Guwahati, June 29 — The Assam government opened its first CM FIFA Fan Park at Latasil Playground in Uzan Bazar on Monday, inviting residents to watch the World Cup’s newly introduced Round of 32 on giant screens. The launch, billed as a community viewing event, coincided with Monday’s marquee fixture — Brazil versus Japan — kicking off at 10:30 pm Indian Standard Time (IST).
Officials said the fan park aims to bring football fans together without the protocols and security that accompany official state visits, offering free public screening and a festival-like atmosphere for supporters across the state. (Photo: Kangkan Bordoloi)
The timing drew attention: Guwahati’s celebrations began nearly two weeks after the tournament captured global attention and just as the World Cup moved into its expanded knockout phase, a Round of 32 introduced to accommodate this year’s 48-team format. The move to show key matches in public spaces appears designed to amplify local engagement as the competition shifts into high stakes fixtures.
Not everyone on site, however, viewed the sudden civic energy as purely about sport. Parvis Jaman, a student and local resident who watched preparations, noted the speed of work for the fan park compared with routine civic needs. “We would like Narendra Modi to keep visiting Assam regularly,” he joked, “if that is what it takes to get things fixed,” adding that communal match-viewing is “not the biggest issue” while basic municipal problems remain unresolved.
A second fan park, organised by the Assam Tourism Development Corporation, is due to open at Chowkidingee Field in Dibrugarh on Tuesday, ensuring Upper Assam also gets free public screenings and avoiding the two-week wait Guwahati just experienced. Authorities said both sites are expected to be free of charge.
Preparations at Latasil were reportedly carried out on a war footing over the weekend, mirroring the urgency the city ordinarily shows for high-profile visits — except this time the dignitary in question is a football, and the only motorcade referenced belongs to team buses in Houston, Texas, where the match will be played.
Jahir Barbhuiya, a student who regularly uses the ground, welcomed the initiative as “a good experience for us” and said local residents appreciate the chance to watch matches together. He too, however, recalled previous beautification drives ahead of an anticipated visit by Japan’s prime minister that never materialised, saying such work often “is carried out only to impress people.”
Despite the mixed views, officials said they are preparing for large crowds at Latasil, with organisers expecting fans in jerseys, face paint and the usual horns and chants. Crowd management plans were reportedly put in place in advance to handle the expected turnout.
If Japan repeats last October’s dramatic comeback against Brazil — when they overturned a two-goal deficit to win — Latasil’s crowd could rival the excitement of any state visit. If not, Guwahati can at least console itself that the Samurai Blue’s performance was watched live on a big screen by a packed local audience.
Original Source: https://assamtribune.com/guwahati/better-late-than-never-guwahati-finally-gets-its-fifa-world-cup-fan-park-1613654
Category: Guwahati,Featured,More
Tags:
Publish Date: 2026-06-29 18:02:00
