People line up buy TV decoders at StarTimes headquarters in Kimihurura yesterday. Many soccer fans were driven by the allure of watching the World Cup that starts today from the comfort of their homes.

The world’s biggest football festival kicks off tonight at 10:00pm with opening match between hosts Brazil and Croatia.

Safari Ngoboka, one of the people who were lining up to pay for decoders, said he had spent over 30 minutes in the queue. "But I don’t mind since I will be watching the World Cup matches with friends at home,” he said.

There were similar queues at another terrestrial pay TV GoTV, about 200 metres away at Gishushu on Nyarutarama road. Venuste Ngendananimana, a Kicukiro resident, said he had come to buy a decoder to watch the World Cup matches at home. "The matches will be at night when there is no public transport. Besides, I don’t want to watch from bars or restaurants,” he said.