KARACHI: Flags of World Cup nations flutter from rooftops, footballs roll through narrow alleyways and walls are covered with murals celebrating the sport in Karachi’s Lyari neighborhood, where residents are counting down the days until the start of the FIFA World Cup.
The tournament kicks off on June 11 with hosts Mexico facing South Africa and will be staged across the United States, Mexico and Canada, marking the first men’s World Cup to be hosted by three countries.
Thousands of kilometers away from the stadiums of North America, anticipation is building in Lyari, a densely populated and low-income district often described as Pakistan’s football capital and nicknamed “Mini Brazil” because of its deep-rooted passion for the sport.
While Lyari has frequently made headlines for gang violence, poverty and drug trafficking, it has also produced some of Pakistan’s best-known footballers and boxers and remains one of the country’s strongest centers of street football culture.
“There is something called addiction,” Sameer Baloch, a student and resident of Lyari, told AFP.
“People get addicted to drugs. But for us, football is addiction.”
Football’s popularity in Lyari dates back decades, with the neighborhood’s close ties to seafaring communities and international trade helping introduce the sport long before it gained traction elsewhere in Pakistan.
Today, local grounds, streets and community clubs continue to serve as training spaces for aspiring players, many of whom dream of representing Pakistan internationally.
Mir Duraj Khan, another resident, pointed to flags of participating nations painted across walls throughout the neighborhood.
“The flags of all 48 countries participating in the FIFA World Cup have been painted all over our area,” Khan said.
“We are also putting up panaplexes. People are installing them on their own.”
Residents say preparations are gathering pace as the opening match approaches, with community screenings planned across the area.
Mohammad Hamza, another football fan, said the neighborhood’s streets reflected the excitement surrounding the tournament.
“Just like with every World Cup, the frenzy for this World Cup is increasing,” he said.
“There will be screenings at many places. All these things will definitely happen.”
