World Cup starts, Berliners disinterested

A report from the University of Hohenheim (nr Stuttgart) released today, showed Berlin to be Germany's most unenthusiastic World Cup host-city. Nationwide interest levels remain high however, with 82% of German citizens in favour of the competition, which starts today in Munich.

Of those Berliners asked, only 70% said they were in favour of the World Cup in Berlin, many citizens citing hooliganism and the expected high costs for the city as their major complaints.
Berliners also expressed disinterest in the festival and concert programme during the games.

Despite this mood from the locals, 250,000 football fans took part in the official opening of the much anticipated Fanmile on 'Straße des 17. Juni' in central Berlin on Wednesday. The long boulevarde linking the Brandenburg Gate with the Siegessäule (in the former West Berlin) will be shut for the duration of the competition. Five large screens have been installed - including one covering the Brandenburg gate (pictured below). Each game of the 33 day competition will be televised there, for those fans who missed out on a ticket. al