Doha, Qatar: With the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 less than a month away, fans of the Qatari national team are getting ready to support Al Annabi as they vie to defend their title on home soil. For Othman and Ali Al Ishaq, two brothers and lifelong supporters of the Qatari national team, the upcoming tournament offers Qataris an opportunity to showcase football culture in the country to the rest of the world. Joined by their friend Abdulla Al Dosari, the three are part of an initiative to garner greater support for the national team.
“The idea to create the Al Annabi Stand came from leading supporters of Qatari clubs in the country. We wanted to use the wide support that we enjoyed to show our love for the national team. Supporting Qatar in the stands is a national duty,” said Othman Al Ishaq, one of the founders of the initiative.
“Through this platform, we organize fans to give the best possible support in the stands for Qatar. This will not only be the case in the Asian Cup, but beyond, as Qatar establishes itself as one of Asia’s leading sides,” adds Ishaq.
Qatar have been drawn into group A alongside Lebanon, China PR and Uzbekistan. The Qataris will take part in the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 as title holders after an impressive run in the 2019 edition that saw them lift the trophy after an unbeaten run, while conceding only one goal.
For Abdulla Al Dosari, a Qatar university student and supporter of the Al Annabi Stand, supporting your team is about much more than football.
“Cheering for Qatar in the stands gives us an opportunity to show our culture to the rest of the world – our song, our traditional clothes, and even the way we carry ourselves are all an indication of who we are as a people,” said Al Dosari.
“Being an ambassador to your country in the stands is what really motivates us to come out and support our national team, and that is something that we want to instill through our initiative,” added Al Dosari.
The Qatari national team will kick off their campaign at the iconic Lusail Stadium in front of more than 80,000 spectators on January 12, 2024. Al Annabi will face Lebanon in their opening match. Othman Al Ishaq sees the convergence of fans from across the continent as a golden opportunity to continue the work that was done during Qatar 2022 to promote the country’s rich heritage.
“As we know, football unites people. During the World Cup, we saw a wonderful cultural exchange take place between fans from all over the world. We learned from each other and inspired each other, and I am certain that the Asian Cup will continue in this wonderful tradition,” said Ali Al Ishaq, who studies full time in addition to dedicating his time to the initiative.
Qatar is set to host the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 for a record third time after successfully hosting it in 1988 and 2011. Twenty-four of the continent’s best teams will compete for the continent’s most prestigious football title. A total of 51 matches will be played across nine stadiums from January 12 to February 10, 2024.
