ISS Astronauts Kick Off World Cup with Zero-Gravity Soccer Match [VIDEO]

The World Cup competition has officially started, and fans all over the world are on the edge of their seat to cheer on their favorite teams. Fans out of this world are even excited for the games, as astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) are also celebrating in their own way.

The competition opened on June 12 in Brazil, and will continue through July 13.

"As fans around the world tune in to World Cup 2014, a few fans out of this world will be watching, too," NASA wrote.

United States astronauts Reid Wiseman and Steve Swanson and German astronaut Alexander Gerst will be cheering on their teams from some 230 miles above Earth aboard the ISS.

The crew sent down a special message to wish good luck to all the players and teams as they compete in Brazil.

"We want to wish all the teams and the fans on the ground a great World Cup. Have fun and a peaceful games. May the best win," said spacefarer Gerst of the European Space Agency (ESA).

"Have fun, play hard, and we'll be watching on the International Space Station," added flight engineer Red Wiseman.

And just because these astronauts are orbiting our home planet doesn't mean that they can't get in the soccer spirit.

NASA noted that the crew is "feeling a little friendly competition: their home countries will play against each other for a chance to advance out of Group G of the World Cup matches."

The two teams face off in a match on June 26, to be played at Arena Pernambuco in Recife, Brazil.

Among the crew, Swanson has been aboard the station longest, arriving as part of Expedition 39/40 on March 25. He will return to Earth this September. Wiseman and Gerst left the Earth for the station May 28, and will stay in orbit until November.

NASA created a video showing space travelers playing ball in microgravity, and offering well wishes from space travelers to the teams and fans of World Cup 2014.