Fans at the NFL season opener in Brazil were left disappointed after Taylor Swift failed to appear, ending days of speculation that the pop star might attend. The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Los Angeles Chargers at the NeoQuimica Arena in Sao Paulo on Friday, but for many, the absence of Swift, who is engaged to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, overshadowed the match.
The Chiefs' red and white colours dominated the stands, with the majority of the 47,000-strong crowd cheering for the visiting team. The Chargers, designated as the home side, were jeered as they took the field. Local fan Elena Sampaio, 24, wearing a Chiefs shirt but unable to name any players, expressed her disappointment: 'I got to say it feels a bit less exciting now. When I heard Taylor was coming I felt this was going to be a bigger event than I imagined. Too bad.'
Instead of Swift, fans were treated to a visit from Brazil and Santos striker Neymar, who hugged Kelce and chatted with him before kick-off. Green Day drummer Tre Cool also joined a group of samba drummers who performed before the national anthems of Brazil and the United States. The festive atmosphere was praised by Manuel Andrade, 32, a school teacher and New England Patriots fan: 'The atmosphere in Brazil will always be festive like this. We are loud, we want the players to hear us.'
The NFL held several events in Sao Paulo in the lead-up to the game, including sponsoring murals by artists Kobra, Crica Monteiro and Leandro Nascimento. The match was the second NFL game in Brazil and the first of seven international fixtures this season, with further games planned in Berlin, Dublin and Madrid.
