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Beyond the Headlines: What's it like at the Qatar World Cup?

Thousands of fans, dozens of games and the first Middle East World Cup. This week, we hear what it's actually like on the ground

The National

November 25, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

The world came together in Qatar when the Fifa World Cup kicked off for the first time in the Middle East and Arab world.

But even before a ball had been kicked, there were many reasons why the Qatar tournament is unlike any other.

It is the costliest World Cup and Qatar is also the smallest country to host the competition by land size and population.

This week on Beyond the Headlines, host Gully Burrows takes a look at the World Cup in Qatar to find out exactly what it’s like on the ground there.

Argentina fans enjoy the atmosphere at the Souq Waqif, Doha, while marking the second anniversary of Diego Maradona's death. PA
Argentina fans enjoy the atmosphere at the Souq Waqif, Doha, while marking the second anniversary of Diego Maradona's death. PA
Ecuador's heroic striker Enner Valencia fired in an equaliser against the Netherlands. AFP
Ecuador's heroic striker Enner Valencia fired in an equaliser against the Netherlands. AFP
Frankie de Jong of the Netherlands, centre, challenges for the ball against three of Ecuador's players. AP
Frankie de Jong of the Netherlands, centre, challenges for the ball against three of Ecuador's players. AP
Ecuador's Jackson Porozo. AP
Ecuador's Jackson Porozo. AP
Qatar's Ismaeel Mohammad collapses dejected on the pitch after his side's 3-1 defeat to Senegal. AFP
Qatar's Ismaeel Mohammad collapses dejected on the pitch after his side's 3-1 defeat to Senegal. AFP
Senegal fans burst into rapturous celebrations in the stands as their team secure their first points of the World Cup. Reuters
Senegal fans burst into rapturous celebrations in the stands as their team secure their first points of the World Cup. Reuters
Bamba Dieng of Senegal, right, is challenged by Abdelkarim Hassan and Assim Madibo. Getty Images
Bamba Dieng of Senegal, right, is challenged by Abdelkarim Hassan and Assim Madibo. Getty Images
The vocal Senegal fans at Al Thumama Stadium. Getty Images
The vocal Senegal fans at Al Thumama Stadium. Getty Images
The fan zone at Al Bidda Park, Doha, was packed with fans from around the world as Qatar played Senegal. Reuters
The fan zone at Al Bidda Park, Doha, was packed with fans from around the world as Qatar played Senegal. Reuters
Roozbeh Cheshmi celebrates scoring Iran's first goal against Wales. PA
Roozbeh Cheshmi celebrates scoring Iran's first goal against Wales. PA
Wales's goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, right, collides with Iran's Mehdi Taremi. He was sent off shortly after. AP Photo
Wales's goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, right, collides with Iran's Mehdi Taremi. He was sent off shortly after. AP Photo
Police officers confiscate an Iran fan's 'Women Life Freedom' flag inside the stadium before the match. Reuters
Police officers confiscate an Iran fan's 'Women Life Freedom' flag inside the stadium before the match. Reuters
One emotional Iran supporter holds a shirt reading 'Mahsa Amini' in memory of the 22-year-old who died in Tehran in September. AP Photo
One emotional Iran supporter holds a shirt reading 'Mahsa Amini' in memory of the 22-year-old who died in Tehran in September. AP Photo
An Iran fan outside the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, in Umm Al Afaei, west of central Doha, before his team's Group B match against Wales. Reuters
An Iran fan outside the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, in Umm Al Afaei, west of central Doha, before his team's Group B match against Wales. Reuters
An Iran fan has his face painted ahead of the clash with Wales. Reuters
An Iran fan has his face painted ahead of the clash with Wales. Reuters
Hijinks involving Australia's Andrew Redmayne and Cameron Devlin during training at the Aspire Training Ground in Doha. Getty Images
Hijinks involving Australia's Andrew Redmayne and Cameron Devlin during training at the Aspire Training Ground in Doha. Getty Images
Wales fans gather next to a giant bucket hat decorated with their country's flag, at the Corniche Walk Way Park in Doha, ahead of their Group B game against Iran. PA
Wales fans gather next to a giant bucket hat decorated with their country's flag, at the Corniche Walk Way Park in Doha, ahead of their Group B game against Iran. PA
Wales fans attach their country's flag to railings at the Corniche Walk Way Park. PA
Wales fans attach their country's flag to railings at the Corniche Walk Way Park. PA
A mural of Diego Maradona at West Bay in Doha, on the second anniversary of the Argentina football legend's death on November 25, 2020. AP
A mural of Diego Maradona at West Bay in Doha, on the second anniversary of the Argentina football legend's death on November 25, 2020. AP
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The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz S 450

Price, base / as tested Dh525,000 / Dh559,000

Engine: 3.0L V6 biturbo

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Power: 369hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 500Nm at 1,800rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.0L / 100km

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Will the pound fall to parity with the dollar?

The idea of pound parity now seems less far-fetched as the risk grows that Britain may split away from the European Union without a deal.

Rupert Harrison, a fund manager at BlackRock, sees the risk of it falling to trade level with the dollar on a no-deal Brexit. The view echoes Morgan Stanley’s recent forecast that the currency can plunge toward $1 (Dh3.67) on such an outcome. That isn’t the majority view yet – a Bloomberg survey this month estimated the pound will slide to $1.10 should the UK exit the bloc without an agreement.

New Prime Minister Boris Johnson has repeatedly said that Britain will leave the EU on the October 31 deadline with or without an agreement, fuelling concern the nation is headed for a disorderly departure and fanning pessimism toward the pound. Sterling has fallen more than 7 per cent in the past three months, the worst performance among major developed-market currencies.

“The pound is at a much lower level now but I still think a no-deal exit would lead to significant volatility and we could be testing parity on a really bad outcome,” said Mr Harrison, who manages more than $10 billion in assets at BlackRock. “We will see this game of chicken continue through August and that’s likely negative for sterling,” he said about the deadlocked Brexit talks.

The pound fell 0.8 per cent to $1.2033 on Friday, its weakest closing level since the 1980s, after a report on the second quarter showed the UK economy shrank for the first time in six years. The data means it is likely the Bank of England will cut interest rates, according to Mizuho Bank.

The BOE said in November that the currency could fall even below $1 in an analysis on possible worst-case Brexit scenarios. Options-based calculations showed around a 6.4 per cent chance of pound-dollar parity in the next one year, markedly higher than 0.2 per cent in early March when prospects of a no-deal outcome were seemingly off the table.

Bloomberg

 

 

 

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Updated: November 25, 2022, 2:01 PM`
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