The heart of any World Cup tournament is the gathering of fans from all over the globe, interacting with each other, forming new rivalries, and discovering a country’s culture first-hand. While there was a sense of apathy towards the tournament in Germany and other European nations, fans from Asia, Africa, and the Americas told a different story. In Qatar, Brazil, Argentina, and Morocco enjoyed special status among supporters.
Brazil and Argentina find foreign fans
The two South American sides were not only cheered on by their own travelling fans but also enjoyed the backing of large groups of Indians and Pakistanis—some who work in Qatar and others who travelled from the subcontinent to cheer on their adopted teams.
Meanwhile, Morocco at times enjoyed a quasi ‘host country’ status, as fans from many Arab nations rallied behind their stunning underdog run. They packed stadiums with their supporters and after every match Doha’s standing market Souq Waqif was filled with fans of the Atlas Lions, as Egyptian, Qatari, Algerian, Palestinian, and Saudi flags were waved alongside the Moroccan banner. In place of the sterile FIFA fan zones lacking in atmosphere, this became the organic central hub of fan activity.
Short distances, long walks
The designated party areas were perhaps in part less frequented due to the ridiculous level of traffic diversions and barriers that fans encountered whilst trying to reach them. The Doha Corniche, a 7 km-long waterfront promenade, was the site of the main FIFA fan festival.
For the duration of the tournament, the road along it was completely closed, much to the frustration of locals and taxi drivers, who told DW that this had a disruptive effect on nearly all journeys through the city centre.
Qatar had either anticipated far greater numbers of visitors or feared overcrowding. At most metro stations, fans encountered a winding maze of temporary barriers that added a 10-minute walk to any journey, regardless of how full or empty the site was. Scores of security guards, armed with megaphones and foam fingers, would shepherd people with a droning chorus of ‘metro this way’, a chant fans often sarcastically joined in singing.
A major selling point of this tournament was the limited amount of travel required for fans. Indeed, in the smallest country ever to host a World Cup, the farthest distance between stadiums was 55 km (34 miles). It will be a decidedly different story at the 2026 World Cup, to be held across Canada, the USA, and Mexico. It is unlikely those countries will match Qatar’s lavish investment of $36 billion into a new state-of-the-art metro system. Fans were whisked around by driverless trains featuring air-conditioned carriages, luxurious seats, and free travel.
At times it felt as though the concept of car-free travel had not been properly thought through. In Al Khor, the metro station and taxi drop off zone were roughly a 45-minute walk from the entrance to Al-Bayt stadium.
Migrant workers experience parallel World Cup
For most migrant workers, the distance from the tournament was altogether greater. The closest most got to World Cup action was the Industrial Fan Zone in the city of Ar-Rayyan. Located inside Qatar’s 14,500 capacity national cricket stadium, workers were provided with a designated free public viewing facility, tucked away from the glitz and glamour of Doha. A parallel World Cup unfolded here, boasting a much more raw and raucous atmosphere as locals roared their approval each time Messi, Ronaldo, or Neymar graced the screen. Few were willing to talk about working conditions when approached by journalists.
The treatment of foreign workers and the human cost of this World Cup loomed large over much Western media coverage. The tournament even kicked off with a bizarre rant by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, preceded by a last-minute change to the availability of alcohol.
The sober World Cup
One noticeable effect was the often calm and family-friendly atmosphere as fans travelled to and from the games sober, in stark contrast to the scenes from EURO 2021 in England. This was also reportedly the first World Cup at which no England supporter was arrested: another knock-on effect of the lack of booze?
This was also the first men’s World Cup to feature female referees, but that progressive step is undercut by the fact that Qatar’s women’s national team has been left by the wayside, as reported by DW. Women were rarely to be seen in local restaurants, cafes, and squares outside of Doha’s city centre. But for many Arab female fans, this was their first chance to experience live football.
A curious tournament indeed. One at which Morocco and Messi left their mark and Ronaldo waved a tearful goodbye. Where billions of dollars were spent to transform a country into a tourist destination. But ultimately one where the world was divided on whether to celebrate football or focus on the atrocities that made it all possible.
