's the final, and with the live atmosphere here, the game was quite tense."

Another supporter said the late night was well worth it.

"It was really exciting. There are fans of all kinds here – Spain fans, Argentina fans and even football fans that don't support either side – the atmosphere is really lively," he said.

"I really like it. It's definitely worth staying up so late for."

One father who made a special trip with his son to the mall to soak up the atmosphere, admitted he didn't expected such a huge turnout.

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law also joined the public at Kai Tak to watch the game.

She noted that many merchants had rolled out creative promotions during the World Cup period, and that they reported a noticeable increase in business.

"Everyone is really putting their minds to it, looking at where their strengths lie, and that's how they can find more business opportunities. Over the past few days, I've kept an eye on things and the merchants taking part have all said their business has increased," she said.

"For example, bars – matches at 5 or 7 in the morning are times they wouldn't normally open, but they've seen more business too."

Looking ahead, Law said that Hong Kong will host a series of major events following the World Cup, including concerts, an upcoming fencing competition, and several football matches in early August.

She expressed confidence that these activities – especially during the summer holiday – will draw even greater public engagement.

Edited by Aaron Tam ...