Myanmar football fans gather at a teashop to watch a Champions League match.

AFTER the World Cup, nothing holds the interest of Myanmar football fans more than the Champions League. The glittering array of star players and famous clubs make it a must-watch event each year.

But there has not always been so much interest in this club competition. In the past, Myanmar football fans generally watched only the World Cup, held every four years.

But television changed all that. In the mid 1980s, Myanmar fans became familiar with the Bundesliga, the domestic German competition, thanks to the football program Football: Made in Germany, broadcast every weekend on Myanmar Television.

The introduction of a weekly English Premier League highlights program in the 1990s captured Myanmar football fans’ imaginations and the names of Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur became widely known.

Other European football clubs, from Italy, Spain, France, were less well known in those days. But thanks to the Champions League, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Roma, Lyon, Celtic, Rangers – the list goes on – are as well known now as their English counterparts. The interest of Myanmar football fans in the Champions League though is still largely based on the participation of English Premier League clubs.

A turning point for the popularity of the Champions League was the dramatic 1999 final, when Manchester United clinched the title after an amazing comeback, scoring the winning goal in stoppage time.

Myanmar people could see the emotion of the Manchester United fans and what it meant for their team to have won three majors cups in a season – the English Premier League title, FA Cup and Champions League. From that day on, Myanmar fans became increasingly interested in the Champions League, having had a real taste of football.

Today, we know much more about the different styles of play in England, Spain, Italy and Germany. But Myanmar fans are still more familiar with the frenetic pace and action-packed games seen in English football.

“I’m a Chelsea fan and I’m confident that my boys will easily get through this knockout stage because they are playing a Greek team [Olympiakos], who I think is much weaker than us,” said Ko Win San Oo, a fan in his 30s.

“Watching Champions League matches is more exciting than any other European competition because there is the home and away aspect and the fans’ support for their club is so strong, which is very different to football in our country,” he said.

“I admire the support of the fans watching their clubs compete in the Champions League and I think it provides great entertainment for football fans around the world,” he said. “I always watch Champions League matches, from the group stage to the final, every year – I think I’m hooked,” he said.

Sport journals have also had a large role in nurturing the booming interest in the Champions League of Myanmar fans. Local sports writers put a big emphasis on not just the English clubs but also the other European giants.

Accordingly, fans in Myanmar they know all about the English, Italian, Spanish, German, Scottish, Turkish, Portuguese, French – even the Romanian and Dutch – leagues and the latest news on players and transfers.

Now we are at the knockout stage of the Champions League and obviously Myanmar fans will be very enthusiastic to see all the action. But where is the best place to watch your favourite side play? You can easily enjoy the matches sipping beer, tea or coffee – maybe even whisky or brandy – at pubs or teashops throughout Yangon, despite the fact matches often kick off after midnight, local time.

Those lucky enough to have satellite dishes can also watch the action in the comfort of their own home. For those without satellite, pubs, teashops and restaurants are the other options. But there is also another option, perhaps unique to Myanmar. In fact, there is no English word for this place, which is a small, home-made theatre with a capacity of between 100 and 150, where you can watch football in a relaxed, alcohol-free environment for a small fee. Locally they are known as ‘Video Yone’ and there are many of these home theatres in several quarters of Yangon’s townships.

For the owners of Yangon’s many Video Yone (pavilion), the Champions League knockout stage is a profitable time of year.

“I always have many customers at my video pavilion for every Champions League match. It costs only K300 to watch the games here and there are usually at least 70 to 100 people come and watch the matches here,” said Ko Tin Win, the owner of a video pavilion in East Dagon Township.

“If the match is between popular teams, for example Manchester United, Arsenal or Chelsea, I can’t fit all the customers in and I have to tell some to go to another place,” he said.

This football culture is not only in Yangon. In other towns it is also common to see people watching the Champions League well after midnight.

Ko Aung Myint recently travelled to Yangon to buy several new 36-inch television sets for his Video pavalion in Hpa-an, Kayin State. He said the Champions League was the most profitable competition for his business, followed by the English Premier League and Spanish La Liga.

“I’ve bought this new TV sets for my new video pavilion next to my house – I already have one in the ground floor of my house,” he said. “I’m preparing for the coming Champions League knockout stages because there will be many more customers – people in my town are mad about these football matches.”