World Cup 2014 matches to be shown ‘live’ at community clubs

By Leong Wai Kit, Channel NewsAsia, 15 May 2014

Singapore's football fans will soon know which World Cup match they can catch at which community club (CC).

The People's Association (PA) announced on Wednesday that it will screen 64 matches of the month-long tournament, which begins next month, ‘live’ at 30 CCs.

PA said it expects some 200,000 residents to turn up at the CCs, for the matches.

Ang Hak Seng, PA’s chief executive director, said: "What we have done is that we have spread out, so that we have good coverage of the whole of Singapore. We also chose the locations where we feel there is concentration of residents who need to watch the football."

One resident said: "The whole of Singapore can get together -- some supporting their different teams. So it will be a wonderful experience."

Understandably, there will be some concerns of noise pollution, but PA is taking steps to ensure residents in the area are not disturbed.

Mr Ang said: "Many of the screenings are in the hall of the community clubs, so we are able to address the noise issue.

"We will have grassroots leaders who have volunteered to manage the screenings, but at the same time we have to be considerate because many of the games are actually at night and early in the morning.

“Therefore, they will advise the residents who are watching the football to lower their voices, to lower the noise, and on their way back, to please be considerate to their neighbours."

Retailers near the CCs said they may decide to extend opening hours to cash in on the late-night crowd. 

Details of the screening schedules will be available at www.pa.gov.sg by May 26.

Post by The People's Association.