Around the world, soccer fans are gathering in homes, stadium plazas, and public viewing venues to watch the World Cup and share in the excitement of the tournament.

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Soccer fans celebrate during the opening of the Damascus World Cup Festival, a public fan zone featuring giant screens for World Cup match broadcasts, at the Damascus Fairgrounds in Damascus, Syria, June 11. (AP)


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Iraqi soccer fans react after Iraq scored as they watch the World Cup match between Iraq and Norway on a large screen in downtown Baghdad, Iraq, early Wednesday. (AP)


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New Zealand supporters react as they watch the World Cup soccer match between New Zealand and Iran, in a bar in Wellington, New Zealand, Tuesday. (AP)


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Canada fans celebrate after their team beat Qatar in the World Cup Group B soccer match in Vancouver, British Columbia, Thursday. (AP)