Qatar: A Dose of Soccer and Tourism
The sun was coming up as we burrowed deeper into the heart of the Souq Waqif market in Doha that warm November morning.
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Around us were the perspiring faces of shopkeepers as they worked on tourists’ hearts and wallets with their enticing and well-crafted merchandise.
In a nearby outdoor café, I noticed a group of people smoking shisha from large cisterns through long leather pipes with golden tips. I would be later informed that even though public consumption of alcohol is prohibited, smoking shisha in the open is a popular and permissible leisure activity for some Qataris.
I had come to Qatar with my wife and some friends for the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup, which took place in the independent emirate situated on the west coast of the Persian Gulf.
It was the first World Cup to be held in the Arab world and Muslim world, and the second held entirely in Asia after the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan. The tournament was also the last with 32 participating teams, with the number of teams being increased to 48 for the 2026 edition.
World cup
The choice of Qatar to host the World Cup attracted significant criticism, with concerns raised over the country's treatment of migrant workers, women and members of the LGBT community, as well as Qatar's climate, lack of a strong football culture and scheduling changes.
Before we arrived in Qatar, the media was awash with some scary information about the dress code expected of women in the Islamic country.
However, Tayo Popoola, my high schoolmate and coordinator of our trip, had debunked all that in an email sent to our team before we departed our various bases.
According to Tayo, “I am watching the England/Iran match and paying special attention to the way the ladies are dressed. You ladies can relax. You can wear ‘T’ shirts and jeans, and you don’t have to wear a scarf. A scarf, however, may still be handy in case we visit some tourist attractions, including religious places, where scarfs may be required”.
However, the anxieties surrounding the World Cup did not stop Qatar from celebrating the great historic achievement of hosting what is arguably, the most important sporting celebration in the world.
Reception
A few days before I departed from my Accra, Ghana base, the Qatari Ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Mohammed Ahmad Al-Homaid, had organised a reception to mark the commencement of the tournament at the Ambassador’s residence in Accra.
At the well-attended dinner, we were presented with commemorative FIFA World Cup souvenirs such as jerseys, footballs, cups and scarves, among others.
Our arrival in Doha after a six-hour flight from Accra was no less colourful. With our official ‘Hayya’ Identification cards visible on our necks, arriving football fans at the impeccably efficient Hamad International Airport in Doha were well received by officials of Qatar’s World Cup near the airport’s ‘air bridge’.
From there, we were assisted through Passport and Visa controls, as well as through the baggage and customs areas, before being put on a shuttle bus that took us to our designated accommodation.
Qatar
Qatar (officially the State of Qatar) is a country in West Asia.
It is said to have an ever-changing landscape, ancient alleys located in contrast against the modern skyline, and varied topography. Since the country is a peninsula, it offers the perfect blend of sun, sand and sea expected of such locations.
Qatar shares its sole land border with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf.
The capital is Doha, home to over 80 per cent of the country's inhabitants, and the land area is mostly made up of flat, low-lying desert.
The current population of Qatar is 2.7 million, with 365,000 of them Qatari citizens and 2.35 million expatriates. Its official religion is Islam.
In terms of income, the country has the fourth-highest GDP (PPP) per capita in the world, and the eleventh-highest GNI per capita (Atlas method).
To be continued
