The soccer World Cup opening matches kicked off in Japan on Saturday. Jubilant soccer fans and supporters from around the world flocked to the stadiums to watch the Ireland-Cameroon game in Niigata and the Germany-Saudi Arabia match later in the day in Sapporo.
The World Cup finals, which runs until June 30, is the first to be cohosted and the first to be held in Asia.
Speaking to the press before the Ireland-Cameroon clash, Cho Sang Ho, a South Korean World Cup organizing committee (KOWOC) executive said cohosting the World Cup finals has laid the foundation for a future similar approach in staging soccer's showpiece event.