World Cup hits fever pitch in Singapore
More than five weeks gone, 102 games down, 2 to go, one world champion to be crowned. All eyes – surely bleary – will be on Spain and Argentina at 3am on Monday morning in Singapore and the World Cup Final. Venues are all set, including at many community clubs, and even schools are gearing up for the final with some also hosting a watch party or allowing their students to come in later on the day. I won’t ask who you’re rooting for.
A few days ago, my colleague Bhavan Jaipragas provided his preliminary take on the World Cup before the final kick was made – that despite the initial naysayers, this seemed to be the World Cup that America got right. He detailed why this iteration is a resounding success, from the magnificent football on display, to how the tournament has prospered because it celebrates classically American values.
We also crunched the numbers on how this edition’s World Cup is rewriting the record books compared to previous iterations. This spans from being the largest in FIFA’s history, to new attendance records being set, high ticket prices and even on distances travelled within and between the three host countries, and yes, carbon emissions.
— Jaime Ho, Straits Times Editor
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