Pretoria - More than three million fans world-wide attended the 16 FIFA Fan Fest venues since the start of the World Cup in South Africa two weeks ago, the football governing body said on Sunday.
It said 1.5 million people visited the ten Fan Fest venue in South Africa while similar figures were recorded in Rome, Paris, Berlin, Sydney, Mexico City and Rio de Janeiro.
The Fan Fest have been particularly successful in coastal towns where there has been warmer temperatures.
In South Africa, Durban topped the attendance to its Fan Fest venues with more than 375 000 people having watched the World Cup games on the giant screens. At least 304 581 people visited Fen Fest venues in Cape Town followed by Port Elizabeth with 146 974 and Sandton with 133 326.
The night games have seen a huge deterioration in the number of people visiting to the Fan Fest in Johannesburg due to low temperatures. The opening match between Mexico and South Africa attracted a staggering 303 671 fans to different Fan Fest venues across the globe while the match between Brazil and Portugal was watched by close to 130 000 people.
FIFA created the Fan Fest concept for the first time in Germany in 2006 to allow families and friends, who may not be attending matches to the stadium, to watch the games in one place.
FIFA's Ralph Straus said no serious incidents of violence or hooliganism had been reported in all the venues. He said FIFA has designed a comprehensive line up of entertainment as more people are expected to visit the venues for the quarter final leading to the semis and the final game on 11 July.
"We are expecting a large number of people to continue to flock in to the venues as the tournament draws close to an end and plans have been made to ensure that people have a time of their lives.
"We have seen that even when a national team is not playing people continue to visit the venues in their numbers across all cities," Straus said.
Meanwhile, the Local Organising Committee has congratulated Rustenburg, Polokwane and Mbombela host cities for successfully completing their World Cup games. No more games will be played in these venues.
"We are very pleased with the way the cities have carried the duties to host the world cup and we hope that will set an example for other cities that are hosting World Cup matches," the LOCs Rich Mkhondo said.
Mangaung Stadiums will host its second match of the tournament this afternoon as Germany takes on England in what is seen as a classic encounter in world and European football.
The two have locked horns 27 times, starting with a 3-3 friendly draw played out on 10 May in 1930 in Berlin. England has the edge with 12 wins to Germany's 10 with five matches ending all square. The match has been sold out and organisers said there will be additional security.
