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ABSTRACT
Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup (WC) was met with criticism and mixed-feelings, especially certain journalists from the Global North. Others acknowledged that it was going to boost economic activities and deepen the sports-tourism nexus. The overarching aim of this paper is to analyse fans’ impressions of Qatar 2022 regarding their lived experiences in the city of Doha, which helps to understand and clarify some negative perceptions held before and during the World Cup. Interviews with 31 participants arbitrarily sampled from different countries reveal that Qatar 2022 brought fans imaginable excitement and indelible lived experiences. According to some, it will take decades for successive host countries to match those lived experiences, spectacular displays, smooth commutations and excellent organisation. Some tag it “the best FIFA world cup ever”. Results show that Qatar 2022 inspired, gingered and spurred fans on albeit, other mixed-feelings associated with the tournament. We report that there is a perceived image-rebranding strategy that worked successfully for the host nation. The fans further recommend that FIFA revisit its ticketing processes and systems to make them more accessible and fluid without difficulties. Fans suggest that subsequent hosts of the World Cup could be confined to ‘one city’ only so that they can watch two matches a day as experienced in Qatar. However, fans have concerns about the WC event becoming more expensive for an average supporter in the future.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 147 billion and more impressions were recorded in Qatar 2022 on the Twitter platform. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/gadgets-news/2-million-likes-147-billion-impressions-and-more-twitters-numbers-during-the-world-cup/articleshow/96360731.cms (Accessed on 24 January 2023).
2 Tourists said, ‘they were excited and everything they have seen is impressive and wonderful for them’ (interacted with them in a bus to the accommodation venue, 15 December 2022).
3 Interview with Mexican fan, 6 December 2022 at the Fan Fest Park.
4 Interview with Ghanaian fan, 4 December 2022 at the Accommodation venue (Barahat Al Janoub).
5 Interview with Denmark fan, 7 December 2022 at 974 Stadium.
6 Interview with Saudi Araba fan, 27 November 2022 at Metro Station.
7 Interview with Argentina fan, 25 November 2022 at the Accommodation venue (Barahat Al Janoub).
8 Interview with Columbia fan, 26 November 2022 at the Fan Fest Park.
9 Interview with Belgium fan, 2 December 2022 at the Fan Fest Park.
10 Interview with German fan, 19 December 2022 at the Accommodation venue (Barahat Al Janoub).
11 Interview with Kenyan fan, 2 December 2022 at the Fan Fest Park.
12 Interview with Egyptian fan, 5 December 2022 at the Fan Fest Park.
13 Interview with Nigerian fan, 7 December 2022 at 974 Stadium.
14 This was the first of its kind organised by the College of Science and Engineering of Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) hosted at Katara-Doha during the Qatar 2022 World Cup to deliberate on ‘Football on the World Stage: What about Africa’. https://www.marhaba.qa/event/football-on-the-world-stage-what-about-africa/ (Accessed on 15 January 2023).
15 Interview with Sierra Leone fan, 30 November 2022 at the Cultural Centre in Katara, Doha.
16 Interview with Brazilian fan, 5 December 2022 at the Fan Fest Park.
17 Interview with Indian fan, 18 December 2022 in the Tram, Doha.
18 Interview with Ghanaian fan, 18 December 2022 at the Fan Park within the Accommodation venue.
19 Interview with Poland fan, 26 November 2022 at the Fan Park within the Accommodation venue.
20 Interview with Brazilian fan, 9 December 2022 at the Fan Fest Park.
21 Interview with Morocco fan, 10 December 2022 at the Fan Park within the Accommodation venue.
22 Interview with Croatia fan, 13 December 2022 at the Accommodation venue (Barahat Al Janoub).