Chinese Soccer Fans to Inundate S.Korea for World Cup Finals

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 05, 2001

Chinese Soccer Fans to Inundate S.Korea for World Cup Finals

Many Chinese fans will inevitably try to show their support on the stadium's sidelines for the much-anticipated Cup finals to watch their country play in the World Cup Finals debut, a moment they have wanted for more than 40 years.

China Reaches World Cup Finals after 44-year Odyssey

Thousands of eager Chinese football fans are expected to take to the streets of South Korea next year to watch their country play in the World Cup Finals debut.

Employees at the China International Travel Service have been inundated with calls from excited fans wanting more information about the South Korea tour.

With Brazil, Turkey and Costa Rica making up group C, the Chinese could not have asked for a better chance of advancing to the second round and the knock-out phase of the competition.

Eager Fans

The match against Costa Rica will be China's first World Cup finals, which is thought to be an extremely close match and draw big attention from Chinese fans.

China Gets the Qualification to 2002 World Cup

"To play against Brazil will be fantastic for the Chinese fans. It is very important and I hope they will get right behind us," China's Yugoslav coach Bora Milutinovic said on Saturday.

Many Chinese fans will inevitably try to show their support on the stadium's sidelines for the much-anticipated Cup finals, a moment they have wanted for more than 40 years.

After the result of the draw to the World Cup finals were revealed on Saturday night, tickets for the matches are beginning to sell well, especially matches that involve the Chinese team, according to a press release issued by the Organizing Committee of the World Cup Finals on Monday.

Besides special seats for the disabled, tickets for the matches featuring China against Costa Rica, Brazil and Turkey, which will be played on June 4, June 8 and 13, sold out on Monday, the press release said.

However, the report also said 80 per cent of the tickets were sold over the Internet and if the customer failed to pay the money within one day, the deal would automatically be cancelled.

Ambitious Travel Agencies

Many travel agencies including the China International Travel Service, are preparing special travel routes for next June's finals, employees of the company said Tuesday.

South Korea tourist departments also have high expectations with regards to receiving an increasing number of Chinese tourists during next year's finals.

South Korea recently opened direct flights from Kwangju, a World Cup finals site in southwestern South Korea to Shanghai, according to the Yangcheng Evening News.

A Chinatown is under construction in Ceonju, another World Cup site in South Korea, the newspaper said.

Jointly organized by travel agencies from both China and South Korea, a South Korea tour promotion event will be held on Saturday in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province.

Guangdong is said to be home to more than one third of Chinese football fans.

According to Zhu Shaodong, vice-manager of the Guangzhou-based Guangzhilu International Travel Service, the company has sent an investigation team to South Korea to arrange tourist routes for next summer's finals.

The cost of travelling to the World Cup finals will see a 30 per cent to 50 per cent increase to about 6,000 yuan (US$723), according to Zhu.

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