West Bengal govt plans World Cup final live screening at Nandan, districts

KOLKATA: The West Bengal government will organise live screening of the FIFA World Cup final on a giant screen at Nandan here, allowing football fans to watch the Argentina-Spain clash, an official said on Saturday.

Similar arrangements for live screenings on large screens at important locations across districts will also be made for football enthusiasts, the official said.

The Youth Services and Sports Department is coordinating the arrangements in consultation with other departments, he said.

All district administrations have been asked to set up screening facilities, and Rs 1 lakh each has been allocated to every district for the purpose, according to an official notification issued by Additional Chief Secretary of Youth Services and Sports department, Rajesh Pandey.

"A detailed plan is being worked out to ensure that the screenings are organised smoothly and that necessary arrangements are in place at all venues," the official said.

Technical preparations, including screen arrangements and other logistics, were being reviewed, he said, adding that security arrangements for the late-night event are also being coordinated with the police.

The main venue in Kolkata will be the Nandan-Rabindra Sadan-Academy complex, where arrangements are being made to provide a stadium-like atmosphere for fans, he elaborated.

The government is planning to decorate the venue with flags and other football-themed elements. Former players and public figures are also likely to be invited to the screening, the bureaucrat said.