From the stadium in Sao Paulo to sofas in Germany, from a pub in Nairobi to a cafe in Miami, from a Rio slum to outer space, nearly half the world's population was expected to tune in to the World Cup, soccer's premier event which kicked off Thursday in Brazil.
Even football-loving Pope Francis got a touch of World Cup fever. He sent a video message on Brazilian television before the match, saying the world's most popular sport can promote peace and solidarity.
The inaugural game had everything aficionados love — passion, drama, spectacle, goals and a refereeing controversy. Here are just a few of the billions of spectators who got caught up in it all. More pics after cut...

A Brazilian fan grimaces as she watches the 2014 soccer World Cup opening game between Brazil and Croatia at the Fan Fest complex in Recife, Brazil, Thursday, June 12, 2014. After taking the early lead in the opening match of the international soccer tournament, Croatia fell 3-1 to the five-time champion Brazil. (AP Photo/Dolores Ochoa)
Brazilian residents watch the opening match of FIFA World Cup between Brazil and Croatia in Porto Seguro, Brazil, Thursday, June 12, 2014. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
German soccer fans watch the opening game of the soccer World Cup 2014, while sitting on sofas in the 1.FC Union stadium in Berlin, Thursday, June 12, 2014. (AP Photo/Axel Schmidt)
Fireworks are displayed over Lebanese soccer fans who have gathered to watch the first soccer match of the World Cup between Brazil and Croatia, at a fan park in downtown Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday June 12, 2014. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
In this undated frame grab from video provided by NASA, United States astronauts Steve Swanson, left, Reid Wiseman, right, and German astronaut Alexander Gerst, center, kick around a soccer ball some 230 miles above Earth aboard the International Space Station. The astronauts say they will be watching the World Cup games. (AP Photo/NASA)
Men watch a smartphone broadcasting the World Cup opening match between Brazil and Croatia at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, June 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Kenyan soccer fans watch Brazil play Croatia in the World Cup opening match, in the pub in Nairobi, Kenya Thursday, June 12, 2014. Nearly half the world's population, well over 3 billion spectators, is expected to watch soccer's premier event and get a glimpse of the country that in two years will host the Summer Olympics. (AP Photo/Sayyid Azim)
Chinese soccer fan watch the opening match of the 2014 World Cup between Brazil and Croatia, at a bar in Beijing, China, Friday, June 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
People watch the World Cup opening match between Brazil and Croatia in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Friday, June 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili)
A Brazil soccer fan watches a screen broadcasting the World Cup opening match between Brazil and Croatia inside the FIFA Fan Fest area on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, June 12, 2014. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Palestinians watch the opening match of the World Cup 2014 between Brazil and Croatia, on a huge screen in Gaza sports club in Gaza City, Friday, June 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)
Patients of the Asuncion Psychiatric Hospital, watch the first match of the World Cup between Brazil and Croatia, in Asuncion Paraguay, Thursday, June 12, 2014. The more stable patients of the hospital are allowed an old television set on which they can watch the 2014 FIFA World Cup games which is being played in Brazil. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)
Spectators watch the first half of the World Cup opening match between Brazil and Croatia in group A at Itaquerao Stadium in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Thursday, June 12, 2014. Thursday is a holiday in Sao Paulo and everybody is celebrating the start of the international soccer tournament. Fans dressed in yellow and green greeted each other, often yelling, "Vai Brazil!" (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Soccer fans celebrate the second goal scored by Brazil striker Neymar, during a live broadcast at a World Cup viewing party at the Jockey Club, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, June 12, 2014. Brazil went on to defeat Croatia 3-1. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Indian supporters of Brazil cheer for their team ahead of the inaugural match of the Soccer World Cup in Kolkata, India, Thursday, June 12, 2014.Nearly half the world's population, well over 3 billion spectators, is expected to watch soccer's premier event that kicks off in Brazil Thursday. (AP Photo/ Bikas Das)
German soccer fans watch the opening game of the soccer World Cup 2014 while sitting on sofas in the 1.FC Union stadium in Berlin, Thursday, June 12, 2014. (AP Photo/Axel Schmidt)