Penangites gather at food court for morning matches
GEORGE TOWN: A yummy Penang hawker breakfast paired with the live telecast of a World Cup match would be considered a privilege for football fans.
While Colombia met Ghana in Kansas City Stadium in the United States at 8.30pm Friday local time, about 150 football fans cheered away while having breakfast at 9.30am here yesterday.
Some, instead of the usual hawker fare, chose to have a dim sum start to their morning at Fisherman’s Wharf Food Court as Colombia eventually beat Ghana 1-0 in their Round of 32 clash.
Colombia will now advance to the Round of 16 to face Switzerland.
World Cup matches are now being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico, which are almost on the opposite side of the planet, giving Malaysians a chance to watch some of the matches over breakfast.
Enjoying the game on the food court’s giant LED screen with surround sound were businessman Lim Boon Hai, 66, who travelled from Butterworth with his daughter, content creator Jane Lim, 29.
He supports Portugal and France but took delight in the viewing experience at the food court.
“Even though these aren’t the teams I support, having dim sum with my daughter while watching football is something different,” Lim said.
Driver Jackee Kee Ah Teik, 70, who rarely watches the World Cup, joined the gathering after being invited by friends.
“Breakfast with old friends while watching a World Cup match is something to remember.”
Ooi Yi Chien, 29, said she was drawn more by the atmosphere than the sport.
“I thought it would be fun to come here and create content for my social media channel,” said the content creator.
Her friends Willey Mua, Wong Ling Shen and Terry Khaw Beng Jin, all 27, admitted they were not avid football fans.
“We just wanted to join in on the fun while enjoying hawker food and dim sum with friends,” they said.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first to feature 48 teams, with the top two teams from each of the 12 groups and the eight best third-placed teams advancing to the newly introduced Round of 32.
