Ahead of the last four games, I landed in Qatar on December 12, 2022, to cover the semi-finals, third place and final match of the first World Cup to be hosted by a Middle East country. Aboard a Qatar Airways flight, I was on business class where I enjoyed the Arabian luxury. That was my first time in a business class and it lasted for six solid hours.
Arrival at Hamad International Airport
I arrived at one of the most beautiful and biggest airports I have seen, Hamad International Airport, around 7pm local time and it was a seamless and sweet experience going through the immigration process. Armed with my Hayya Card, I checked in and picked my load at a designated gate.
I asked myself what next? I moved to the exit lounge with the help of signboards and volunteers. I was approached by my host who was already waiting for me. He called out my name and I was relieved to see help. He led me to where I had my Oreedoo SIM card and I was registered on the network.
Journey to Doha
An Indian driver was already waiting for me who took me to Premier Inn Hotel in Education City which is about a 30 minutes’ drive from the airport. I was left in awe as the streets were fully lighted, marked and clean. Not a single paper was in sight during my journey to the hotel.
On arrival, I presented my details and was given the key to Room 142. After settling down and finally accepting I was covering my first World Cup, hunger set in as the warriors in my stomach were battling for the Qatar Airways left over. I approached the restaurant but was told I couldn’t eat. I trembled and asked why? The waiters said I was not on their list. What list, I asked myself? My heart beat missed several skips. No shaking, I said to myself, I will survive this night and fight the next day. Luckily for me there was tea in my room and I had biscuits I bought from Abuja. Not to be stranded the following day, I rang up my trip coordinator and explained my predicament. Within minutes it was resolved and I could have my three-square meals from the following day. I thereafter slept soundly.
FIFA accreditation
The following day, I had to go and get my credentials to be able to watch matches live, attend press conferences and have access to certain places. After having my buffet breakfast, I set out for the day. Meanwhile, I had no idea what I ate but I relished it.
Leaving the hotel room, I was to go to the FIFA office, so I checked my Hayya app for the location and realised it was less than 15 minutes’ walk. The office is located in the beautifully designed Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC). The centre is very large and one could easily miss his or her way. I must say FIFA and Qatar provided unlimited and very fast internet services free of charge for the media.
In fact, it was “forbidden” to use one’s internet services there.
With the accreditation process sorted out and armed with my tag, I approached the ticket centre to get my Croatia vs Argentina ticket. My tag was scanned and all my details were displayed on the system. Again, I waited for an email to notify me of the approval. Immediately I got the approval, I was directed to scan my tag again on a vending machine that printed my ticket. This was the same process for all matches.
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Warm reception, welfare and security
Contrary to reports that the Qataris are unfriendly and “racists”, my experience was different. There could be, but I never experienced racism or unfriendliness. I equally confirmed from the African immigrants who spoke highly of how warm they are. This is one of the reasons Qatar bade to host the tournament – to change the negative narrative about them. The police were very friendly and always willing to assist. They were proactive in preventing crime. I recall missing my way while looking for where to print a document in Souq Waqif, an important heritage market in Qatar and also a major tourism landmark. I met a Qatari who didn’t understand me but pointed to a police station. I stopped briefly and flashed back to my ugly experience with Nigerian police, but I ignored that and carried my two legs into the police station to ask for directions and an officer came out and gave me directions. I wonder if that can happen without some “repercussions” in a particular black country.
I recall falling ill, having a strong headache with fever. I went to the hospital at the QNCC and was treated free of charge. I now have a personal female doctor who has my records even from birth if you get my drift.
I learnt that there are over 250,000 CCTVs and each camera strategically placed to cover a certain distance. There are cameras in buses, trains, clubs; just everywhere. Simply put, you can’t steal and not be found out within an hour. Two colleagues, a Nigerian and a Ghanaian, thought they had lost their property but they were recovered within a blink of an eye.
Women are confident walking around because no man will harass them. Morally and legally, women are safe in Qatar. The men treat them with so much dignity and respect. I saw them always standing up in trains for the women to sit no matter the age, size, colour or race.
The battle of the Number 10s
Qatar purchased over 2,000 buses with internet services to convey journalists to stadiums. Lusail Stadium was the first stadium I entered and was the host of the Croatia vs Argentina semi-final clash and the final game as well. It was a game between two Ballon d’or winners, Luka Modric and Leo Messi. We all knew the outcome, but what I experienced was electrifying. The fans were magnificent and practically brought down the roof when Modric was substituted.
The Morocco fairy tale
The North African side who jumped to 11th on FIFA ranking did the unimaginable to get to the semi-finals. Being a Muslim and Arab nation, the whole of Qatar practically were behind them to defeat France and get to the final, but that didn’t happen, neither did it affect the ratings. During the games against France and Croatia, I saw an African side looking to make history but they lacked the experience and fell under the pressure.
The final
That was the best final I have personally watched since I started watching football in 1994 and I know my readers share this assertion. For the first time in 56 years of the FIFA World Cup, a player scored a hat trick in a final match. Mbappé became the third player in history to score a hat trick in a World Cup final, joining Geoff Hurst and Carli Lloyd in the record books.
A record-breaking 88,966 people attended the final at the Lusail Stadium, which saw Argentina overcome France 4-2 in a penalty shootout.
The World Cup in Qatar ranked third in the fan attendance in the history of the championship (3,404,252 fans), while the World Cup in America in 1994 topped the list with 3,587,538 fans, and Brazil 2014 came second with an attendance of 3,429,873 fans.
The battle against and wins for Qatar
On December 2, 2010, FIFA President, Sepp Blatter, joyfully announced Qatar as the host country for the 2022 World Cup. It looked like an odd choice that exposed the football governing body to a long list of criticism and accusations.
The country would become the first in the Middle East to host the world’s biggest sporting event, beating stiff competition from the United States (US) and Australia, with many questioning if such a small, traditional Arab nation could pull it off.
And from that moment till the tournament started, there were a flurry of corruption allegations and claims of the Arab country “buying the World Cup”, as well as the country’s poor treatment of migrant workers.
Not bothered with the criticism, the Qatari government pitched hosting the competition as a way to represent the Arab World, which helped it win support from all of the Arab League member states.
Additionally, they promoted the hosting as a chance to reduce the gulf between the West and the Arab World.
The Local Organising Committee (LOC) used 10 years to build new air-conditioned stadia, a public transportation system and even an entire city to hold the players and fans who turned out for the games.
Qatar spent between $220bn and $230bn on the preparation for the tournament, while the stadiums are worth $7bn.
According to the organisers, Qatar’s national vision 2030 has been advanced as a result of the World Cup. The vision aims to guide Qatar’s economic, social, human and environmental development.
It built the most modern transportation network, hotels and other facilities for use by the football fans and other guests during the tournament.
The facilities were also planned to modernise the country and, at the same time, preserve tradition, meet the needs of the current and future generations and manage economic growth and social development.
The tournament as a whole was well organised with Qatar leaving no stone unturned to ensure they delivered the best World Cup ever; and they did.
Return to Nigeria
I didn’t want my departure date to come near at all. Despite the challenges I faced, which are normal, I enjoyed my stay in Qatar. But coming back home was necessary. On arrival at the Hamad Airport and after checking in again seamlessly, I had the option of trekking about 20 minutes to my departure gate or taking a train. I was like, a train station inside airport! Anyway, I arrived in Nigeria and was greeted with a power outage. Immigration couldn’t operate till power was restored. At the baggage area, bags were stuck as “NEPA” struck again. I won’t forget to mention how officers asked for Christmas gifts. I told one I had no cash and he said there could be a spiritual transaction. Oh my dear Nigeria! Welcome home!
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