The really special feeling of seeing your own country on the world stage is unparalleled. A mix of sweaty palms, pounding hearts and a crazy irrational fear of which couch cushion you are sitting on. However, what occurs on the days when your team isn’t on the list of fixtures? A true football fanatic does not have the tournament just come to a standstill. Rather, the day to day changes from stress to sheer delight in the beautiful game.

The World Cup routine tempo takes a much more laid-back tone when your team isn’t on the pitch. Being a neutral spectator is an art form in itself it turns out. Let’s take a peek at the ways that football fans spend their downtime, making each kickoff a must-see.

The morning Permutation Math.

The routine almost always begins as soon as you wake up. 

You don’t get up in the morning to fear the news, you open up the tournament bracket with the mind of an old pro. On a neutral day, you have to determine how the performance of everyone else on your team affects the trajectory of your team.

As you sip your coffee you begin to work out all the permutations of the group: “If we’re the runner-up in Group D, and if we somehow manage to be the runner-up in Group B, then we might just avoid the tournament favourites until the quarter-finals!” It’s a morning delightful and fun, an optimistic beginning to the day, a moment of wishful thinking and spreadsheet mathematics.

The role of a Temporary Pundit.

A huge part of the fun of a neutral World Cup game day is getting to know teams and players you don’t normally get to see during the domestic season. All at once, you are hooked on a serious confrontation between two countries on opposing continents. Many fans spend hours before a match looking at injury reports, form and tactical set-ups to get a complete picture of the match and be prepared for what will happen.

If you’re looking to win a friendly office tournament, or simply impress the rest of the group with your genius in the chat, it’s important to get a handle on the story. Fans typically consult the expert opinions and look at soccer predictions today during these hours to see who is the underdog with a chance or if there’s any of the big boys who could be the surprise. With this in mind, even a random group stage draw becomes a high stakes chess game.

Recalling the role of an Underdog (For 90 Minutes)

With no sense of obligation to your own country, a neutral matchday gives you the luxury of being a beautiful fucker. The 15th minute of every match is when it is decided who will be on which side of the ball, so that’s when you have to decide which side to root for. More often than not, fans will tend to follow the underdog.

It’s always a great feeling to see a team from a lower ranked country fight their way back to the top when they are playing against a footballing super power. You’re soon yelling at the TV for the name of the left-back you couldn’t say three hours ago, and are fully immersed in their fandom for the entire game.

Low Stress Watch Party

Last, but not least, the evening matches are the most fun part of the show: socializing. The only difference between nerve wracking watch parties of your own team and neutral matchdays is that at neutral games, everyone is there for the community, comfort and food.

It’s the time when the backyard barbecues are fired up, the pizza orders are doubled and the football chatter is rampant. You can watch a world-class playmaker at work and marvel at his brilliance or laugh at a funny defensive error without spoiling your week. It’s football in its simplest and funniest.

In the end, the World Cup lifestyle of a neutral fan is a testament to the power of the World Cup, beyond just the jersey. It’s a month-long celebration that’s a match-by-match affair, a goal-by-goal celebration, and a fan-by-fan celebration.