My FIFA World Cup experience in Qatar

My FIFA World Cup experience in Qatar

The FIFA World Cup, I’m still in awe that I attended such a monumental event. Many have called this World Cup the greatest ever. It’s hard to argue with that. With approximately $229 billion spent on World Cup infrastructure, Qatar was completely transformed to accommodate the tournament. I was fortunate to watch a match in seven of the eight World Cup stadiums. During the group phase, I attended 10 matches, none ending in a draw. Two of those matches were in one day, nearly an impossible feat at any other World Cup tournament. It was Canada’s first World Cup since 1986, and only our second World Cup ever. I saw all three of Canada’s matches, witnessing our nation’s first-ever World Cup goal. My FIFA World Cup experience was a dream come true for an avid soccer fan.

 

The man

It was about two months before the start of the World Cup tournament in Qatar. My friend Lee Kormish wanted to chat with me about the World Cup. Lee has been to every World Cup Tournament since 2006. He’s a local soccer enthusiast, player, and referee. He’s probably the most well-known soccer writer in Saskatchewan having written for our local newspaper for over 15 years. I wrote about his experiences in Qatar for the FIFA Arab cup and his quest to break the Guinness World Record for attending the most World Cup matches in one tournament.

 

The call

It was a bright September late afternoon when my phone rang. Lee Kormish had some amazing news he wanted to share with me. As Canada’s fan leader, he had been tasked with identifying and informing our nation’s top soccer fans of the Qatar organizing committee’s plans for the World Cup. Lee invited me to apply to the Qatar Supreme Committee to be included in Canada’s fan group delegation at the tournament. If accepted, my flights and accommodations in Qatar, including the opening ceremony match, would be covered. I had never been to a World Cup. It sounded almost too good to be true.

 

The application

I sent my application to the Supreme Committee, gushing with my enthusiasm and love for the beautiful game. I play and referee soccer as often as time permits. I’ve managed teams and even worked for the Saskatchewan Soccer Association. I attended two of Canada’s World Cup qualifying matches in Edmonton the year prior. I drove six hours in the aftermath of a prairie blizzard to attend Canada vs Mexico, (one of Canada’s all-time greatest victories). Many fans discarded their plans of attending that match due to the weather and road conditions.

  

The anticipation

If you were to ask me a decade ago if Canada could ever win the CONCACAF World Cup qualification group, I would have thought it highly unlikely. Storming into the FIFA World Cup with wins against Costa Rica, Mexico, and then the USA, hopes were high for Canada. I was thrilled hoping to attend the World Cup while cheering on the national team that I became so proud of during the qualification campaign. The anticipation of being accepted into the Canadian fan leader delegation at the World Cup was killing me!

 

The acceptance

On October 5, I received confirmation that I would be accepted into Canada’s fan leader delegation in Qatar. There would be similar fan delegations from around the world representing every nation at the tournament. The Canadian delegation featured a heavy contingent of Saskatchewan folks, probably about half the delegation. The rest were from across the country including members of Canada’s official fan supporters group the Voyageurs. Many Voyageurs with us had been attending Canadian national team games for decades, they truly deserved to be there.

      

The preparation

Once I knew I was heading to the World Cup there was a lot to prepare for. I had to apply for my Hayya identification card, it was an entrance permit but needed almost everywhere I went in Qatar. I had the opportunity to stay for the duration of the tournament, however, my professional life could only handle 18 days away. The only requirement made of the fan delegation was to attend the opening ceremonies match between Qatar and Ecuador on November 20. Since Canada’s World Cup campaign was only seven weeks away I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to get tickets.

 

Purchasing tickets

Fortunately, FIFA’s ticketing website still had tickets for Canada’s matches. I couldn’t go to Qatar and not see all three of Canada’s group phase matches. Most of the biggest games for other nations in the group phase had already been sold out. However, FIFA was still releasing some tickets every few days on their main site and also through their resale site. I had to be persistent in checking in on the ticketing site and it started to pay off. The price per ticket was just over $300 Canadian for most games. However, I did manage to snag a $100 category 3 ticket for Japan vs Costa Rica. The tickets were a lot of money for me. However, this was the opportunity of a lifetime to see all the best footballing nations on the planet, I couldn’t pass it up. In the weeks leading up to the tournament, I managed to get tickets to see all the biggest footballing nations except Argentina.

 

Leaving Saskatoon

I had a soccer game scheduled to play the Wednesday night before leaving and I couldn’t miss out on the action. Getting home late that night I still had a few things to prepare for my journey. I felt like a kid on the night before Christmas. While I tried to get a few hours of sleep, it didn’t happen at all. I was up around 3:30 am preparing myself to get to the airport by 4:10, thankfully I only live a few minutes away. Although half asleep, I was elated to see several friends and acquaintances from the local soccer community preparing to board the flight to Toronto.

 

Toronto to Qatar

Arriving in Toronto later that morning we all knew we had a long day of waiting at the airport for the flight to Qatar. So naturally, the best course of action was to have some drinks at the Toronto airport. There must have been about 15 or more of us from Saskatchewan killing time by downing beers. Most of that section of the airport was headed to Qatar, there was a festive vibe in the air with some kids even kicking around a soccer ball. There were even fans from Mexico en route to Qatar. The World Cup experience was starting to take off. After several Heinekins and a couple of delays, we were ready to fly.

              

Landing in Doha

Having quickly and easily cleared airport customs and security at the Doha airport I had finally arrived. My first thought after feeling the heat of the desert night was how I couldn’t remember another time when so long after the sun went down the heat had remained so strong. I was assured by others I talked with that the 30-degree heat was unseasonably high for that time of the year. Fortunately, they were correct and the nights were very comfortable, usually around 20 degrees for the rest of the trip.

 

Checking in

Arriving on Friday night in Doha, I hadn’t really slept since Wednesday morning in Canada so I was extremely jet-lagged. Everyone in the Canadian fan leader delegation was staying in the same apartment compound near the outskirts of Doha. After taking the metro station to the nearest stop from where we were staying, we all shared Ubers to our apartments. We were greeted by friendly staff who checked us into our temporary home, which was comparable to a four-star hotel. There was a full kitchen in each apartment which helped save on meal costs. There was access to a pool and fitness facility just down the road which was more than I expected.

 

Welcome to Qatar

There were fan delegations from all over the World in the Ain Khalid Gate compound where we stayed. The Dutch contingent was in the same building we were in. There was a small grocery store nearby and the food there wasn’t that different from Canada. The price of food was similar to Canada, some things like nuts were way cheaper and of far better quality. Restaurants weren’t too different from Canada with many of the same chains there. However, the service was considerably slower in my experience. Public transit was free throughout the World Cup tournament as long as you had your Hayya card with you. Most people spoke English and the signs were mainly in English as well as Arabic. Qatar is one of the wealthiest countries on the planet and most of the people there are trying to make a better life for themselves and their families, from nations far less fortunate.

 

The people of Qatar

The population of Qatar is just over 2.7 million with well over 90% of the country living in the Doha area. Although Qatar is an Arab nation ruled by Qatari citizens, there are only about 330,000 of them. Until I arrived there I didn’t even realize that Qatari citizens account for only 10.5% of the country’s population. Qatar controls 12% of the world’s natural gas, which is where all its wealth comes from. Qatari citizens are very well off and are likely the world’s wealthiest nationality. However, most of the country’s population is made up of migrant workers for whom Arabic is not their first language. English is the common language for most migrant workers, the vast majority hailing from south Asia. Migrant workers from India, Bangladesh, and Nepal all outnumber Qatari citizens. There are also hundreds of thousands from Egypt, the Philippines, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Qatar was a British protectorate from 1916-1971 which helps explain the widespread use of English in the country.

 

Qatar in the spotlight

Although Qatar may be most well known for their Al-Jazeera news network, there was a lot of negative press from western news organizations leading up to the World Cup. Many horrible stories surfaced about the plight of migrant workers in Qatar. Although every one of them has their own story, I spoke to several of them that were very glad to be there. They come from impoverished areas of the world and for the most part, felt very fortunate to be in such a wealthy country. Although workers’ rights are far less advanced than in western nations, having the spotlight on Qatar for the World Cup has forced some improvements. With western nations influencing many Arab and Muslim nations to do away with slavery over the last century, football culture should continue to bridge the gap between our civilizations. Although very regressive and even oppressive for many based on western standards, Qatar is actually one of the most progressive Arab nations. The Qataris I met were all very friendly and welcoming and should be proud they were able to host such a monumental event.

             

A World Cup for Muslims, Arabs, and the Middle East

Arab nations make up a huge contingent of perennial World Cup contenders. Morocco, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia joined newcomers Qatar in representing the Arab world at this tournament. Iran, although not an Arab nation, is a Muslim nation located just across the Persian Gulf from Qatar. This part of the world has never hosted a World Cup, so it was great to see so many jubilant fans from these countries united in their love of the game in a fellow Arab/Muslim nation. Despite the protestations and boycotts from many western nations perhaps visually reducing the number of Europeans in attendance; it was an interesting experience being in crowded locations where culturally and ethnically I was very different. Finally, it was their turn, a World Cup for Arabs, Muslims, and the Middle East was long overdue.

 

Al-Bayt Stadium

Of all the World Cup venues I stepped foot in, Al-Bayt Stadium was the most beautiful. The design was inspired by a traditional tent of the people who have lived in the Qatar region for thousands of years. It holds about 60,000 fans and is the nicest stadium I’ve ever entered into. First catching a metro line headed north of Doha to Lusail, buses then shuttled fans further north to Al Khor where Al Bayt stadium is located. This was the stadium furthest from Doha. I had a small group of friends from Saskatoon I travelled with to the match and got there in plenty of time to find my seat for the opening ceremony. Although I was hungry after travelling to the stadium, it was unfortunate that the only food items I could buy were small bags of chips. I repeatedly was told they were still preparing food, however, there was nothing made available for me there. Hard to believe they would miss out on an opportunity to sell food to hungry football fans.

    

The opening ceremony

I am quite confident when I say this was the most elaborate opening ceremony in the history of the World Cup. With foreign dignitaries in attendance and camels brought onto the pitch this opening ceremony was over-the-top impressive. With an appearance and narration from Morgan Freeman, it gave the event an air of grandiose importance. Singer Jungkook from the Korean pop band BTS was one of the headline performers. The choreography was outstanding and the ceremony was top-class without a doubt. As part of the ceremony, they provided each fan delegation with a block of seats to represent our nation. We were asked to sing along when our official team chant was briefly played during the ceremony. The Canadian group I was with represented enthusiastically at the ceremony, all of us waved Canadian flags. When it was completed we waited patiently in our seats for the kickoff of the greatest sporting event on the planet.

 

 

 

The opening match, Qatar vs Ecuador

I had a great vantage point near the top of the stadium near the half line for the tournament’s opening match. The Qatari Ultras stationed behind their net were well rehearsed and in full voice drumming and chanting nearly the entire match. Ecuador had a huge contingent of fans there also and had a lot more to cheer about in the match. Enner Valencia scored two first-half goals for Ecuador which were all they needed. I thought it was unfortunate that Qatari fans had almost completely abandoned their team and started heading home before the 85th minute of the match. Qatar had chances to score their first World Cup goal in the final minutes, yet most of their fans would have missed it. The announced attendance at the World Cup’s first match was 67,372. However, it looked as if only half that number were still there before the 90 minutes were up.

 

 

Al Thumama Stadium

The second match I attended was located several kilometres to the south of Doha. I left the apartment just over two hours before kickoff. I grabbed a city bus to a metro station where I caught a shuttle bus taking me near the stadium. There was a long walk through a residential area, nearly half an hour from the bus to the entrance of the stadium. Along the way, I realized I was going to be late so I jogged most of the way to the stadium. From the outside, Al Thumama Stadium resembles a Taqiyah which is a popular hat in the region. Once I arrived I used the facilities and grabbed a Budweiser beer, (non-alcoholic of course), and headed to my section. I was in the very top corner of the stadium, yet the sightline to the field was great. There really isn’t a bad seat in the whole stadium at Al Thumama. There were 41,721 fans in attendance for the first World Cup match at Al Thumama Stadium. 

 

Senegal vs Netherlands

By the time I sat down in my seat, the match was in the eighth or ninth minute with no goals scored. It was unfortunate that Sadio Mane wasn’t able to play for Senegal due to an injury. Mane was named African Footballer of the year for 2022 and was one of the players I had wanted to see the most at the World Cup. Nonetheless, Senegal are the reigning African champions and Netherlands are one of the world’s greatest footballing nations. The winner of this match would likely win Group A, so it was crucial despite being only the third match of the tournament. Netherlands looked slightly more in control of the match, but not by much. It was a tight game until the 84th minute when Cody Gakpo broke the deadlock from a header off a Frenkie De Jong pass. Netherlands managed another goal right at the end of the match to end it at 2-0. However, if Mane were in the lineup for Senegal, the scoreline could easily have been reversed.

 

 

Most exuberant fans at the World Cup

Of all the World Cup matches I attended, the most passionate fan group I witnessed was Senegal’s. From the moment I arrived until the final whistle, those fans were relentless. They were drumming and chanting and other than a brief respite for half-time, didn’t let up. The Senegal supporters section provided the most energetic display of fan enthusiasm I’ve encountered in my life. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to hear them cheer for a goal, it would have been quite the scene.

   

Al Janoub Stadium

Located further south than any other World Cup venue, Al Janoub Stadium is another very attractive venue. From the outside, it’s the most futuristic-looking World Cup stadium with a postmodernist design. It has a beautiful curved roof inspired by traditional Dhow boats that pearl divers used in the region. Getting to the stadium was convenient as the metro line wasn’t very far from the stadium. I gave myself ample time to arrive and was in my seat a few minutes before the opening ceremony. About 15 minutes before kickoff a giant inflatable World Cup trophy was brought out to the centre circle. The lights were dimmed while fireworks and music precluded the national anthems of France and Australia before kickoff. The announced attendance for France vs Australia was 40,875.

 

 

France vs Australia

I was elated to see the reigning World Cup champions in action. France has so many soccer superstars in their lineup and was one of the teams I had most wanted to see. Especially because of Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe. Although Australia got on the scoresheet with an early goal, France did not disappoint. By the end of the first half France had taken a 2-1 lead. Former Arsenal striker, (I’m a huge Arsenal fan) Olivier Geroud scored his second goal of the match in the second half. It’s quite the feat for a 36-year-old player to score twice in a World Cup match. Especially since many people considered him too slow to play at the level of Arsenal in the Premier League. Arsenal’s star centre-back William Saliba, age 21, only played 27 minutes in one of France’s seven World Cup matches. It was against Tunisia in their last game of the group phase. So it’s interesting to see the dynamics in how these national teams pick their lineup, team chemistry is a huge consideration. The match ended 4-1 for France and was the most impressive team performance of all the games I attended.

 

 

The best team and the best player I’ve ever seen play

I would consider France to be the best team that I saw play at the World Cup. Their win over Australia was one of the most decisive of all the matches I witnessed. They ended up reaching the final of the tournament losing out only on penalties. They are one of the best football teams on the planet and have been for years. France is loaded with superstars like Antoine Griezmann of Atletico Madrid and Aurelien Tchouameni of Real Madrid. However, Kylian Mbappe is perhaps the greatest player on the planet right now. I would consider Kylian Mbappe the best player I saw at the World Cup, and I’m glad I saw him score.

 

Canada’s first game at the World Cup

Having followed the Canadian men’s national team so closely for the entire qualifying campaign, the World Cup dream was now a reality. It was a cool experience seeing so many Canadians in a distant land halfway around the world, united for soccer. The match was set for 10:00 p.m. Qatar time so the heat wouldn’t be a factor that late into the evening. With plenty of time before the match, many Canadians filled up the Mall of Qatar located near the stadium. As the heat in Qatar is so persistent throughout the day, many shops and restaurants stay open late into the night. The Mall of Qatar was bustling with Canadian soccer fans filling up the food court, especially the Tim Hortons. It surprised me to see a Tim Hortons there but it was a fitting place for Canadians to gather before the big game. I purchased a caffeinated beverage to keep me energized. Chatting with Canadian soccer fans from all over the country before the match, it almost felt like a home game.

 

 

Ahmed bin Ali Stadium

Only a few minutes walk from the Mall of Qatar, Ahmed bin Ali is one of the most conveniently located World Cup stadiums. Belgium vs Canada was the first of three matches I was to attend in this venue. This was the first and only match I attended in the supporters’ section. Every match had a section in the lower corners near the goal area where national team supporter groups were located. These were the loudest and most rambunctious parts of each stadium. The Voyageurs, which is the official Canadian national team supporters group, helped a lot with the vibe there. Voyageur members arrived early at the stadium ensuring seats in their section all had Canadian or Voyageur flags. As I arrived the supporters’ section was already full nearly half an hour before kickoff. It was a surreal feeling being there for a Canadian World Cup match. Player introductions were made during warm-ups as Canadian fans shouted out each of their players’ names when announced. It was clear before kickoff that the Canadian fans were clearly louder than the Belgian supporters. Ahmed bin Ali Stadium had an announced attendance of 40,432 for this match, with most in attendance cheering for Canada.

 

 

Belgium vs Canada

Of all the sporting matches I’ve ever attended, Belgium vs Canada was the most excitedly anticipated for me. Facing superstars like Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne was at a new level of play for Canada. Only a few minutes into the match Canada was awarded a penalty from a Belgian handball. Alphonso Davies stepped up to take what I hoped would be Canada’s first-ever World Cup goal. Unfortunately one of the greatest goalkeepers on earth, Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois made a huge save for Belgium and the match continued scoreless. Throughout most of the first half, Canada was the better team with more chances. However, near the end of the first half, Belgium scored first, deflating the Voyageurs section situated near the goal. In the second half, Canada was attacking the Voyageur’s end of the pitch. The crowd fervently chanted throughout the match, willing the Canadian team to score a goal. In the dying moments of the match, an impromptu singalong of the Canadian national anthem (O Canada) rang out from the stadium. However, the hopeful pleas from the Canadian fans didn’t persuade the referee to add any more time to the match. I was convinced Canada was only seconds away from tying the match, had the referee allowed play to continue. At least he should have not blown the final whistle until ‘O Canada’ had been completed. Nonetheless, it was a valiant effort by our team and the footballing world took notice of Canada. Despite the loss, it was a proud moment for Canada.

 

 

Stadium 974

The next day after watching Canada’s first match I had another huge match to attend. Stadium 974 was the venue for Portugal vs Ghana and is one of the most unique World Cup stadiums ever made. Built as a temporary stadium, and named after the Qatar area code 974, the stadium was also built using 974 shipping containers. It was the first temporary stadium in the history of the World Cup. It was unlike any stadium I’d ever been in, especially from the outside. The multi-coloured shipping containers gave the stadium a real industrial feel. Located near the Doha International Airport on the edge of the Persian Gulf, and had easy access to the local metro station. Stadium 974 now exists only in the memories of those who were there, having been disassembled immediately following the World Cup. 42,662 was the announced attendance for Portugal vs Ghana at Stadium 974.

 

 

Portugal vs Ghana

Of all the players I watched at the World Cup, no one is more legendary than Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s the main reason I wanted to attend this match. Arguably the greatest footballer of all time, and certainly Portugal’s greatest ever player, Cristiano Ronaldo is an icon. No one has more Instagram followers than Cristiano Ronaldo, and it was obvious that many people in attendance were there just to see him. The first hour of the match was rather uneventful with a 0-0 scoreline. However, in the 65th minute, Ronaldo was awarded a penalty to the delight of most in attendance. Ronaldo scored what could be his final goal at the top level of world football. The goal was also record-breaking. It marked the first time in history that a player scored a goal in five different World Cup tournaments. It was truly an honour to witness such an occasion. That goal kicked the match into high gear, and what followed was the most exciting period of football I witnessed at the World Cup. Ghana tied the match less than 10 minutes later, followed by two quick goals by Portugal. In the 89th minute, Ghana brought the score within one followed by 10 minutes of furious extra-time action. Portugal held on for a 3-2 win on a historic night at Stadium 974.

 

 

 

Sunday, November 27, 2022

This was a special day for me in that I attended two World Cup matches on the same day. Japan vs Costa Rica in the afternoon and Croatia vs Canada that night. My friend Lee Kormish had been attending multiple matches most days throughout the tournament. His quest to break the Guinness World record for attending the most matches in one tournament was followed by the Qatari news outlet Al Jazeera. On this day I joined Lee and the crew following him on the journey to Ahmed bin Ali Stadium for Costa Rica vs Japan. Like every day it was hot and sunny, and thankfully, the metro stations and trains were fully air-conditioned. Despite all the World Cup matches being played in relatively close proximity, there was a lot of travel each day to get to the matches. It was exhausting, especially when the sun was still out. Typically you’d be travelling longer to get to the game than the amount of time the match was played in. After the matches, I was usually travelling for at least a couple hours or more to get back to where I was staying. Attending two matches in one day was a marathon. The amount of dedication it took for Lee to do that throughout the tournament, to see over 40 matches, was incredible. 

 

Japan vs Costa Rica

I had already been to Ahmed bin Ali Stadium for Canada’s first match, however, this was the only World Cup match I attended during the day. Kickoff time was 1:00 pm and I was delayed getting into the stadium. Arriving at my seat about eight minutes into the match, I was relieved to be out of the sun. I was also very grateful the stadium had air conditioning vents under each seat. I saw Costa Rica play Canada in a World Cup qualifying match the year prior. However, legendary goalkeeper Keylor Navas was injured and didn’t play against Canada. This time I finally saw Navas in action and he didn’t disappoint, holding Japan off the scoresheet. Costa Rica scored the winner in the 81st minute to the dismay of the Japanese supporters. Throughout the match, the Japanese supporters’ section was in excellent voice singing and chanting. They had some of the best songs I heard throughout the tournament and sang better than any other fan group I witnessed. Japan doesn’t have a lot of big names on their team, however, I hoped to see Arsenal’s defender Takehiro Tomiyasu play. Unfortunately, Tomiyasu didn’t make it onto the pitch for this match. I thought it was strange not to include him, however, Japan did play well and was the better team for most of the match. The announced attendance at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium for Japan vs Costa Rica was 41,479.

 

Khalifa International Stadium

The oldest World Cup stadium in Qatar is Khalifa Stadium. Built in 1976 for international events, Khalifa Stadium has also been the home of Qatar’s national team. It’s certainly one of the most beautiful stadiums in Qatar and underwent extensive renovations for the World Cup. There’s a large park, a shopping mall, and a metro station nearby. The Torch Tower next to the stadium can be seen for miles away and is one of the most prominent landmarks in Qatar. This venue also happened to be nearest to the location where I was staying. The only downside to Khalifa Stadium is the sightlines to the field. There’s a running track around the field and the stadium has a very large gap between the seats and the soccer pitch. Unfortunately, this makes it probably the worst of the World Cup venues to watch a match in. However, there’s no denying that this is a beautiful venue and arguably the best-looking of all the stadiums, with an excellent location. For Croatia vs Canada, the announced attendance was 44,374.

 

Croatia vs Canada

 

The ecstasy

Having lost our opening match to Belgium, Canada was in a must-win situation. Situated on the half line with a great vantage point near the top of Khalifa Stadium I knew I’d be witnessing a historic Canadian soccer moment. A minute into the Canada vs Croatia match the most joyous goal in Canadian soccer history was scored. It all started inside Canada’s six-yard box with an excellent pass from goalkeeper Milan Borjan to Cyle Larin at the half-line. A magnificent first touch by Larin quickly opened up Tajon Buchanan on the wing, who sent in a beautiful cross into a lethal area. A streaking Alphonso Davies, like a man possessed, sped through the Croatian defences and spiked the ball into the net. Our first-ever World Cup goal was the most ecstatic moment in Canadian men’s soccer history. The joy I felt was a surreal experience, in that I’d witnessed what I’d always hoped for. The confidence I had in our team was at an all-time high. Thoughts of winning the group, and advancing to the knockout round of the World Cup raced through my head. Certainly, every Canadian fan was thinking similar thoughts. We didn’t know it yet, but Canadian soccer fans were at the pinnacle of our World Cup experience.

 

The agony

After holding off Croatia for the next 35 minutes, with some great saves by Borjan, disaster struck. Croatia tied the match at 1-1. My heart sank slightly, and I hoped Canada would regain composure and get back into the match as we had been in the early stages. Unfortunately, less than 10 minutes later near the end of the first half Croatia scored again. I knew that goal was a major blow to our World Cup dreams. Canada had a chance to tie the game early in the second half, although Croatia did look more dominant. Then in the 70th minute, Canada’s World Cup dreams were dashed in an instant as Croatia took a 3-1 lead. To rub salt in the wounds, Croatia managed their fourth goal of the match deep into stoppage time. There was no shame in losing to the previous World Cup runners-up, Croatia. The legendary Real Madrid superstar Luca Modric captained Croatia and it was an honour to see such a prestigious player. I had witnessed Canada’s greatest World Cup moment, only to be let down so viciously as Canada was officially eliminated from the World Cup. The long journey following this team on their quest for the World Cup had come to an end.

 

Wales vs England

The next match I saw was at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium again, the third and final match I would attend at this venue. Of all the matches I saw, I had the best seats for this match, right on the half line. The sight lines at this stadium are excellent. I wasn’t as high up or as far back as the other stadiums where I had sat near the half line. This was Wales’ first World Cup since 1958, although their fans were slightly outnumbered by the English. Hearing the English fans belt out God Save the Queen/King during the anthems was an exceptional moment. After a scoreless first half, early in the restart, Manchester United superstar Marcus Rashford put England ahead. Rashford’s goal was the nicest free kick I saw at the World Cup, converted perfectly from about 25 yards from the net. In less than two minutes, England scored again and didn’t look back the rest of the way. One more goal by Rashford put the game out of reach as England ended Gareth Bale and Wales’ World Cup dream. The announced attendance at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium for Wales vs England was 44,297.

 

Best football chants

Of all the matches I attended the English fans had the most creative and humorous football chants. Playfully taunting the Welsh fans with chants of “are you sure you’re not Scotland in disguise” was memorable. Chants making fun of their own defender Hairy Maguire and his drinking abilities were just ridiculous. The sporadic outbreak of God Save the Queen/King sung throughout the match was beautiful.  

         

Canada vs Morocco

In the last game of the group phase for Canada and Morocco, they would face each other at Al Thumama Stadium. This was the second match for me at Al Thumama Stadium, and unfortunately, as they were eliminated, Canada’s role was to play spoiler to Morocco. The announced attendance was 43,102. The crowd was overwhelmingly pro-Morocco as I believe many Canadian fans had sold their tickets. It was the loudest sporting event I’d ever attended with Moroccan supporters whistling loudly throughout the match. The game got off to a horrendous start for Canada, with Borjan making a critical error leading to an early goal for Morocco. Canada didn’t play well early in the match and conceded another goal to Morocco. Late in the first half, Canada came to life with a goal, it was our second-ever World Cup goal. However, this one was officially credited as an own goal, with the Moroccan defender knocking a Sam Adekube pass attempt into the net. In the second half, Canada played better and nearly tied the match. A header from Atiba Hutchison went off the bar and straight down on the goal line. Unfortunately for Canada, we couldn’t tie the match and would leave the World Cup with three straight losses. Morocco would go on to make history, winning the group and eventually progressing to the semifinals.

 

Morocco making history at the World Cup

This World Cup was the first time an African team advanced to the semifinals of the tournament. Morocco also became the first Arab and Muslim country to advance that far in the World Cup. Qatar was a fitting location for that moment in history. Despite Morocco beating Canada, I was happy for all the Moroccan fans who made the long journey from north Africa to Qatar.

    

Lusail Iconic Stadium

Located just north of Doha in an area called Lusail is the largest of all the World Cup stadiums. Lusail Iconic Stadium holds over 80,000 spectators and was the venue for 10 World Cup matches. Perhaps the greatest World Cup Final of all time, between France and Argentina was played there. Brazil and Argentina both had two group-stage games scheduled for Lusail as they were perhaps the two most popular teams at the World Cup. My final match in Qatar was the last game of the group phase between Brazil and Cameroon at Lusail. The largest stadium I’ve ever been to is Lusail Stadium, and it’s not even close. Lusail Iconic Stadium was about double the size of most of the other World Cup stadiums in Qatar, other than Al Bayt Stadium. With a metro station located within walking distance, travelling to the stadium was convenient. Because the stadium was so massive, the sheer number of people in the area was incredible. Loaded with street performers and dancers the energy around the stadium was electric. It was a fitting end to my World Cup journey to see Lusail Iconic Stadium for my last game. The announced attendance for Cameroon vs Brazil was 85,986.

 

 

Cameroon vs Brazil

What a treat it was to see Brazil, the greatest World Cup nation of all time play in Qatar. Brazil has won five World Cups, more than any other nation. The match was a mere formality with Brazil already having nearly won the group. Cameroon was virtually eliminated from contention already as they hadn’t won either of their previous two matches. Unfortunately, Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar was injured and couldn’t feature for Brazil. Despite resting some of their best players, Brazil still had a star-studded lineup. I was excited to see Arsenal forwards Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli in the starting 11. Unfortunately, striker Jesus suffered an injury in the second half of this match, keeping him out of Premier League action until March. Seeing Manchester City keeper Ederson, PSG defender Marquinhos and Real Madrid defender Militao play for Brazil was awesome. Brazil outplayed Cameroon but just couldn’t get a goal despite 21 shots. Seven of those shots were on target and saved by the outstanding play of the Cameroon goalkeeper. 

 

The last goal of my World Cup experience

In stoppage time just as I thought the match would end in a 0-0 draw the unexpected happened. Cameroon striker Vincent Aboubakar headed the ball from an unsuspecting cross, evading Ederson into the bottom corner of the net. Aboubakar was then given a yellow card for removing his shirt in celebration. This was his second yellow card of the match which meant he was sent off with a few minutes remaining in stoppage time. It was an amazing scene seeing Cameroon defeat Brazil, and completely unexpected. This was the first time an African team had ever defeated Brazil at the World Cup. Of all the matches I attended, this was the biggest upset of them all. Cameroon fans rejoiced all night. I’ll always remember the jubilant Cameroon fan, all alone in a crowded metro train full of Brazilian fans. Over and over he shouted, “Cameroon number one, Cameroon number one!!” He was a man possessed by the joy of this World Cup victory. Despite Cameroon being eliminated, for this man, it was as if they had won the World Cup. What a way to end the journey!

 

What could have been better at the World Cup

My World Cup experience was amazing, there wasn’t a lot that I would do differently. I do regret not seeing Lionel Messi and Argentina play. There was an opportunity for me to shell out a few hundred bucks to see Argentina play Mexico and I should have pounced on it. I visited every World Cup stadium other than Education City Stadium. It would have been nice to view a match there to say I saw every stadium. I wish I would have sat with the Canadian supporters’ group, the Voyagueurs section behind the net for the Canada vs Morroco game. Also, I should have stocked up on more bags of nuts in Qatar. The cashews they have there are massive and the price for assorted nuts there is unbelievably cheap. Massive nuts, many I couldn’t even identify, with hardly any peanuts, unlike packages of assorted nuts here, which are mostly peanuts. The food at the stadiums though really sucked, there weren’t a lot of great options there. The available options were overpriced, although the nuts were probably worth it. I drank several Budweiser zero beers. It wasn’t that big of a deal that real beer wasn’t available at the stadiums. I’m not a huge Budweiser fan anyways.

  

What else was great about Qatar

Getting an Uber was super fast and cheap, it was almost unbelievable how cheap transportation was there. Outside of that taking the metro and busses were free, so I felt very fortunate that wasn’t an expense I had to incur. There was a neat traditional market called Souq Waqif that looked like it had been there for well over a century. There were some Lionel Messi jerseys I saw there which I regret not buying. I had a great shawarma there though. There are lots of places to buy excellent shawarma in Qatar. The FIFA fan zones and Fan Festival were great. There were areas where fans could play football, and they even had a fan World Cup tournament. The FIFA museum, located at the FIFA Fan Festival site, was an awesome display of historic World Cup memorabilia and history.

 

Fans from around the world

It was pretty cool to see so many football fans from all over earth gather in one city to celebrate the beautiful game. It’s not been done like that in the history of the world, and may never happen again quite like it did. I did notice that Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina seemed to have the largest contingent of fans. Of all the visiting countries, I’ve heard India had the most World Cup fans, it would be great to see India play in the World Cup someday. Saudi Arabia as a neighbouring country had a large contingent of fans in Qatar also.

       

Was LGBTQ culture accepted in Qatar? 

Unfortunately, LGBTQ individuals still face much discrimination throughout the Arab and Muslim world. With exposure to western cultural ideals, and embracing LGBTQ culture through acts such as displaying Pride armbands on some of soccer’s biggest superstars, hopefully, acceptance will come in this part of the world. Unfortunately, Pride armbands were not allowed on players and neither were rainbow shirts on fans. Homosexuality is still illegal throughout the Arab and Muslim world, however, football can be a positive force for change. With the star of the World Cup Final Kylian Mbappe having previously been romantically linked to famous trans model Ines Rau, the acceptance of LGBTQ individuals is becoming normalized in western footballing culture. Through spreading positive messages of acceptance and inclusiveness, football will continue to impact the world in a positive manner. It was great to see the English and Welsh players take a knee in an act of solidarity against discrimination before the kickoff of their match.

 

Is Qatar a tolerant country

From a western perspective, many would consider Qatar an authoritarian type of society. However, compared to other Arab and Muslim nations, Qatar is probably the most tolerant of them all. Qatar is completely modernized and is one of the very top wealthiest nations on earth. However, the lifestyle of Qatar is completely different from North America and Europe. Qatar is a country with a very different value system compared to the west. Family and order are top priorities in Qatar, whereas in the west unbridled individualism is our way of life. The crime rate in Qatar is very low, there are police everywhere and security is the top priority. 

 

How the Qatar World Cup compares to western sporting events

Compared to large cities in Europe, Doha is a much safer location for a tournament such as the World Cup. Just look at all the problems with the last Euro Cup final in London or the last Champions League Final in Paris. The Qatar World Cup was the most family-friendly event you can get. There is also no noticeable homelessness in Qatar. Many things most people do regularly here in Canada aren’t tolerated in Qatar. It’s not just LGBTQ culture that is not accepted, it goes much further than that. Smoking cannabis, drinking alcohol inappropriately, and having sex outside of marriage can get you into a lot of trouble in Qatar. There’s probably a lot more than just that but I don’t want to stray too far off the topic of football. However, there were opportunities for nightlife-style festivals with electronic music and world-famous DJs. Alcohol was made available at these events as well as at the FIFA Fan Festival, so if you needed to party and drink, you could. Overall, I didn’t find following the rules in Qatar very difficult and neither will most people for a short visit.

 

The journey home

I watched the end of the USA vs Netherlands round-of-16 match on TV in my apartment before heading to the airport. It was sad to be going home to Canada, knowing that I would be returning to a very dry and wintery climate. As I walked through the airport, the Argentina vs Australia round-of-16 match was being played. A massive group of travellers gathered around the large screens they had set up in the airport for viewing. Argentina held off Australia and that was the final moment of the World Cup I watched in Qatar. I arrived at my terminal with all the Canadians getting ready for the flight home. I noticed several players for the Canadian team near the back of the terminal, waiting for the same fight back to Canada. What a journey this was, an experience as a Canadian I never thought possible.

 

The next World Cup

As my World Cup memories fade into history. I feel fortunate to have witnessed in person perhaps the most unique World Cup tournament ever. Having never attended a World Cup, it was a dream come true to attend 10 World Cup matches throughout the entire group stage of the tournament. In the games I attended, I was in my seat for every goal that was scored! The next World Cup will see games played in Toronto and Vancouver. I’ll be saving up to ensure I can see all of Canada’s matches again. Hopefully, Canada will make history with our first World Cup victory.