Quiet South African city gears up for its biggest ever sporting event

Bloemfontein gears up for Germany-England

BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa — A helicopter circles overhead. English and German police officers wander through the main shopping mall. The quiet city of Bloemfontein in central South Africa prepares for its biggest sporting event Sunday: a World Cup match between old rivals Germany and England.

South Africa’s judicial capital is home to less than 400,000 people, but the city’s numbers are expected to be boosted by the arrival of nearly 20,000 soccer fans.

Early Sunday morning, about 50 England supporters begin their buildup to the second-round knockout game at the nearby Free State Stadium with breakfast at a university canteen.

The University of the Free State says about 200 fans are staying side by side at university hostels because of a lack of hotel rooms in the city.

The Germans are “sleeping in,” says one fan.

Over mince and scrambled eggs, the English supporters talk of their fears that the round-of-16 game would go to another penalty-kicks shootout. England has lost to Germany on penalties in the last two games between the teams in major competitions.

“I’m quite confident we’re going to miss out on penalties against the Germans today,” Martin Chalk said.

Local police chief Lt. Gen. Amon Mashigo told The Associated Press in an interview on Saturday that the game called for the city’s biggest security operation for a sporting event. He said all elements of the city’s police force would be mobilized for the match, “from dog units right up until the highest order.”

A local government spokesman also announced that Bloemfontein had relaxed its alcohol laws, allowing bars and restaurants to sell alcohol later than midnight on Sunday night.

“We will be hosting the two nations in the world who love their beer, and they should feel welcome in the province,” said Khotso Tau.

At the Waterfront shopping mall across the road from the 40,000-seat Free State Stadium, English and German police officers in bright blue and yellow vests wave and smile at groups of fans at cafe tables.

Police promise to be “highly visible” at entertainment areas before and after the game, which has the potential for crowd trouble because of the fierce rivalry and long history between the teams.

“Let’s hope for the best, that nothing should happen whomever wins and whatever the outcome of the game today,” says Germany fan Alexander Berrai, 27, an immigration official from the Black Forest. “The vibe of the World Cup is fantastic so far.”

But both sets of fans and players are bound to be nervous ahead of the highly anticipated matchup.

“I maybe slept half an hour last night,” Berrai said.