2026 FIFA World Cup fever grips Thiruvananthapuram as Messi and Ronaldo fans prepare for football’s biggest stage
It’s half past eight in the evening. A group of youths from Barton Hill Colony near Law College Junction, who call themselves the Barton Hill Boys, approach the mast. There is no time to waste. Some hang lights, others erect flexible boards around towering banners of Argentina legend Lionel Messi kissing the World Cup trophy, and billboards bathed in Brazil’s signature yellow featuring Neymar Jr and co.
The FIFA World Cup is here and football fans in Thiruvananthapuram are riding the wave.
From flex wars and oversized banners to local tournaments and World Cup quizzes, the nation’s capital is firmly in the grip of soccer fever as the tournament kicks off at Mexico City Stadium on June 12. The longest banner in the city, located at Panavoor, is 200 feet long.
Fans hold public screenings to watch the quadrennial tournament hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States live. Prediction competitions also started in the Technopark corridor.
Football fans from Barton Hill Colony put up various posters to support their favorite sides at the 2026 FIFA World Cup | Photo credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN
“It’s a festival for us and our families. From mothers donating money for flex boards to youngsters getting up early to watch matches on screens, everyone is involved,” says Vinayan VS, administrator of the Barton Hill Boys Instagram page. “We spent more than CZK 3,000 just for the cutouts.”
His commitment runs deeper. “I resigned from the bank last month and plan to take up my next role only after the tournament is over. I want to watch every game this year, even if it means sleepless nights.”
“For us, the love for football came from playing with the older boys in our locality,” says Akash AG, a physical education coach and footballer.
Nowhere is the World Cup frenzy more visible than in the coastal belt of Thiruvananthapuram – Vizhinjam, Kovalam, Poovar, Shanghumugham, Valiyathura, Cheriyathura, Vettucaud and Poonthura – regions that have produced several state and national level footballers like Seesan Selvan, Joby Justin and Sylvester I.
Coastal Carnival
Children playing football on the shores of Valiyathura as pre-monsoon clouds cover the city’s sky | Photo credit: Nirmal Harindran
“This year it’s back to the tradition of getting up early and watching the World Cup matches,” says Ebin Rose, founder and head coach of Kovalam Football Club. “Unlike the last edition in Qatar, which was largely an evening affair, this one means making tea before sunrise and watching the football. The fans here are used to the time zone difference and it creates a completely different atmosphere.”
Cleofas Alex, founder of Alexis Sports and Education Foundation and coach of Malappuram Football Club, says the three academy centers in the coastal belt will host an internal six-category World Cup tournament after the league phase is over.
Child undergoing professional soccer training | Photo credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN
He points out that football plays a vital role in shaping young lives in fishing communities. “Football and fishing are all these villages. Often the outside world knows these places because of these sports.”
Aron Thomas, 16, an ardent supporter of Messi and Argentina, is already preparing for early mornings in front of the TV.
A 25-foot cut-out of Argentine soccer legend Lionel Messi | Photo credit: THULASI KAKKAT
“It was the chettanmar (elder brothers) in our locality who attracted us to the sport. The memories of the last final – Argentina taking the lead, France fighting back and Emiliano Martínez’s saves – are still fresh in my mind,” says Aron, who plays as a central midfielder for the PK Sathyanesan High School team.
Ajith Shanghumugham, a digital creator and marine conservationist, believes the celebrations will intensify once the tournament begins. “The city and its young people love football so much that kids celebrate their birthdays in front of flex boards dedicated to their favorite players,” he says.
Motorists drive through a culvert amid the rain near a residential colony decorated with posters of football stars in view of the upcoming FIFA World Cup | Photo credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN
However, not everyone feels the fervor is what it used to be.
“These traditions are mostly kept alive by those born in the 90s. The younger generation seems to be happier staying at home,” says San Jose, an autorickshaw driver from Barton Hill Colony.
Fans are also emotional about what could be Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s last appearance at the World Cup.
“Just thinking about their retirement makes us sad,” says Vinayan. “We don’t even know whose cutouts we’re going to display at the next World Cup.”
Despite being an Argentina fan, Cleofas says he would like to see Ronaldo lift the trophy. “He cannot be ignored in any conversation about football. It would be a fitting farewell.”
Ebin, who is also an educator, sees the tournament as a passing of the torch. “Our students are still divided between Messi and Ronaldo. But this could be the World Cup where the next global superstar emerges.”
Published – 10 June 2026 16:35 IST