Fans enjoying FIFA Fan Festival yesterday.
Doha: While the FIFA Fan Festival was opened a day before the opening match of the World Cup yesterday, the atmosphere during the first day of the biggest sporting event was remarkably different – as the big screen showed the countdown to mark the tournament – the excitement unfolded with cheering, screaming and applauding.
Thousands of football fans were all glued to the screen as the opening ceremony of the World Cup began. They started cheering and clapping the moment they saw Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the wide screen arriving for the opening ceremony and inaugural game between Qatar and Ecuador.
The large audience was also enthralled with the performances which got them screaming and clapping. Some were also touched when Morgan Freeman and Ghanim Al Muftah were on stage. Overall, fans were on exuberance. When the match began, fans of each country cheered as much as they could to support their team, regardless they were off the pitch.
The FIFA Fan Festival located at Al Bidda Park, is an on-site entertainment experience for fans where food, beverages and fun-filled activities can be seen anywhere.
As early as 4pm, the opening of the festival, people flood the entrance area. It takes approximately 30 minutes to one hour for one to enter the venue as sea of people are coming in across everywhere – Corniche, West Bay Qatar Energy and Al Bidda metro stations.
Before the live screening match, fans were entertained with music which got them in the dancing mood. They were in high spirit as they jumped and sang with the tune.
DJ Khaled Mamdouh performed for over 30 minutes to thousands of fans playing pumping music, including the first official soundtrack of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Hayya Hayya (Better Together); Official FIFA Fan Festival anthem, Tukoh Taka; Pepas; Karma; The Nights; African Beat and Despacito.
People were donned with flags, shawls, hats or jerseys of their country they are supporting – from Qatar, Ecuador, Iran, Tunisia, Korea, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Portugal, and Argentina, to name some.
On an open space, near the food and beverage section, a group of fans from Ghana started singing and dancing as they cheered on their team. Ghana team belongs to group H and their first game will be against Portugal on Thursday, November 24. You can see different groups supporting their country singing almost everywhere at the festival.
A special area at the festival is dedicated to differently abled people to watch the matches. Qatar has repeatedly stressed that this World Cup is for all, and is the most inclusive, people-focused edition of the tournament.
The FIFA Fan Festival will run all throughout the tournament, until December 18.
