FIFA Gully Kolkata is a small lane with a very large football heart. In the Beniatola area of Kolkata, Fakir Chakraborty Lane has been transformed into a colourful tribute to the FIFA World Cup 2026, with giant cut-outs, murals, flags and portraits of some of the game’s biggest stars.
At first glance, it may seem unusual in a country where cricket dominates the sporting imagination. But Kolkata has always been different. The city has long been considered one of India’s strongest football centres, home to historic clubs such as Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting, each with more than a century of history.
FIFA Gully Kolkata and the City’s Football Culture
The story of FIFA Gully Kolkata is not a commercial campaign or a sponsored fan zone. It is a neighbourhood project built by residents who simply love football. According to the Reuters report, the tradition began during the 2014 World Cup with newspaper clippings pasted on walls. Over time, it grew into a fuller street display with murals, team flags and large cut-outs.
Visitors entering the barely 100-metre lane are greeted by football icons such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. Murals of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr also decorate the walls, turning the lane into a visual celebration of global football.
Local residents have worked on the display in their free time. Some painted portraits, others hung flags and buntings, while members of the neighbourhood collective helped organise the decorations. One of them told Reuters the project had never taken sponsorship and was done purely “for the love of football.”
Why FIFA Gully Matters
FIFA Gully matters because it shows how deeply football can live in a place even when the national team is absent from the World Cup. India has never played in the FIFA World Cup, and its men’s team remains far from football’s elite. Yet in Kolkata, World Cup season is still treated like a festival.
Fans often support global teams such as Argentina, Brazil and Portugal, while jerseys of Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar are common across the city. During the tournament, FIFA Gully has become a local attraction, drawing visitors, selfie-seekers and football fans who want to experience Kolkata’s World Cup mood up close.
The lane also reflects a broader truth about Kolkata football culture. For many residents, football is not only a sport but part of local identity. It is tied to clubs, neighbourhoods, rivalries, street conversations and late-night match screenings.
In that sense, FIFA Gully is more than decoration. It is a community-made reminder that World Cup fever does not belong only to countries playing in the tournament. It can also belong to a small lane in Kolkata where residents have turned walls, lights and flags into a celebration of the beautiful game.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, July 5, 2026
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