The ultimate fan dream has just become a reality – or at least, a lucrative job! Two lucky football enthusiasts have been handed the keys to a Times Square glass cube, where they'll be watching every single World Cup game from June 14 to July 15. And we're not talking about your average match-day viewing experience here – these guys will be raking in an astonishing £37,000 ($50,000) for their troubles.
The pair, Kevin Kotoko and Austin Franklin, beat out thousands of hopefuls with their own social media submissions. What's more, they'll not only get to watch every game, but also create content around it, engage with the public outside, and even live-tweet their reactions to the matches. It's a role that's left Kotoko, a die-hard Liverpool fan from Florida, jumping for joy – he's even quit his job as a waiter to take on the challenge! 'It's an unmissable chance for any self-respecting football fan,' he exclaimed.
As they settle into their unusual new roles, both men are loving every minute of it. Franklin likened the experience to living in the surreal world of 'The Truman Show', where your entire life is broadcast live as a reality TV show. And we can see why – with hundreds of people gathering outside the cube, cheering them on and snapping selfies with the pair inside. It's certainly an immersive experience, complete with food inspired by each nation taking part, served right in the viewing space!
But it's not all fun and games – these guys will be working non-stop from 6am to midnight (or later) for nearly six weeks. And that's without mentioning the gruelling schedule of four matches a day across three time zones during the group stages. Kotoko, who was born in Ghana, is keeping his fingers crossed for a strong showing by his birth nation, but knows it won't be easy maintaining energy and focus throughout this marathon viewing session. Both men are pinning their hopes on the US team to make some magic happen too.