The FIFA World Cup Football Globe has just taken up station on the banks of the Rhine river — just in time for Germany’s international clash with Belgium there on March 31.

Following successful stints at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt and the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the 20-meter tall sphere opened for business in Cologne on Monday.

The Globe, an interactive monument to the world’s most popular game, has already attracted some 110,000 visitors and Berlin and 63,000 in Frankfurt.

"That is a wonderful success," said Goettrik Wewer, a state secretary in Germany’s Interior Ministry. "I’m sure that people in the lively city of Cologne will also be excited about visiting the Globe."

"The residencies so far have also shown that the Globe isn’t just embraced by locals — but is also a great attraction for tourists. Visitors from around the world have already experienced German hospitality at the Football Globe," added Wewer.

Designed to resemble a regulation soccer ball — with 20 hexagonal and 12 pentagonal panels — the Football Globe features interactive games, virtual installations and panoramic projector shows.

Exhibits inside give fans the chance to take the referee’s whistle, meet the stars, test their virtual shooting prowess and feel the roller-coaster emotions of fans all around the world.

At night, the Globe is lit up by some 20,000 LED lights. Forty loudspeaker systems provide the perfect sound and more than 40 spotlights illuminate the interior.

Admission to the Globe costs 2 Eur for adults and 1 Eur for teenagers, with children under 10 admitted free. It will be open to the public in Cologne until May 16, when it continues its tour across Germany with a stop in Leipzig.
Republished with permission from "The Week in Germany"