World Cup fans from around the globe are bringing a festival feel to the Qatari capital Doha — with tens of thousands more set to arrive in the coming days.
From Colombia and Mexico to Wales and Spain, supporters have flown thousands of kilometres and spent thousands of dollars to witness teams play in the Middle East's first World Cup.
On Sunday night, there were teething problems at one of the largest fan zones, Bidda Park in central Doha, which can accommodate about 40,000 people.
There were long queues tightly packed into a narrow entrance outside Bidda Park before it opened at 4pm, while no water stalls or fountains were available outside the fan zone.
A group of fans surged in front of the barriers at one stage as tempers flared, although security showed restraint and appeared to quickly clock what was happening.
“The fan zone is huge, it was a bit chaotic getting in and there was a lot of pushing and shoving,” said fan Jadran Vulinovic, an Australian of Croatian descent.
“It wasn’t clear what was going on; we queued at one place for 20 minutes but it was going nowhere. So, it was a bit unnerving but we eventually got in OK after another half hour or so.”
Ecuador rolled over host Qatar 2-0 in the opening match later in the evening, after a dazzling opening ceremony that featured a unifying call for humanity from Morgan Freeman, dance troupes, Arabic singers and spectacular light show.
Qatar’s loss may have dampened local spirits but not the anticipation among the thousands of other fans eagerly awaiting the arrival of their own teams.
Mr Vulinovic, who works in information technology, has six match tickets to watch both sides play in Doha, and is confident that the coming couple of weeks will be exciting.
“We are staying in Al Khor for a few days, then heading to one of the fan villages,” he said.
“Transport around Doha has been pretty good, but it has been a bit of a culture shock for us.
“Because we are staying up north, the landscape is so alien. We are used to the greenery of Melbourne but this is just so different.
“We are here for 12 nights, and have been planning to come for a while after missing so many holidays during Covid.”
Australia face a tough group alongside France, Tunisia and Denmark, while Croatia will play Morocco, Belgium and Canada, which is competing in its first World Cup since 1986.
Mr Vulinovic’s son Ben was getting his first taste of a World Cup.
“It is a tough call to choose between supporting Croatia or Australia, but if both get to the final it would have to be the Aussies,” he said.
“But I don’t give us much hope of getting past the quarter-finals, so I will be following Croatia too.
“I wasn’t prepared for the heat. We were walking around most of the day and I wasn’t prepared, it was tough.”
'I can't say how much I spent to be here — I don't want my wife to find out!'
Earlier, supporters across the city arrived at some hotels, where the finishing touches were still being applied as they checked in and unloaded their bags.
Others found tent fan villages on the outskirts of Doha fell well below expectations, with insufficient air conditioning or a shortage of fresh drinking water.
Two Welsh fans from Wrexham, Adrian and Nick — both 47 — have tickets for their country's games against Iran and the US.
“It was tough getting a week away from home, but a World Cup doesn’t happen very often,” said Adrian, an engineer.
“I have spent about £2,000 for flights, tickets and accommodation on a cruise ship — it all seems well organised so far.”
Nick, also an engineer, said there were “a lot of Welsh on the cruise ship we are on, so it is good fun”.
“It is a mix of diehard Welsh fans who have followed the team for years and others who want to experience a World Cup for the first time,” he said.
“I can’t say how much it has cost as I don’t want my wife to find out but it has been expensive. It has take a long time to qualify so we can’t wait for it all to start — I think Wales can go all the way.”
Match info
Uefa Nations League Group B:
England v Spain, Saturday, 11.45pm (UAE)
MATCH INFO
Azerbaijan 0
Wales 2 (Moore 10', Wilson 34')
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
Winner: Arjan, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Jap Nazaa, Royston Ffrench, Irfan Ellahi.
6pm: Al Ruwais Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 1,200m
Winner: RB Lam Tara, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinal.
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Winner: AF Sanad, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.
7pm: Shadwell Farm Stallions Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Canal, Harry Bentley, Satish Seemar.
If you go
The flights
The closest international airport for those travelling from the UAE is Denver, Colorado. British Airways (www.ba.com) flies from the UAE via London from Dh3,700 return, including taxes. From there, transfers can be arranged to the ranch or it’s a seven-hour drive. Alternatively, take an internal flight to the counties of Cody, Casper, or Billings
The stay
Red Reflet offers a series of packages, with prices varying depending on season. All meals and activities are included, with prices starting from US$2,218 (Dh7,150) per person for a minimum stay of three nights, including taxes. For more information, visit red-reflet-ranch.net.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Fixtures
Opening day Premier League fixtures for August 9-11
August 9
Liverpool v Norwich 11pm
August 10
West Ham v Man City 3.30pm
Bournemouth v Sheffield Utd 6pm
Burnley v Southampton 6pm
C Palace v Everton 6pm
Leicester v Wolves 6pm
Watford v Brighton 6pm
Tottenham v Aston Villa 8.30pm
August 11
Newcastle v Arsenal 5pm
Man United v Chelsea 7.30pm
Company%20profile
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A Kensington Palace Gardens house with 15 bedrooms is valued at more than £150 million.
A three-storey penthouse at Chelsea Waterfront bought for £22 million.
Steel company Evraz drops more than 10 per cent in trading after UK officials said it was potentially supplying the Russian military.
Sale of Chelsea Football Club is now impossible.
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The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The specs: 2019 GMC Yukon Denali
Price, base: Dh306,500
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
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Sukuk
An Islamic bond structured in a way to generate returns without violating Sharia strictures on prohibition of interest.
