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Manado. At the entrance to a housing complex, a huge banner saying “Welcome to the World Cup village” greets visitors.

But this residential area is not in South Africa or anywhere near it — it is Kodo Lawangirung village in the heart of Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi, where a culture of football fanaticism unleashes World Cup fever every four years.

“The World Cup is not held every year, so that is why we embrace it like this,” village resident Bagus Lesmana said.

“This makes our village festive and peaceful because nobody protests, in the name of togetherness.”

So enthusiastic are the villagers that at 5 p.m. every day since the world’s premier sporting event kicked off on June 11, they close the main road to set up a wide screen and everyone gathers to watch the games together.

The same enthusiasm is seen in Bahu Malalayang urban ward, where practically each home is decorated with the national flags and other accessories of the teams residents are supporting.

“I and the residents here are huge fans of the Netherlands, so everything that is from the Netherlands, starting from the shirt to the flag, I use during the World Cup,” said Joop Mandey, who lives in Bahu.

When the Netherlands were playing Japan for a spot in the next round, Mandey turned his house into a venue for nonton bareng , or communal viewing.

Rully Soputan, a player for Jakarta team Persija who is also a resident of Bahu, tried to explain the phenomenon. “To our family, watching the World Cup is a must. This event is a time to gather with extended families and neighbors,” said Rully, who took some time off from the team to watch the action on a wide-screen television in his family’s yard.

The same goes in the Winagun urban ward.

“Football is indiscriminate of title and position. That’s why for this World Cup, I held a nonton bareng with the residents, which draws a huge crowd,” said Santi Luntungan, the head of Bitung legislative council, who has turned her house in Winangun into a center for watching the matches.

“As for displaying national flags, as long as they are not as big as the red-and-white [Indonesian] flag, it is acceptable,” Santi said.

In his house, the only rule is that whoever comes to watch a game must come with a jersey or sports accessory of a country that is competing in the games.