Xi Jinping kicking a football in front of a crowdImage source, Getty Images
Image caption, President Xi, seen here kicking a ball on a 2012 visit to Dublin, is a football lover

Chinese state media have given a lot of attention to the World Cup, but the matches are making people angry that they aren't included in the celebrations.

Scenes of maskless celebrations and rowdy gatherings have irritated viewers, who have been discouraged from gathering to watch the games.

Many people have used the World Cup to complain about China. Entire communities are locked down over a single case of the virus in order to stop it from spreading.

China is currently experiencing its worst outbreak in six months and has seen a surge in local lock downs over the last few weeks. More than 28,000 new cases have been recorded in China in the last 24 hours.

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In China, football is a very popular sport. In the past, the president has said that he wants the country to win the World Cup.

State media have sought to amplify China's "presence" by showing matches on the national broadcaster. Air conditioning units and buses made in China are well represented at the event, according to a report by the Global Times.

The presence of Chinese flagbearers at the opening ceremony has been promoted by leading outlets.

A child interacting with a Chinese giant panda through glassImage source, Getty Images
Image caption, A child plays with one of the Chinese giant pandas given to Qatar to mark the start of the World Cup

It's clear that Covid-19 has hurt the celebrations. Non-essential businesses were once again closing in major cities due to the outbreak.

Some fans are choosing to watch the games at home with their families because of the lack of bars. Others have gone camping.

Those who want to watch the event in person can't take flights between the two countries.

People in Shanghai sitting in a near-empty pub watching a screen showing Croatian footballer Luka ModricImage source, Getty Images
Image caption, This was the scene in a sparsely filled pub in Shanghai for the opening ceremony of the tournament

Many are feeling isolated as they watch the event.

An open letter questioning the country's continued zero- Covid policies and asking if China was on the same planet as Qatar quickly spread on mobile messenger WeChat on Tuesday, before beingcensored.

There are a lot of comments on the Weibo social network about how watching this year's matches is making them feel different.

Some people think it's weird to see hundreds of thousands of people without masks or proof of a recent test. There is no separate seats so people can maintain social distance and there is no one dressed in white and blue on the sideline. The planet has become very split.

There are rules not to visit public places for five days on one side of the world while there is a carnival on the other side.

The scenes from the World Cup are different to what people are used to at home, according to some people.

The World Health Organization still calls the Covid-19 virus an "acute global emergency" despite the fact that many in China have been critical of countries that have opened up.

There is still no end to China's measures. The National Health Commission spokesman warned against slacking in epidemic prevention and control this week.

Mass testing and travel restrictions have been reintroduced by local governments in major cities.

In the last month there have been protests in the cities of Guangzhou and Zhengzhou.

Media caption,

Protesters tear down barriers.