As the FIFA World Cup in Qatar got ­under way, the united sports spirit ignited by the 32 national teams gathering on the highest stage in the football world, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, reached new heights after four years of waiting.

From the theme songs and the mascots of previous World Cups to ­Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman and BTS star Jung Kook's performance inside the Al Bayt Stadium in Doha, ­Sunday's opening ceremony was a ­delight for football fans around the world. 

Even though it was the middle of the night, the craze for the World Cup in China was not diluted by the 5-hour time difference from Doha, as countless domestic fans kept awake to catch the first match.

News and related topics about the opening swept Chinese social platforms such as Sina Weibo, with as many as over 20 related topics about the World Cup trending on the platform at the same time during the opening ceremony.

Topics related to the World Cup reached a total number of 500 million views on Sina Weibo, statistics showed.

One of the theme songs, "Tukoh Taka," also took the first spot on the trending list on China's QQ Music audio platform.

In cities around China, many restaurants and bars are in full swing planning for the World Cup while complying with epidemic prevention measures.

In Shanghai, dozens of foreign restaurants are fully prepared to welcome the arrival of the World Cup and support their own national teams.

Some hot pot restaurants have even launched theme parties with "best viewing seats" and World Cup takeaway meals to attract customers.

During the opening ceremony three young flag bearers, who are Chinese football players, also caught people's eyes.

"I hope that one day I can participate in the World Cup representing the ­Chinese national team," Nai Boninglin, one of the three players, told reporters. 

The 16-year-old, who is from the Yi ethnic group in Liangshan, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, now plays football at Atletico Madrid's youth team.

Before the opening of the Qatar World Cup, the news of the Chinese elements seen everywhere in Doha swept Chinese social media. 

One of the biggest was FIFA's announcement of the World Cup referees in May, among which three Chinese professional referees Ma Ning, Shi Xiang and Cao Yi were selected as referee and assistant referees.

Ma is set to stand on the field in Qatar at 11:00 pm on Monday as the Fourth Official during the US vs Wales match. Ma will be only the second Chinese referee at the World Cup, following Lu Jun's historic appearance at the World Cup in 2002.

The news about Ma and the two assistant referees has been widely reported in Chinese media as one of the Chinese elements appearing in Qatar together with the arrival of two giant pandas, Jingjing and Sihai.

For Chinese football fans, the appearance of Chinese referees at the World Cup after 20 years is "a glory that should be recorded."

"We need to stand on this stage first, and then we will continue to explore ways to narrow the gap with the world's top referees," the 43-year-old Ma said in an interview with CCTV in May.