World Cup 2022
Nepal has never made it the World Cup finals, yet the country’s passion for football reaches fever pitch every four years when the global showpiece begins.
The beautiful game unites fans as they congregate in tea stalls and restaurants, streets vibrate with excitement, and homes and businesses fly flags of various nations. Rooting for foreign teams and their football stars, Nepali fans live and breathe the tournament as if their own country were competing.
Twenty-eight years ago, a group of students at Pulchowk’s Engineering College protested when legendary Argentine footballer Diego Maradona was banned from the 1994 World Cup in the US. Maradona had tested positive for the banned stimulant ephedrine, sparking outrage among his fans.
Calling the expulsion "illegal and a conspiracy," the fans burnt an effigy of FIFA leadership, demanding the Argentine captain's immediate reinstatement. However, this would have been futile, as Argentina were knocked out of the competition after a 3-2 loss to Romania.
The World Cup feast begins this evening with hosts Qatar taking on Group A rivals Ecuador. The first game kicks off at 9:45pm NST after the opening ceremony at the 60,000-seat Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, north of the capital Doha.
Over the next 29 days, the world will plunge into wild excitement as 32 nations compete for football's most coveted prize.
High demand for tickets
For the past few months, football fans worldwide have wrestled with one anguishing question: how to get a ticket to the World Cup?
Most seats were sold out as soon as they went on sale. According to FIFA, fans snapped up nearly 3 million tickets by mid-October—almost all available spots.
Last-minute sales began on September 27 and will continue until the end of the tournament on December 18. Tickets are being sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
Ankit Neupane is one of the lucky fans who secured a ticket to the Group B match between England and the USA on November 26.
“I can’t wait to see Harry Kane up close,” said the 31-year-old IT engineer and Tottenham Hotspur fan, who purchased the ticket for $107 through FIFA’s online kiosk in September. He is leaving for Doha on Friday.
“I expect them to do better than in Russia four years ago and win their second title this time,” he said. England won the World Cup as hosts in 1966, defeating West Germany 4-2 in the final.
More passionate Nepali football fans are travelling to Qatar to watch the action live.
Baburaj Joshi has always wanted to experience football's biggest showpiece from the stands. He is heading to Doha next week to watch the Germany-Costa Rica game on December 2
Joshi’s son, who lives in Darmstadt, Germany, will join him in the Qatari capital for the match.
They have divided loyalties, though. “I’m flying down to Doha on my son’s invitation. But I am rooting for Costa Rica,” said Joshi. The 70-year-old former school teacher cheering for Brazil either, despite their usual status as universal favourites. Brazil are the only team to have won the tournament five times.
“They should be content with five titles. It’d be interesting to see a new winner,” he added, taking a humorous potshot at the country’s leadership, with incumbent Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba aiming for the hotseat for the sixth time.
“Croatia nearly pulled it off in Russia four years ago. Hopefully, we’ll see something similar in Qatar."
European and Latin American teams have historically dominated the tournament.
This could be Argentina legend Lionel Messi's last chance to bow out in grandeur. The World Cup remains the only elusive title in his otherwise illustrious career.
In 2002, France failed to advance past the group stage, following their maiden tournament victory at home in 1998. Under coach Didier Deschamps, Les Blues will be hoping to break the defending champions’ jinx.
Every World Cup has a 'dark horse'. Senegal, the African champions, could play that role in Qatar. But expectations often come with pressure.
No team face as much home pressure as England during international tournaments. They came close in the last two tournaments, losing to Croatia in the 2018 World Cup semi-finals and Italy in the 2020 Euro final.
An unprecedented 1.2 million people, equivalent to nearly half of Qatar's population, are expected to visit the Gulf emirate. A total of 64 matches will be played in eight stadiums across the country. This World Cup is the most expensive in football history, with Qatar sending a staggering $220 billion—14 times more than Brazil's $14 billion outlay for the 2014 tournament.
Beset with controversies
Long before the first whistle blows, hosts Qatar have been busy defending themselves from one controversy after another. These range from allegations of poor treatment of migrant workers to LGBTQ+ rights issues and a ban on alcohol sales outside the venues.
Sepp Blatter, the former FIFA president, admitted that awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar was a "mistake.” The 2018 and 2022 tournaments were awarded to Russia and Qatar in 2010, when Blatter was in charge of the game’s world governing body.
In an interview with Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger, Blatter conceded, “The choice of Qatar was a mistake.”
“It’s too small a country. Football and the World Cup are too big for it,” he said. And when asked if he felt responsible, he reiterated, “For me, it is clear. Qatar was a mistake."
But it’s 12 years too late; the toothpaste is out of the tube. As hundreds of thousands of fans descend on Doha from all corners of the globe, the whistle blows: Let the games begin.
The group draw in December 2021 has already set up some tentalising clashes. Notable matches include Spain vs. Germany on November 27 and Belgium taking on Croatia on December 1. On November 30, the USA play Iran in a politically charged encounter.
While rich fans travel to Qatar to watch their favourite teams in person, millions more will tune in from home on televisions or handheld devices.
Group-stage games will start at 3.45pm, 6.45pm, 9.45pm and 12.45am NST. Eight final-round group will kick off at 8.45pm. The first two knockout rounds will alternate between 8.45pm and 12.450am slots, and both semi-finals are scheduled for 12.45am. The final, on December 18, will take place at 8.45pm.
Football on menu
While Qatar may be the centre of the football world, the frenzy has also caught on here in Kathmandu Valley. Restaurants around town are gearing up for the festivities, with the atmosphere shifting from sedate to riotously football-focused.
Giant projector screens will be a common sight, with football being the main item on the menu.
For many football fans, the World Cup is a once-every-four-year indulgence.
Croissant, a restaurant in Thapathali, has revamped its menu to include dishes like Ronaldo’s Strike, Mbappe’s Thrust, Van Dyke’s Tackle, De Bruyne’s Through, Messi’s Goal, and Lewandowski’s Header.
“Ronaldo’s Strike, a sandwich made of cucumber, tomato, onion, red pepper, seasoned olive oil, and garlic soup, is a favourite with the city’s youth,” said Sambhavit Shrestha, co-owner of the restaurant.
“But our most expensive dish is De Bruyne’s Through, fried jumbo prawns served with herbal rice.”
