Tweet23-06-2010 om 10:00 by Amanda Potter

Unless you’ve been living under a rock you’ve probably heard that the FIFA World Cup, the biggest tournament in football (that’s soccer to you from the USA) began on June 11th. Held every four years in a different host country, this time the games are taking place in South Africa. The Netherlands is playing in Group E and it looks like they’ll be moving on to the next round. So how to get into the spirit if you’re in Maastricht instead of Johannesburg? Here’s some ideas.

Wear Your Colors

Here in the Netherlands fans are wearing orange on everything from shirts to shoes to wigs in addition to the colors of the Dutch flag. I’ve opted to support the local team this year, but expats should feel free to wear the colors of your home team.

Watch the Game Together

It seems that football watching is a community affair in Maastricht. Head out and catch a Netherlands vs. Anyone game in a cafe along the Vrijthof or Markt square to catch the spirit from the people around you. Most restaurants have television screens available for the games and at some you can still sit outside and enjoy the match. Go early as the cafes fill up fast.

Blow your Vuvuzela


Image (CC) Gunnar Þór Hafdal via Flickr

That loud buzzing you hear in the background? That the vuvuzela. These stadium horns are a staple at South African football games and because of the World Cup have made their way up here. While the sound of a million angry bees can be annoying, I’ve found that it blends into background noise pretty fast. Just don’t use it indoors please.

Adopt a Beesie

Ok, so this one is just for fun, but I love the fuzzy little critters that Albert Heijns is billing as “the Netherlands’ biggest fans”. Get a couple to decorate your desk or hair during the games.

Want to catch the next Netherlands match? It will be June 24th at 6:30 pm vs. Cameroon.

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