Sawt Falasteen - World Cup turns New York's Times Square into global fan hub

"I'm impressed. It's amazing to see so many people gathered," said Christoph Altmeks, a German, as he stood in the middle of a sea of his country's fans wearing white shirts.

The 53-year-old had complained that, given New York's huge population, "when you walk around through the city, there are not a lot of football fans."

So when he heard on social media that Germans were congregating in Times Square, Altmeks readily pulled on a jersey of his hero Rudi Voller -- plus a wig mimicking the famed striker's blond curls.

Off to the side, two Ecuadorans watched the German jubilation with some unease.

"I thought there would be more Ecuadorans here ... but I'm waiting for them!" said Juan Alvarez, 30, who is finishing his studies in New York.

Two Brazil supporters sipped sodas a little further away.

"We saw on social media that the Brazilians took over Times Square... And then we showed up and there were only Germans!" said 32-year-old Fabricio Miatto.

He said, however, he was impressed by a giant "Viking row" performed by Norwegian fans in the Manhattan intersection, where thousands simultaneously chanted "Row!" while pulling imaginary oars.

- 'Icon of city life' -

Amid a scent of beer and marijuana, many street vendors have descended on Times Square to sell flags, caps, vuvuzelas, fruit slices and churros.

Elsewhere, AFP saw one man begging and another with a sign reading "Stop World War III!" A woman dressed as the Statue of Liberty was offering to be photographed, and someone else posed in a panda costume.

Such is the eclectic and chaotic scene that awaits World Cup fans coming to Times Square.

The area is already a major tourist attraction, as well as a giant advertising platform with its bright screens, and is traditionally the setting for celebrations including New Year's Eve.

So it's only natural that fans have chosen it as a World Cup stage, according to Lynne Sagalyn, a professor of real estate at Columbia University.

"Times Square is an icon of city life. It has a worldwide reputation as a place that must be seen and experienced," she told AFP.

"It is hard to think of any other US urban place that would instantly command such worldwide attention."

- World Cup vibe -

Alan Bonfield, a 33-year-old American who regularly spends time around Times Square, said the soccer tournament has transformed the landmark.

"Even though in Times Square you're never going to find it empty -- you can come here in the middle of the night -- the World Cup surely changes the demographic and the way it vibes," said Bonfield, wearing an Argentina jersey.

New York police are a visible and constant presence. At one point, they told off a tipsy fan for climbing on a bench.

But the gatherings have led to few incidents so far aside from a few scuffles shared on social media.

Shots fired by an unknown individual also caused a brief moment of panic among supporters last week, without injuring anyone.

G.AbuHamad--SF-PST