World Cup: Football fever spreads across Mexico as tournament nears

World
Europe

03:09

Football fever is spreading across Mexico, ahead of the World Cup in Russia. It will be an important event for fans, as well as for businesses that want to take advantage of the nation's passion for football to turn a profit. CGTN correspondent Alasdair Baverstock reports.

As the FIFA 2018 World Cup kicks off in Russia, thirty-two teams from around the world will feature on the global stage.

And as football fever spreads, the tournament represents an important opportunity for commercial business back home.

In Mexico City, Jose Fidel Martinez runs a bar that bills itself as the home of Real Madrid in Mexico. His strategy will not change for the international tournament.

JOSE FIDEL MARTINEZ BARNABEU RESTAURANT "We have positioned ourselves as a bar for Mexicans, and for Spanish people. As you can see, it's a Real Madrid-themed bar, and it's very unusual to find fans of other teams in here, and the Spanish community in the capital know that they have a dedicated place where they can watch and support their team."

While Jose Fidel's business strategy focuses on team preference, other companies are casting a wider net.

Clothing stores offer free balls with minimum purchases, a bottled water company offers a chance to attend the big games, while the World Cup sticker album has attracted kids and adults alike to mass swap-meets.

Sporting analogies are even used to encourage people to vote for their political 'teams' in next month's presidential elections.

Diego Andrade, the founder of a popular football magazine, says that for Mexico the tournament represents far more than a simple sporting event.

DIEGO ANDRADE APUNTES DE RABONA MAGAZINE "Mexicans, in reality, get excited over very little. We aren't a winning country, but football carries a great social weight. It's a reason to get together and celebrate, win or lose, and to forget for a while some of the larger problems that we are living through."

ALASDAIR BAVERSTOCK MEXICO CITY "Mexico faces a daunting challenge in the tournament. They're in the so-called 'Group of Death', alongside Germany, Sweden and South Korea. But the public here is nevertheless hoping against hope that the stars will align, and the goals will go in."

"I'll watch it from home, or in a bar. It'll be a miracle if we win, but I'll enjoy it all the same."

"I really hope Mexico does well."

"Any international sporting event we take part in will be important for us."

And for businesses to turn this national passion into greater spending at the cash registers -- incisive strategy -- much like in the beautiful game itself -- is vital. Alasdair Baverstock, CGTN, Mexico City.