Chinese fans second to Russia's World Cup

Some 60,000 Fan IDs have been issued to Chinese passport holders, Russia's Communications Ministry announced it late June, putting the country in second place behind Russia in the number of fans attending matches, reports the Moscow Times.

To put it in perspective, number three on the list, the United States, was issued 39,000 Fan IDs. Many of those football fans are also shelling out.

According to Shankai Sports International, an exclusive agent in China selling World Cup tours, 10 per cent of an estimated 40,000 tickets bought by Chinese fans this summer are in the VIP category.

"Chinese guests always try to get tickets to the most important matches and to buy the best seats," Yekaterina Chelik, head of the Moscow-based Turne tour company, told The Moscow Times ahead of the tournament.

According to FIFA, the precursor to the modern game that millions around the globe are glued to this month dates back to China in the second and third centuries.

The story goes that during the Han Dynasty, military personnel would kick a leather ball stuffed with feathers through an opening into a small net. Hands were not allowed.

Despite this legacy, football in China has long played second fiddle to basketball.