What you need to know about the Qatar World Cup
2022.11.20 08:44
What you need to know about the Qatar World Cup
Budrigannews.com – The World Cup kicks off in Qatar on Sunday in a high-stakes event for a Muslim country that is facing a barrage of criticism, including human rights, as it puts its reputation on the line for delivering trouble-free tournaments.
In the show of Arab solidarity, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and the Presidents of Egypt and Algeria will be one of the political leaders at the opening ceremony at the tent-shaped stadium at 5:40 pm (1440GMT), before the first match between the hosts Qatar and Ecuador. The UN Secretary General is also there.
Held for the first time in the Middle East, the most expensive tournament in its history marks the culmination of Qatar’s soft-power push after ending 3-3 1/2 years of boycotts by its two Arab allies, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt, in 2021.
For the first time, a direct commercial flight from Tel Aviv to Doha, despite the absence of formal bilateral relations, landed in Qatar on Sunday in a deal brokered by FIFA to bring both Palestinians and Israelis to the tournament.
In the dusty weather of about 30 degrees Celsius, the Al-Bait Stadium began to be full of people, including Qatari supporters in white toves and women in black Abaya. One troupe performed a sword dance.
On stage, the singer Jungkook of the K-pop boy band BTS will perform a new song from the tournament along with the Qatari singer Fahad Al-Kubaisi.
Gulf State Deputy Prime Minister Khalid al-Atiya, speaking to state media, said Qatar enjoyed the benefits of years of “hard work and sound planning.””
Qatar has denied allegations of abuse and discrimination against workers, and FIFA has turned its attention to actions on the pitch after criticism of the rights of foreign workers, LGBT rights and social restrictions. Organizers have also denied allegations of bribery over hosting rights.
On Saturday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino accused European critics of Qatar, saying that compromise is the only way to improve rights, while Doha also noted labor reforms.
The Danish and German team captains wear one love armband as they prepare to compete in a conservative Muslim state where same-sex relationships are illegal, organizers say everyone is welcome and warned against public affection.
Fan
The crowd of fans had already arrived in Qatar, but the main rush will be at the end of the week.
“There’s a certain pressure around you so you don’t say the wrong thing or make the wrong move,” Daniel Ort, from the Netherlands, told Reuters, dressed in orange.”It’s not a pleasant atmosphere at the World Cup,” he said.”
But the Argentine fan Julio Cesar said that he expected a great atmosphere. “We will drink before the game,” he added, after the sale of alcohol in the stadium was banned.
Visitors drank beer at the FIFA Fan Festival in downtown Doha. Outside the city limits, hundreds of workers gathered in sports stadiums in industrial zones, where there was no alcohol. They can watch the game there, and the price is set outside the stadium, which many have tried to build along with other infrastructure for the event.
“Of course I didn’t buy tickets. They are expensive and I have to use that money for other things so that I send it back home to my family,” Ghanaian citizen Qasim, a security guard who worked in Qatar for four years, told Reuters.
Gas exporter Qatar is the smallest country to host the largest football event in the world. Crowd control will be important because more than 3 million visitors – 1% of the population – are expected to be 120.
Workers had put the finishing touches to the Doha landscape, including laying purple tarpaulins on top of an unfinished building near the stadium where the finals will be held.
At Laguna Shopping Center, residents went about their business.
“I came now because I don’t know how bad the traffic is at the end of the week,” said Egypt Esraa, shopping.
