Hong Kong’s football fans enthusiastically embraced the World Cup, gathering to watch broadcasts of the matches even though many were played at inconvenient times. Their passion for the game during the summer season did not end with the final in the US last month. The city’s football festival, featuring two matches between top English and Italian teams, gave supporters a golden opportunity to see some of their heroes perform live.
More than 86,000 fans in total watched the games, in which Inter Milan beat Manchester City on penalties and Juventus defeated Chelsea, at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium.
Attendance is down from last year’s inaugural event, perhaps because some of the biggest names were missing while recovering from the World Cup. But there is no doubting the impact of this new flagship event in Hong Kong’s sporting calendar.
It is a high-profile component of the city’s drive to establish itself as a leading host of elite, international sports competitions. Last month, Hong Kong staged the prestigious Fencing World Championships at AsiaWorld-Expo for the first time. The two sports spectacles added significantly to the city’s growing line-up of mega-events and bode well for the future.
The second successful staging of the football festival is especially satisfying. Fans were outraged in 2024 when one of the sport’s greatest players, Lionel Messi, failed to make a highly anticipated appearance in the city due to injury. There was much room for improvement.
Fans attending this year’s festival saw top players, including new signings, experienced campaigners and talented teenagers, perform in the flesh. It is a different experience than watching on a screen; they were not just spectators, but participants. Manchester City fans turned the stands into a sea of sky blue and supporters of all four teams entered into the spirit, creating a lively atmosphere.
The festival, which was followed by a separate match between Bayern Munich and Aston Villa, brings other benefits. Last year, it injected HK$437 million (US$55.7 million) into the local economy. The event attracts fans from outside the city. It is also important for the visiting clubs, allowing them to engage directly with their supporters in the region and grow their fan base. The city’s role as a gateway to mainland China makes it an especially appealing destination.