With just hours to go for the FIFA World Cup kickoff, Thiruvananthapuram has transformed into a canvas of football devotion.
In a state where the sport is often treated as a religion, the capital city is leading the charge — from towering player cutouts in coastal villages and elaborate community-viewing plans to ‘jersey days’ in corporate offices and tech hubs.
The passion is palpable at the grassroots. At the Kowdiar Palace Turf, a local club formed by alumni of Mar Baselios College has fully embraced the World Cup frenzy.
Conversations revolve around squads, transfers, title contenders, and the tournament’s expanded 48-team format. While members acknowledge concerns about the increased burden on players, they welcome the new structure as long as the competition’s integrity remains intact.
When the tournament begins, the group plans to gather for major matches, continuing its long-standing tradition of community screenings.
The enthusiasm trickles down to the youngest fans as well. At Trivandrum Royals Football Club, aspiring footballers trained by former professional player Sohan Raj break into chants of “France! Argentina! Spain! Brazil! Portugal!” at the mention of the World Cup.
For these little Messis, Mbappes and Ronaldos, the coming weeks will involve as many battles with parents over bedtimes as they will over football loyalties.
The excitement extends to the city’s professional footballing circles. Kombans FC, south Kerala’s first professional football club, is closely following developments on the global stage. The club’s director is backing Spain as his favourite.
“Their possession-based, technically refined style is beautiful to watch,” he says. The club is also taking pride in its presentation, with kits sourced from Hyve Sports and Yoode.
Away from the pitch, the corporate world is equally caught up in the World Cup fever. Across Technopark, employees are eagerly awaiting the return of ‘jersey day’, when workspaces swap formal attire for the colours of favourite nations.
The IT hub is also buzzing with World Cup-themed quizzes, prediction contests and WhatsApp groups organising football matches among employees.
Yet the true epicentres of the capital’s football passion remain its coastal communities. In villages such as Puthenthope and Cheriyathura, fan clubs have already begun friendly but intense competitions, erecting giant cutouts of their favourite stars.
The seaside hamlets are also preparing for large-scale public screenings that will bring entire communities together through the tournament.
The fervour has spilled onto the streets as well. Vivek Anandh, an ardent Portugal supporter, has wrapped his car in the colours of the Portuguese flag — a declaration of loyalty that he hopes will inspire fellow fans to display their allegiances.
Students, too, are joining the celebrations. At Government Engineering College, Barton Hill, a group known as the Barton Hill Boys has transformed the nearby Law College Junction with flags, cutouts, team photographs and iconic football quotes.
Fan clubs are rapidly taking shape, and plans are under way for group screenings of matches. Some local residents expect the atmosphere to become even more intense as the tournament progresses, recalling the heated debates, rivalries and bets that marked previous World Cups.
For the next few weeks, the beautiful game’s spirit will unite neighbourhoods, workplaces, campuses and coastal villages across the city in a shared celebration of football.