Qatar WC | Fans and Atmosphere Watch

Flight time is one factor but more important for accessibility is visas

Europeans who are free to travel most of the planet often don't realise how difficult it is for someone with an Africa passport to get a visa to travel to Europe

Although as mentioned, I think a large % of North Africans out in Qatar will live in the region

Fair enough on Visas. I'd assume that visa requirements during a world cup are different, but I am not sure how they compare.

There are lots of people from the Maghreb in France, Germany or Italy. I don't think that point favours Qatar over those countries.

Anyway, it is a minor point not worth arguing. Tunisians brought a good atmosphere to their game, hope Morocco follows suit.
 
Fair enough on Visas. I'd assume that visa requirements during a world cup are different, but I am not sure how they compare.

There are lots of people from the Maghreb in France, Germany or Italy. I don't think that point favours Qatar over those countries.

Anyway, it is a minor point not worth arguing. Tunisians brought a good atmosphere to their game, hope Morocco follows suit.

Yes that's true - in fact both squads have many born outside Morocco/Tunisia as a result

But Qatar have put in a special visa system for World Cup ticket holders - AFAIK European hosts have never done anything to relax visa rules for a WC
 
Yes that's true - in fact both squads have many born outside Morocco/Tunisia as a result

But Qatar have put in a special visa system for World Cup ticket holders - AFAIK European hosts have never done anything to relax visa rules for a WC
They literally removed visa requirement for all match spectators in the last World Cup. So yeah, it's not true European hosts have never done nothing to relax visa rules and looking back just four years is enough to see it.
 
They literally removed visa requirement for all match spectators in the last World Cup. So yeah, it's not true European hosts have never done nothing to relax visa rules and looking back just four years is enough to see it.
None of those countries needed a visa for the 2006 world cup either.


Not that facts matter or anything. (Actually as they do matter I've done a bit more research and it does turn out that Tunisians needed one, however visiting the world cup was enough reason to get one).
 
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They literally removed visa requirement for all match spectators in the last World Cup. So yeah, it's not true European hosts have never done nothing to relax visa rules and looking back just four years is enough to see it.

I was only thinking about Germany/France/Italy as those were the ones he mentioned.
Russia visa wise is a different kettle of fish and yes you are right they did relax rules but whether African fans would feel comfortable about heading to Russia 2018 with all the controversy about racism is another question.

Remember Maghreb is part of the Arab world just like Qatar which is why you will see much higher amount of fans from Tunisia/Morocco than ever before



None of those countries needed a visa for the 2006 world cup either.


Not that facts matter or anything. (Actually as they do matter I've done a bit more research and it does turn out that Tunisians needed one, however visiting the world cup was enough reason to get one).

Glad you have corrected your original error - link to that info would be good, I'm happy to be corrected if wrong
 
The atmosphere in the Croatia vs Morocco game seems great despite the stadium being far from full from what I could tell.
 

It's in German! No use to me

So here is the relevant info for Germany 2006 in plain English which completely refutes your spurious claims:
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-keeps-visa-requirements-tight-for-world-cup/a-2044651

The most important bit:
The federal government has not loosened its visa requirements for non-EU and non-Western countries...
 
It's in German! No use to me

So here is the relevant info for Germany 2006 in plain English which completely refutes your spurious claims:
https://www.dw.com/en/germany-keeps-visa-requirements-tight-for-world-cup/a-2044651

The most important bit:
The federal government has not loosened its visa requirements for non-EU and non-Western countries...
Local customs and all...
It says that the foreign ministry advised all of it's embassies and foreign offices to handle visas in accordance to government guarantees given to FIFA. They had to because it's been a condition to host a world cup for as long as i can remember. People wanting to visit the games had to show intent to visit and means to pay their way.
 
Local customs and all...
It says that the foreign ministry advised all of it's embassies and foreign offices to handle visas in accordance to government guarantees given to FIFA. They had to because it's been a condition to host a world cup for as long as i can remember. People wanting to visit the games had to show intent to visit and means to pay their way.

Well as we know from this WC, promises to FIFA are not always kept by host nations and it's absolutely clear from the DW article that Germany did not relax their usual strict visa rules. in fact if you read the article they actually tightened rules for certain countries !

"German embassies around the world have issued warnings to foreign nationals intending to travel to the World Cup that having a ticket for the games will not guarantee them a visa or entry."

Anyway regardless of the boring details of visa rules, it's absolutely clear from watching yesterday and today that there are more Maghrebi fans at this World Cup than ever seen before
 
Well as we know from this WC, promises to FIFA are not always kept by host nations and it's absolutely clear from the DW article that Germany did not relax their usual strict visa rules. in fact if you read the article they actually tightened rules for certain countries !

"German embassies around the world have issued warnings to foreign nationals intending to travel to the World Cup that having a ticket for the games will not guarantee them a visa or entry."

Anyway regardless of the boring details of visa rules, it's absolutely clear from watching yesterday and today that there are more Maghrebi fans at this World Cup than ever seen before
So what? People wouldn't have been against Morocco or Tunisia hosting games at some point. So, that isn't a reason to think awarding one to Qatar isn't terrible
 
I have been to Doha many times and yes the condition of the immigrant workers are terrible. But the situation is a lot more complicated than just the Qatari government itself.
A lot of times it's the contractor from the home country who is providing the labour
Well as we know from this WC, promises to FIFA are not always kept by host nations and it's absolutely clear from the DW article that Germany did not relax their usual strict visa rules. in fact if you read the article they actually tightened rules for certain countries !

"German embassies around the world have issued warnings to foreign nationals intending to travel to the World Cup that having a ticket for the games will not guarantee them a visa or entry."

Anyway regardless of the boring details of visa rules, it's absolutely clear from watching yesterday and today that there are more Maghrebi fans at this World Cup than ever seen before

Plus if they had tickets available to more Asian countries irrespective of them being in the WC or not, much more people would have gone.
 
Well as we know from this WC, promises to FIFA are not always kept by host nations and it's absolutely clear from the DW article that Germany did not relax their usual strict visa rules. in fact if you read the article they actually tightened rules for certain countries !
:lol: Sure because everyone behaves like they're Qataris.

One is a DW article from before the tournament's start and one is the official report by the German government afterwards. I know who's word I'll take on official government policy. They didn't have to introduce special world cup visas because, shock horror, they can visit Germany outside of world cups too if they have means to do so.
"German embassies around the world have issued warnings to foreign nationals intending to travel to the World Cup that having a ticket for the games will not guarantee them a visa or entry."

Anyway regardless of the boring details of visa rules, it's absolutely clear from watching yesterday and today that there are more Maghrebi fans at this World Cup than ever seen before
Sure and I hope they have a good time.
 
Ye but the question had been specifically about whether other countries had relaxed entry rules for the World Cup - you claimed that Germany did but it's clear they did not

And my original point was that this World Cup is far more accessible for the North African (and many other African/Asian) countries than than any before it
 
Ye but the question had been specifically about whether other countries had relaxed entry rules for the World Cup - you claimed that Germany did but it's clear they did not
I had corrected the part that was factually wrong before you even quoted me. But never mind.
 
very nice crowds for group stage matches...........and the noise is 100% there. The atmosphere is pretty nice considering group stage and in the middle of desert
 
We can watch the world cup free but cannot watch PL matches free... go figure.
 
It is so sad and embarrassing how so many people are happy to attend the world cup just because they want to enjoy a 'game', when the tournament was only held in Qatar due to massive corruption with FIFA, not to mention the human rights issues.

I don't understand why people are happy to ignore issues as long as they can watch a game about a bag of air being kicked around.
 


Did everyone hear the fake crowd noise suddenly go quiet?


So, being a sad fecker I'm not watching the games and pretty much only seeing the world cup through the caf and I've honestly never seen such opposing partisan (bizarrely) accounts of anything that wasn't an actual war. It's a surreal amount of contradictory information. It's quite interesting. Maybe this is always the way and one just ignores the side that's obviously bollox if you have been watching the games.
 
So, being a sad fecker I'm not watching the games and pretty much only seeing the world cup through the caf and I've honestly never seen such opposing partisan (bizarrely) accounts of anything that wasn't an actual war. It's a surreal amount of contradictory information. It's quite interesting. Maybe this is always the way and one just ignores the side that's obviously bollox if you have been watching the games.
To be fiar there have been games where there have been empty seats and fans leaving earlier and there have been games where the stadiums are packed with bags of atmosphere. It all depends on the teams playing. So not surprising seeing different views.
 
It is so sad and embarrassing how so many people are happy to attend the world cup just because they want to enjoy a 'game', when the tournament was only held in Qatar due to massive corruption with FIFA, not to mention the human rights issues.

I don't understand why people are happy to ignore issues as long as they can watch a game about a bag of air being kicked around.

Ah football is fairly fecking awesome sometimes. And world cups even better. But overall I agree.
 
To be fiar there have been games where there have been empty seats and fans leaving earlier and there have been games where the stadiums are packed with bags of atmosphere. It all depends on the teams playing. So not surprising seeing different views.

Ha yeah, I think I have seen conflicting accounts. Now you've sown doubt I don't know. Feck..
 
It is so sad and embarrassing how so many people are happy to attend the world cup just because they want to enjoy a 'game', when the tournament was only held in Qatar due to massive corruption with FIFA, not to mention the human rights issues.

I don't understand why people are happy to ignore issues as long as they can watch a game about a bag of air being kicked around.

There's a separate thread of these discussions:

https://www.redcafe.net/threads/boycott-the-qatar-world-cup.468222/

Hehe
 
the sound has been way off.


I don’t know if it’s a bbc/itv issue but the crowd will be quiet then all of a sudden loud Even if nothings happening.
 
the sound has been way off.


I don’t know if it’s a bbc/itv issue but the crowd will be quiet then all of a sudden loud Even if nothings happening.
That's what I was alluding to in my post here a few hours ago. I notice a similar thing with live UFC broadcasts but they tend to cut the audio levels when a post fight interview says something they are not allowed to, mostly when it's to do with a sponsor. The crowd levels suddenly go muted. I just seemed really fake in the game earlier. I for sure think they are amplifying the noise the TV audience.
 
That's what I was alluding to in my post here a few hours ago. I notice a similar thing with live UFC broadcasts but they tend to cut the audio levels when a post fight interview says something they are not allowed to, mostly when it's to do with a sponsor. The crowd levels suddenly go muted. I just seemed really fake in the game earlier. I for sure think they are amplifying the noise the TV audience.

yeah 100%, they’ve got the balance all wrong as when it does get turned up you cant even hear the commentators. I find myself having to turn the TV up and down constantly.

I’ve just turned it onto TSN which is a Canadian channel (I have iptv) and the sound is fine on that so it does seem it’s a uk channel thing.
 
So, being a sad fecker I'm not watching the games and pretty much only seeing the world cup through the caf and I've honestly never seen such opposing partisan (bizarrely) accounts of anything that wasn't an actual war. It's a surreal amount of contradictory information. It's quite interesting. Maybe this is always the way and one just ignores the side that's obviously bollox if you have been watching the games.

Well I've posted actual photos from the match whereas the other post you quote is just sound issues on the TV and nowt to do with the actual atmosphere

Take note of the photos, videos and accounts from people actually there - the rest is just bollocks
 
Well I've posted actual photos from the match whereas the other post you quote is just sound issues on the TV and nowt to do with the actual atmosphere

Take note of the photos, videos and accounts from people actually there - the rest is just bollocks

I just pulled the two nearest posts but I was speaking in general,, even about attendance figures being questioned by journalists.. Photos are as dubious as any non first hand source, and easy to stage but you are playing a stormer as an ambassador!