The accommodation is in tents or prefabs, there’s no beer in the stadiums, the temperatures are uncomfortably hot and the whole event is mired in controversy over alleged human rights abuses.
While that’s not enough to deter hardcore football fans from traveling to Qatar to support their national teams in the World Cup, more surprisingly, it hasn’t been enough to deter even those whose country teams aren’t even in the competition.
Walk around the narrow streets of downtown Doha and you can’t help but get caught up in World Cup fever, with fans from all four corners of the globe meeting in squares and restaurants to celebrate their cultures with one another.
The evenings are particularly busy, with groups gathering together by country, singing their hearts out to the seemingly constant rhythm of drums that reverberate through downtown Doha.
One of the loudest groups in the days running up to kickoff was a pocket of England fans from India.
The group is fully coordinated, wearing the same shirt with the name of England captain Harry Kane on the back. They proudly sing songs associated with the English national team but they mix them with traditional chants from back home.
The supporters went viral last week, with people accusing them of being “fake fans,” used to create the impression of people enjoying a World Cup that, thanks to the controversy surrounding its Middle Eastern hosts, may lack the usual pizazz of the tournament held every four years.
Qatar 2022 organizers, as well as FIFA, rubbished the claims and a member of the group told CNN that he was surprised to see the headlines.
“We are a fan group from Kerala, in South India,” he said, too busy singing and dancing to give his full name.
“India is not in the tournament and we have always loved England. We used to watch David Beckham play so we are passionate about England in Qatar.”
To read more about the fans, click here