The buzz of excitement in the streets of Doha was palpable. The tournament was to kick off between Ecuador and host nation Qatar at 7 p.m. local time. Supporters and travelers who don’t have tickets to the World Cup matches are invited to witness the games throughout the tournament in an epic atmosphere at the Al Bidda Park FIFA Fan Festival.
Nearly four and half years after the World Cup ended in Russia, the pinnacle sporting event takes center stage once again in Qatar. I was amongst diverse soccer fans waiting in long lines to board a full plane in Frankfurt, Germany. The lines ended up turning into a cluster of a mob, bursting to get their boarding pass checked and themselves onto the plane. Qatar 2022 is the most scrutinized World Cup in recent memory, and was this unbridled chaos at the airport another warning for more disorganized madness to come?
There've been plenty of examples demonstrating how Qatar — despite the obscene lengths it's gone to over the last 12 years — is not ready to host the World Cup with the opening match just days away. But there's no turning back now with 1.2 million visitors streaming into the country alongside legions of reporters, journalists and media personalities.
You did it. After nervously watching your nation navigate qualifying, compartmentalizing travel guilt and adding up your precious pennies, you've arrived at your $200 a night, seven-yard-long shipping container in Doha alongside 6,000 others who'll serve as your fellow shanty-townspeople over the coming weeks.
This old home might not be much to look at now, but by the time we go over some DIY projects you can implement to spice up your container, your neighbors will be absolutely losing their minds trying to keep up with the Joneses.
AMSTERDAM — The organizers of the World Cup in Qatar are paying for groups of soccer fans to travel to the tournament next month, saying on Monday they are asking them for positive comments on social media in return.
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) confirmed the policy of inviting groups of supporters to the finals as guests after reports by Dutch public broadcaster NOS, who said on Sunday that Qatar was paying for flights and hotels for a group of 50 Dutch fans.
The draw made next summer's tournament in Australia and New Zealand come into focus, but we can really start to anticipate the event with FIFA now revealing the 2023 Women's World Cup kick off times.
BUENOS AIRES - Argentina's self-styled "first fan" Marcelo Martinez is so keen to see Lionel Messi and teammates at the World Cup that he arrived in Qatar six months early.
The first traveling Argentinian fan — and possibly the first visiting fan full stop — flew into Doha on May 3 with his blue-and-white wig, and has been having a blast ever since.
"Wonderful things have been happening," said the 54-year-old lawyer, who has found plenty of Qataris and expatriates sporting Argentina shirts. "They all love Messi and Argentina here."
On Tuesday, FIFA president Gianni Infantino and Qatar World Cup organizers confirmed that ticket sales for the event were nearing three million. This is in line with the estimate of roughly 1.2 million people visiting country, which has a population of just 2.8 million, over the course of the 29-day event.
Erling Haaland mania has gripped the globe and we're only getting started. On Saturday, the 22-year-old Paul Bunyan regen became the fastest ever to reach 15 Premier League goals — taking him all of just nine appearances to hit the milestone.
NYON, Switzerland - Ukraine has joined Spain and Portugal in their bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) said on Wednesday, in what they hailed as an act of European solidarity.
They said the decision, announced at a news conference at the Swiss headquarters of UEFA, had the full support of European soccer's governing body and also of the Spanish, Portuguese and Ukrainian governments.
"Our bid is not an Iberian bid anymore, it's a European bid," Luis Rubiales, president of the RFEF, said.