World Cup fans set goal of enjoyment

Despite a five-hour time difference and absence of their national team, Chinese soccer fans are still full of zest for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, as the global soccer extravaganza has fueled a consumption drive in the world's second-largest economy.

Wang Xiaolin, one of the avid fans in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu, has set up a home theater that includes a projector he specially purchased for the tournament. He ordered fresh meat, vegetables and beer online and invited several friends to watch matches while eating hotpot at midnight.

"It's a quadrennial carnival, and there's plentiful star power. The passion of soccer fans from China can never be underestimated," Wang says, adding that he also bought an official match ball and a mascot figurine for the World Cup.

China is estimated to have about 200 million soccer enthusiasts in 2022, and with the country's disposable income level on the rise, more fans will be willing to pay to enjoy soccer matches, according to data firm Statista.

From catering to fast-moving consumer goods, several industries in China have seen legions of fans become big-spending consumers, and the situation could soon be even better, as the country has recently optimized its COVID-19 response, making it easier for people to travel and enter public venues.