The peak TV audience for England-Panama was comparable to the London 2012 opening ceremony.GETTY IMAGES
A peak TV audience of 14.1 million saw England's 6-1 win over Panama. The BBC announced a peak share of 82.9% during the "latter stages" of the second half, which is thought to be "one of the largest" in U.K. TV history. The figure is "on par" with the London 2012 opening ceremony. Furthermore, there were 2.8 million live stream requests across BBC online for the clash in Novgorod (PA, 6/25).
Switzerland's Granit Xhaka, Xherdan Shaqiri and Stephan Lichtsteiner avoided bans for their "double-headed eagle gesture" celebrations during their side's win over Serbia. FIFA fined Xhaka and Shaqiri 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,100) and Lichtsteiner 5,000 Swiss francs ($5,050) for "unsporting behaviour" for the gesture, which symbolizes the Albanian flag (BBC, 6/25).
FIFA opened disciplinary proceedings against two German team officials who "stormed toward the Sweden bench gesticulating and clapping" after the team's "last-gasp Group F victory on Saturday." Team media officer Ulrich Voigt and a German FA (DFB) employee, Georg Behlau, charged toward the Sweden bench "pumping their fists" after Toni Kroos' stoppage-time goal. The Swedish coaching staff and reserve players "stood up and immediately confronted them and shoved them back" toward their technical area (REUTERS, 6/24).
During the 2014 World Cup, Gabriel Jesus was a 16-year-old kid "painting the streets of his local favela town in support of the Brazil national team." Four years later, he is "leading the front line for Brazil" at the 2018 World Cup -- and adidas is "paying tribute to him in its own graffiti." In collaboration with a local street art collective and the local community, the brand created "a giant mural of Jesus over 20 houses in his hometown of Jardim Peri, Brazil." The effort is part of a global content campaign for adidas Football by Iris Worldwide (AD AGE, 6/21).
Retail company Big Bazaar "rolled out a Facebook augmented reality camera game" as part of its World Cup activation. Facebook users can use the camera on their mobile app and "bounce the ball on their head." The activation was conceptualized by Bangalore-based tech agency Alivenow (THE DRUM, 6/25).
A foul on Cristiano Ronaldo during Portugal's Group B clash against Iran on Monday resulted in "a record 19th penalty at the World Cup before the knockout rounds." In Brazil four years ago, there were "only 13 penalties in the entire tournament." The use of VAR "has contributed hugely to the spike" (REUTERS, 6/25).
