While millions of people are tuning in to watch the World Cup and commenting about it online, thousands more on Twitter are talking about what appears to be a similar but equally riveting event, the #WordCup.
"In #Paris, where cafe seating famously faces the street for optimal people-watching, chairs are turned inward today to catch a glimpse of France in the #WordCup!" exclaimed one Twitter user.
Even one prominent American news organisation got in on the act: "Panama made the #WordCup for the first time then drew Belgium for its opening match."
Panama made the #WordCup for the first time then drew Belgium for its opening match. A look at Monday's games: @JennaFryer https://t.co/T65tzVBRTm
— AP Sports (@AP_Sports) June 18, 2018
There were more than 2,000 tweets about "#WordCup2018" on Monday, before the day's three matches had even begun, with dozens more coming in by the hour.
Twitter users were of course talking about the football World Cup in Russia, but had misspelt the word.
This World Cup just keeps getting better and better! #WordCup2018
— ނާއިފް (@naaiph) June 17, 2018
Ronaldo is the GOAT #WordCup
— Ryan|🇮🇹 (@IamRyanBrolly) June 15, 2018
Both countries showing respect after the first goal of the #WordCup2018. #RusvsSA pic.twitter.com/ggaqCDhUKS
— Orlando Alzugaray Jr (@BigOShow) June 14, 2018
Even Portugal star Pepe used the wrong hashtag:
Thank you @umbro for this print signed by illustrator @rajkdhunna 🎨✍🏻🇵🇹 Nice haircut , eh? #Pepe3 #Portugal #WordCup #NoBadDays pic.twitter.com/0rNHIId0Tj
— Pepe (@officialpepe) June 16, 2018
It has echoes of the Winter Olympics in South Korea earlier this year.
They took place in Pyeongchang, but thousands of people on Twitter wrote about Pyongyang — capital of North Korea.
Following the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, Twitter said there were 672 million tweets sent related to the 2014 #WorldCup, making it what the social media network called at the time "the highest number we've announced related to an event".
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