The opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar began with a grand celebration at Al Bayt Stadium, which hosts the first match of the tournament between Qatar and Ecuador. Flags were raised, and streets were filled with crowds of fans, marking the launch of the much-anticipated World Cup for the first time in the Middle East and the Arab world, or the "Tournament of Hope" as described by Qatari Abdullah Mubarak from Al Bayt Stadium.
After a long wait... the dream has come true. After a 12-year wait, the awaited day for Qatar to inaugurate the World Cup has arrived, amid doubts, controversies, allegations, and speculations that have not ceased since Qatar was awarded the hosting rights—a mix of sports, politics, business, environment, and human rights.
Along the road leading to Al Bayt Stadium in the northern city of Al Khor, approximately fifty kilometers north of the capital Doha, Qatari flags rise at the entrances of homes and windows of cars. There was noticeable congestion of cars trying to reach the stadium, after authorities suggested residents use their vehicles to free up metro and bus networks for fans coming from abroad.
Around the stadium, the first signs of cheer began, with various nationalities, Qatari and Ecuadorian flags on the shoulders of fans passing by a row of camels and horses, showcasing the culture of the host country.
Music and Lights
Nearby, Kuwaiti Youssef Haykawy (44 years old) was draped in the Qatari flag and excited to enter the stadium. Haykawy, an employee at the Kuwaiti Ministry of Information, stated he arrived in Doha two days before by car in a trip that took seven hours. He mentioned to AFP that he is a football lover and came to attend the World Cup for the first time in his life. He added, "Today I support Qatar and expect them to win with a clean goal, God willing, and I will attend the match between France and Australia." Regarding his predictions for the tournament winner, Haykawy said, "It's hard to predict, all teams are strong, but I am originally a Dutch supporter."
Inside the stands, the chants of the supporters of both teams rose along with the music and lights synchronized with the rhythms. Spotting Qatari fans was easy as the majority wore traditional white attire with the ghutrah, while yellow was the color for Ecuadorians.
In the corridors of the stadium and on the way to the stands, Abdullah and Ali wore the Saudi national team's jersey which will kick off its World Cup journey against Argentina on Tuesday, but they draped the Qatari flag over their shoulders. Abdullah did not want to talk to the media, only giving his first name and introducing his friend, saying he came to Qatar by land on a "wonderful journey." Before entering through the gate to his designated seat, he added, "This World Cup is for all Arabs. We support Al Annabi and Al Akhdar together and hope both make it to the next stage, and God willing, in the next World Cup, we will see all Arabs participating."
Wide Political Presence
Present at the celebration were the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, along with several heads of state and government, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, in addition to numerous heads of states such as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Jordanian King Abdullah II, as well as FIFA President Gianni Infantino, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and German International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.
