‘
It’s absolutely fantastic’: visiting World Cup fans shrug off Qatar negativity
Supporters look past controversies and welcome event’s compact nature and stadium alcohol ban
https://www.ft.com/content/a2b1e4bf-da06-42dc-8f81-764d1a0233c5
“Going down to the souk, you see all the people walking around from 32 different nationalities,” said Paul Williams, who had travelled to Qatar to support Wales. “It’s been absolutely fantastic.”
"I just think there’s been a lot of scaremongering in the media,” Terry John, another Wales fan, said of the negativity that surrounded the tournament. “We’ve had a fantastic time.”
Abu Ghasem, a Sudanese expatriate, also pointed out that Qatar’s visa regime meant more visitors from the “global south” were able to attend than would have been possible if the host had been one of Europe’s traditional footballing powers.
Omar Taysir, a Jordan-based student draped in the Palestinian flag, said the authorities had been welcoming and his entry to the country seamless compared with previous struggles to enter the UK on a scholarship.
Other fans have reported how this World Cup has felt safe, compared with their visits to other big cities for football events. “We’ve not been worried about crime such as pickpockets,” said Benjamin Lim, 42, a lawyer from London. “And the relative lack of alcohol means I’m also not worried about my parents who are in their seventies.”