World Cup Final Captivates Chicago

Sunday, 11 Jul 2010, 9:49 PM CDT

By Tera Williams, Fox Chicago News

Chicago - The World Cup final was televised in every country in the World with a global audience expected to top that of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic games by 100 million.

Here in Chicago, viewing parties were held at bars and restaurants all across the city on Sunday.

There are 8,684 miles between Chicago and Johannesburg, South Africa where the World's biggest sporting event went into overtime.

Here in the second city, the goal for many fans was to feel like they were right there in soccer city.

At Soldier Field the South African Consulate turned the stadium into a festive World Cup village with vendors, entertainment, a soccer tournament and then a viewing party for the big game.

When the Spaniards defeated the Dutch with the game winning kick and only goal of the game, the cheers and the jeers could be heard all over the city.

One Spain fan said, "I am visiting from San Diego and I am loving Chicago right now!" And what about those vuvuzela's? You know, the plastic horn that IS the very special sound of the World Cup this year.

They caught on at Soldier Field Sunday, so could they be here in Chicago to stay? Logan Cotton says he hopes not, "I don't think anything can match South Africa and I don't think anything can match the vuvuzela's.

They are loud! I didn't realize how loud they are until I sat in front of one."

Whether you love or hate the trumpet noise - there is a website for everyone and everything vuvuzela.

There is a website broadcasting the trumpet sound non-stop.

There is also a website dedicated to banning the blow-horn.

(c) 2009 Fox Television Stations, Inc.

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/metro/world-cup-final