After the withdrawal of Qatar, which on Friday decided - with the support of FIFA and the resignation of the sponsor, Budweiser - that alcohol would not be sold in the immediate vicinity of the stadiums, fans have come this Saturday to the Fan Festival, the only site —besides the luxury hotels— where they could drink beer.
The queue was already long 40 minutes before the ban opened, at 7:00 p.m. in Doha (5:00 p.m. in Spain), and that there are still few foreigners in the emirate because the trip is so expensive that fans rush to the last day —the eve of his team playing— to land in Qatar.
The comparison of Kevin, a 27-year-old Argentine, gives the measure of the feat of getting a
Budweiser
: “Here it is more precious than Messi”.
In an enviable good mood after three days of travel from Buenos Aires, she explained: “On the plane they gave you wine, gin... without problems, but you land here and it's dry law.
Let's adapt.
I've been saving for four years to be here.
For me it's a dream come true."
We queue, a scalextric that goes fast.
pic.twitter.com/TQ4HTQw3OT
— Natalia Junquera (@nataliajunquera) November 19, 2022
Matildo, an Argentinian but resident for 20 years in Ibiza, got homesick in his tail.
“In Spain every five minutes there is a bar.
It's weird, but well…” he would say, shrugging.
When the Budweiser waiters began to serve the beer, people began to sing for joy and a heartfelt “Yes, we can” was heard in the distance in perfect thirsty Spanish.
Previously, they had to walk several kilometers and go through security control like those at airports, so most chose to buy the beers four at a time.
They took them as trophies and when leaving the queue with them they were interviewed by journalists from different countries as if they were the best player of the match in the mixed zone.
“How do you feel about this first beer?” a television asked a wig-wearing American.
“Delicious!
I needed her."
In his country, he explained, they cost more or less the same as in Qatar, but not in Mexico, as Alan lamented, accompanied by his girlfriend, Bibiana, and four other
blondes
: “It took me between 40 minutes and an hour to get them.
They cost me about 250 pesos and in my country it would have been about 20 pesos or 50 at the stadium.
You have to respect the rules of this country, but beer is essential to have a good time”.
The couple spent two years saving to be able to pay for the trip.
The arrival of the beer divided the vast esplanade of the Fan Festival into two worlds: foreigners queued up to get a
Budweiser
, local residents followed the concert and the fireworks at the other end with nothing more in hand than their mobile phones. recording it all.
Before the main performance began, FIFA President Gianni Infantino came on stage.
In the morning, in a hard press conference, journalists from different countries — there are 12,300 accredited — cornered the Swiss with difficult questions [to answer] about human rights.
On the other hand, on the afternoon of this Saturday, at the festival, Infantino received the applause of the residents of Qatar, upset with the criticism that the country is receiving from him in the media around the world.
The Fan Festival, this Saturday. Jaime Villanueva
The FIFA president greeted “the Qataris” first, and a small murmur was heard back —only 15% of the emirate's inhabitants are autochthonous—;
then to “the Indians” —and there was a roar of applause—, to the Argentines and the Brazilians —who have been the first to arrive in Doha—.
He was accompanied by several "legends", such as Iker Casillas, Bebeto, Roberto Carlos and Materazzi, who received the least applause.
Zidane headbutted him after he insulted his sister at the 2006 World Cup, but years later he became one of the main supporters of Qatar's bid to host the World Cup and the people of the emirate are faithful to their allies.
A kind of go-go dancer made filigree with a ball enclosed in a ball-shaped cage.
It was all appetizers before Maluma's performance, who, unlike other artists such as Shakira, Dua Lipa or Rod Stewart, has agreed to perform in the World Cup that Amnesty International calls "of shame."
Sergio, a Spaniard, drank his beer dressed in the La Roja shirt.
The trip, the accommodation and the tickets have cost him "about 5,000 euros" and he is willing to enjoy himself despite everything.
“In this World Cup, Qatar rules, not FIFA.
Some friends have not come and have said that they would not see it even from home because we all know that homosexuals are persecuted and human rights are not respected.
I don't like it being held here, but it is what it is.
Football is not to blame for all this."
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