Let me start with this: I love the FIFA World Cup. Since I attended my first game during the 1994 World Cup in America (Italy versus Nigeria) and then traveled to my first tournament overseas (South Korea in 2002), I’ve enjoyed each edition of the World’s biggest party.
But this year was different. Instead of occurring in the middle of summer, the 2002 World Cup in Qatar was held in November, squeezed between mid-November and just before Christmas. The tournament was overshadowed by the Qatari government’s myriad human rights violations, from limiting LGBTQ rights to the deaths of migrant workers who built the stadiums.
But despite all the controversies, for those who traveled to Qatar, this year’s tournament was probably the most unusual and, in some ways, memorable edition of the World Cup. The games were exciting, the fans entertaining, and the country ably handled the thousands and thousands of visitors.
And heck, the GOAT Lionel Messi raised the World Cup Trophy in one of the most exciting finals games ever. How do you beat that?
Here are some random thoughts and memories after my three weeks living and photographing the tournament in Qatar:
Can a World Cup in November work?
The short answer is yes.
When I arrived in Qatar, I wasn’t sure that fans would feel the same pageantry and energy to the World Cup. When I first arrived in Doha, there was a lack of fans from around the country, except for the local Arab countries. The first nights I was there, I mostly witnessed Tunisian and Saudi Arabia fans partying it up in the Souq Waqif, Doha’s traditional market.
But soon, the streets were swarming with fans from Argentina, Mexico, and other nations, and the World’s most fantastic party got underway.
There is something about the World Cup, where fans of diverse backgrounds and nationalities come together and bond over their shared love of football (soccer), that creates the most significant opportunity for cross-cultural interactions and understanding in the world.
I saw American and Iranian fans share hugs and selfies and Mexicans line-dancing with Saudi Arabians and Moroccans. It reinforced that the World Cup will always spin its unique magic for every fan, no matter what time of the year it’s played.
The nocturnal World Cup
The main reason the World Cup moved to November-December from its traditional June-July timeframe was to avoid the brutal summer temperatures in Qatar, which regularly go over 105 degrees during the day.
During the first week, there was one game played in the afternoon. The rest of the games occurred just before sunset, with the final daily match ending at midnight. Once the sun set, the weather was pleasant and comfortable all night.
Soon everyone I knew had shifted their days accordingly. Most people went to bed between 4-6 am and woke up in the early afternoon just before the first game.
The one day I woke up early to photograph a match, I was reminded how hot it was for fans in the stadium despite being air-conditioned. In the first half of the Japan – Costa Rica game, I was sitting in the sun, worrying I would melt in the heat while also getting sunburnt cause I forgot my sunblock. Friendly volunteers would come by every five minutes offering water bottles which I readily accepted, while I draped my windbreaker over my head to cover my skin.
Luckily, I could move into the shade in the second half and escape the heat. And luckily, I never shot another day game.
Did you meet a Qatari?
After a few weeks, fans at the World Cup asked a common question: “Have you ever met a Qatari?”
It was clear within hours of landing that Qatar was a prosperous nation, but what became equally as clear was that Qatar was a country built on the back of its migrant workers. Almost everyone I met was a migrant worker who had come to Qatar instead to make some money and help out their families in their native countries.
Most workers were from South Asia, the Philippines, and Africa. They worked at the stadiums. They worked in the subway system. They were the police and security. They were the UBER drivers.
In fact, only twelve percent of the nearly three million people that live in Qatar are natural-born Qatari.
Compared to every other World Cup I’ve attended, citizens of the home country would introduce themselves and be excited to share their culture. However, it was hard in Qatar to understand how native Qataris lived. It almost felt like a rich person invited a bunch of people to their house for a party but didn’t mingle with any of the guests but gave them full reign of the grounds with plenty of food and (non-alcoholic) drinks. Also it was fine to fraternize freely with the party staff.
The Compact size of this year’s World Cup was Amazing
This year’s World Cup is the most compact ever. Fans stayed in one city and attend multiple games in one day with no stadiums more than an hour and a half apart.
I would often photograph two games a day, and many fans I met would go to two, perhaps even three games, a day during the tournament’s group stage.
The closest country that came to accessibility to travel between different stadiums was the 2006 Germany World Cup, where you could jump on the country’s network of high-speed rail trains and get to almost any stadium within a 3-4 hour train ride.
It was also fun to meet fans from several nations within one day. That won’t be possible when the World Cup is next hosted in 2026 jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Doha’s Magnificent METRO
What can I say about Doha’s magnificent subway system? Constructed to provide a mass-transit option to fans around the country, the subway system worked all tournament spectacularly. The cars were clean, you never had to wait more than a few minutes for one, and it was also where fans of different countries crowded into trains and got to know each other up close and personal.
And surprisingly, the trains were able to handle the vast crowds before and after the games smoothly and efficiently. It was quite something to behold and a crowning achievement for the Qatari government.
Oh, and did I mention that it was free for everyone visiting the World Cup for the whole tournament?
The AC Flu
Coming out of a pandemic and heading into the traditional flu season, it wasn’t surprising that many visitors to Qatar ended up catching some sickness. It wasn’t clear if it was COVID-19, the flu, the common cold, RSV, or something else that ended up giving thousands upon thousands of travelers a hacking cough after a couple of weeks of partying close to each other.
After a while, some people came to call the mysterious illness affecting fans the “AC Flu,” blaming the ever-present air conditioning for causing their sniffles and coughs. Whatever illness spreads, the hope is that the 2022 World Cup didn’t become a super sickness spreader that will spread across the globe.
Thank goodness for Morocco
With Qatar hosting the first World Cup in an Arab nation, it was terrific to see Morocco, an Arab and African country, advance to the tournament’s semifinals.
The home country’s team was perhaps the weakest squad in the tournament, so Morocco became the popular choice for Arab nations to follow, especially after Saudi Arabia and Tunisia failed to advance.
I attended the Spain vs. Morocco game, and it was, for me, the game of the tournament. The Morocco fans were loud and passionate, whistling whenever the opposition touched the ball and urging their national team on. They got past the heavily favored Spaniards on Penalty Kicks, and the party continued late into the night.
Moroccans waved flags from their vehicles while blaring their horns and packed the Souq Waqif until the wee hours of the morning, not wanting to let the beautiful and unexpected experience end.
The safest World Cup ever?
Before the World Cup, many fans were unsure what to expect to attend the Qatar World Cup. But surprisingly, this year’s event was one of the safest and most highly organized World Cups ever.
As a photographer, I could freely carry my camera and take photographs at any time of the day or night without worrying about my safety or someone attempting to steal my gear.
It was a pleasant experience to walk home at three in the morning with my camera hanging off my neck, available to take any photograph that caught my eye.
Wherever and whenever its host, the World Cup is STILL the World Cup
Yes, it was in November. Yes, it was dogged by deserved controversy. However, the 2022 Qatar World Cup will long be remembered as an exciting, unique, and fascinating event. I would never have visited the tiny nation in the Middle East if not for the World Cup.
I learned a little bit more about the region, its people, and the nation, all while meeting and photographing soccer fans from around the World.
So thanks to Qatar for a successful World Cup, but I can’t wait for North America’s turn in 2026.