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.
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.
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment