Football Festival fever swept Hong Kong as Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur met in the event’s second and final match on Thursday.
While the North London rivals prepared for their clash at Kai Tak Stadium, followers of the English Premier League clubs were in healthy competition off the pitch.
Locally based and visiting supporters of both sides were snapping up merchandise, wining and dining, and attending festival-themed events, backing up forecasts that the city would enjoy up to HK$428 million (US$54.5 million) in economic benefits.
A meet-and-greet at the Adidas store in Tsim Sha Tsui’s K11 Musea mall on Wednesday sparked a rush for autographs and selfies with Arsenal player Declan Rice, before a Tottenham-themed drone show over Victoria Harbour pulled in crowds.
On Thursday, members of Arsenal’s official fan club staged a football match at Go Park Sai Sha, where Arsenal Football School is based. Some Tottenham fans, meanwhile, were set to travel to the match from Central in an open-top bus hired and decorated at an estimated cost approaching HK$200,000, with a Spurs fan at the wheel.
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