AFTER five years of build-up and recent rows over security and ticket sales, the Olympics finally got under way yesterday, with the first of eight football matches in Glasgow.

An estimated 12,000 spectators, many of whom had been given free tickets at the last minute, arrived at Hampden for the kick-off of the game between the women from the USA and France at 5pm.

The security in the area was tight, with hundreds of police officers sealing off the streets round the stadium to non ticket-holders, but the atmosphere was happy and colourful.

Local school children had decorated the railings and walls nearby with the flags of the participating nations, and many of the fans came dressed for the part and waving huge national flags.

The American fans included Dan and Karen O'Hara, the parents of US player Kelley O'Hara. They had travelled from their home in Atlanta to support their daughter.

"I wanted to be here for my daughter and because it's the Olympics," said Mr O'Hara. "It's the greatest competition in the world."

Mr O'Hara claimed women's football in America had none of the status problems it does in the UK. He added: "The status of the sport is high in the States. Women play at all levels, collegiate and national level. It's very big. But France is a tremendous team. This is going to be a great match."

Another relative who was in the crowd of supporters heading for Hampden was Thierry Le Sommer, whose daughter Eugenie is a forward in the French team.

"I have followed her all over the world," he said. "Chile, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland."

Eugenie's brother Thurian, who was carrying a huge flag to wave in the stadium, said the French were a good side.

"The men's players in France are badly behaved but the women players have a good attitude. I think the French will win."

However, it wasn't just French and American fans who were filling the stadium, although many of the others had been given their tickets for free after slow sales.

David Hill, 65, from Bo'ness, was one of those given tickets through his 10-year-old granddaughter Kymberlie's primary school.

"We were given tickets," he said. "Kymberlie's mum is a community education worker and there were a lot of tickets that they couldn't get rid of."

However, Mr Hill said he had wanted to come with Kymberlie and her cousin Danielle Hill, also 10, to be part of the spirit of the Games.

"I think it's great thing to come to Scotland and a good thing for children. They see a bit of order, and people enjoying themselves. I've always followed women's football especially because Kymberlie plays for the school team."

That was Kymberlie's feeling too. "I wanted to come because I like football and play in the school team," she said. "It's common for girls to play."

Another group that had been given free tickets was Steve Shaw from Burntisland, his daughter Claire Homer and her daughters Adele, 10, and Keelly, 11, both of whom were supporting America and had decorated their fingernails with stars and stripes. They all got their tickets in a draw at their school in Burnt-island. They were each given two tickets and told there were another two tickets if they wanted them.

Mr Shaw said he had decided to come not only to be part of the event but also to find out more about the women's game.

"I'm into the Olympics but women's football is a new one to me," he said. "There are some good teams – America and Great Britain – but we're supporting the Americans. It's a day out for the family and it's good to say we've been to the Olympics."

Pointing back to the big line of policemen in yellow jackets guarding the entrance to Hampden, Mr Shaw said he felt the tight security was necessary.

"All the fuss over security hasn't put us off," he said. "Heavy security is needed nowadays. This, unfortunately, will be a soft target for any sort of terrorist because it's out of the way of the main venues in London and they might think: if we hit Cardiff or Glasgow, there's going to be less security. The security is heavier than a Scotland game."

"The atmosphere's building with 20 minutes until kick-off," boomed the Hampden PA announcer. It was something of an exaggeration to say the least.

Around 35,000 tickets had been given away, on top of the 6500 sold, in the hope that the opening double-header between the US and France, and then Colombia and North Korea would not be played to a backdrop of stony silence.

No official attendance was given but it was unlikely there were more than 12,000 inside Hampden which, on a glorious summer's day in the middle of the school holidays, must surely have been a disappointment to the organisers.

The numbers had dwindled considerably before the advertised 7.45pm kick-off for the North Korea versus Colombia match and the ground was nearly deserted by the time it actually got under way after the flag debacle caused a walk-off protest and a delay of more than an hour.

One group that had paid for tickets was Hugh Barrow, 68, and his wife Marjory. They bought their tickets last week as part of a late surge of interest in the event.

"We think it's something special and will never happen again in our lifetime," said Mrs Barrow. "It's a sport that we really don't see or watch."

For Mr Barrow, who ran in front of the Hampden crowds as an amateur athlete in the 1960s, yesterday was also about passing on a positive sporting message to his granddaughters Eve, eight, and Lois, six, who had also come along for the day.

"The fact the Olympics is in our city is very important," he said, "and hopefully by taking our grandchildren, it will be an inspiration for them.

"Sport is important to me and it's about passing that on to my grandchildren. This is a one-off opportunity – the message is positive."

That was also the feeling among all the American fans, many of whom had dressed up. Brothers Dan and David Scott, from Arizona, are big followers of women's football in America but also wanted to see an Olympic event after years of missing out.

"We've been waiting 50 years to get to the Olympics," said Dan, 60. "Beijing and some of the other places were so far away and difficult to do but Scotland and the UK was easy for us. And it's about the spirit.

"We're going to see games in London too but we knew USA was going to play the first game, and we wanted to come to Scotland too so we were happy it was here." Not that it's all about the happy spirit. "It's about the nations coming together," said David's wife Mary, "but winning is nice too."