save your money for Germany in 2024 and USA in 2026 and say stuff you Qatar

[BTRFTG]

Just now, PHILINFRANCE said:

Indeed, and as I understand you have also visited Saudi Arabia, you will recall the discomfort due to the humidity of Dammam and Al Khobar on the Persian Gulf coast compared to Riyadh, where summer temperatures would often reach the mid-40s but, strangely, life was bearable as the atmosphere was so dry.

Indeed. For that reason  I used to do Saudi always in the same order - Jeddah (tolerable,) Riyadh (in the shade no problem,) Dammam (I really don't think I can stand up without expiring.) On to Bahrain (much the same,) then getting easier the further East one went.  Give me mega hot desert over coastal saturation any day.

[PHILINFRANCE]

I am quite sure, however, that age and fitness have a strong bearing on one’s capability to live in such circumstances - as well as experience.

I was in my early 20s when I was on the Gulf coast and, believe it or not, would play squash in an outside, non-air conditioned court a couple of lunchtimes a week and, in addition, would play in a local, mainly ex-pat football league, which entailed training two nights a week plus a weekly match.

I would probably struggle to cross the road to the souk today .

[ScottishRed]

21 hours ago, frenchred said:

It's being played in their bloody winter! Players will have played in hotter conditions in Europe the precious little babes

Absolutely correct, the weather at the time of year the tournament is taking place will be like a good summers day in Southern Europe.

As for all of the other factors, totally agree, I would not be interested in going.

I have been to the UAE a number of times and there is a certain air of unwelcoming animosity, it is subtle, but it is there.

I think it will be a tournament like no other with a real risk of clashes with the authorities for the fans.

[Gakoe]

10 hours ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

I am quite sure, however, that age and fitness have a strong bearing on one’s capability to live in such circumstances - as well as experience.

I was in my early 20s when I was on the Gulf coast and, believe it or not, would play squash in an outside, non-air conditioned court a couple of lunchtimes a week and, in addition, would play in a local, mainly ex-pat football league, which entailed training two nights a week plus a weekly match.

I would probably struggle to cross the road to the souk today .

Spot on there Phil, its a young man's game. On a slightly different angle, I've spent many days working in the desert (full ppe) after a monster session the night before and just got on with it, felt shit but no problem. These days, half a bottle of bojolly and I'm crying to the Mrs in the morning. 

[Mike Hunt-Hertz]

14 hours ago, BTRFTG said:

Its hot but thankfully isn't Bahrain. It's the humidity, not temperature, that's the absolute showstopper.

I went to Bahrain in late November. Was actually quite cool, and even rained. Maybe 2006 was a freak year.

Can't imagine wishing to revisit (boring, soulless dump), as the only reason we went was to stay with ex sister in law.

Edited November 13, 2021 by Mike Hunt-Hertz

[PHILINFRANCE]

1 hour ago, ScottishRed said:

Absolutely correct, the weather at the time of year the tournament is taking place will be like a good summers day in Southern Europe.

As for all of the other factors, totally agree, I would not be interested in going.

I have been to the UAE a number of times and there is a certain air of unwelcoming animosity, it is subtle, but it is there.

I think it will be a tournament like no other with a real risk of clashes with the authorities for the fans.

I fear the Qatar World Cup will be an immense culture shock for the local authorities and Police, the locals themselves together with the many South Asian labourers and, of course, the numerous foreign football fans.

I just hope there are no dramatically unsavoury incidents.

[winsaw]

On 12/11/2021 at 11:13, Red-Robbo said:

 

Aren't the stadiums roofed and air-conditioned?

Will still be hot, mind you.  Teams acclimatised to a northern European climate will be at a disadvantage. 

They where ment to be roofed it's was promised in there bid so it could be in summer like normal but building air-conditioning stadium proved to difficult so they are just normal one's that's why it's been moved to there winter, it's a total mess from FIFA but what else would u expect, 

[The Constant Rabbit]

12 hours ago, ScottishRed said:

Absolutely correct, the weather at the time of year the tournament is taking place will be like a good summers day in Southern Europe.

As for all of the other factors, totally agree, I would not be interested in going.

I have been to the UAE a number of times and there is a certain air of unwelcoming animosity, it is subtle, but it is there.

I think it will be a tournament like no other with a real risk of clashes with the authorities for the fans.

Spot on

While they have no 'religious' Police in Qatar - which means a slightly looser policing of any religious slights (intentional or otherwise)- there is zero tolerance on public drinking, or being drunk in public.

Designated areas only for drinking - stray from there, and a very unpleasant stay in the local lock-up awaits.

You will go to prison.

Make no mistake, being pissed up and wandering around Doha with your mates and chanting and singing gets you a one-way ticket to a red hot cell with 30 locals and a hole in the floor to shit in.

 

Drink if you must in the designated areas - get a cab or hotel bus back to your hotel

 

I can see some serious problems in Doha, with the locals, and Police. The embassy will not be able to get you out of there quickly - it's a Muslim country and alcohol is tightly controlled - and is seen as insulting the prophet by many.

 

Lot of people are going to have a very unpleasant experience if they act as if its just 'another away game'

 

If you can't stay off the beer - don't go. You can find yourself getting sent down for a few years - and middle-eastern prisons are not the place Westerners want to be in.

 

 

[North London Red]

I saw England play Brazil in Doha in November 2009. The weather wasn’t too oppressive at all.

It was far hotter and more humid in Volgograd and Samara at the last World Cup than it was in Doha in November.  

[ralphindevon]

On the football front I think it could really suit England, despite some of the posts on here suggesting otherwise the weather for playing will be fine, nowhere near the temperatures or humidity of some previous world cups, even France 98 was hotter in many games.

Plus for the first time ever our players won’t be going into the tournament at the end of a gruelling premier League season, which if you ask ex players was one of the main reasons for falling around the quarter final stage a few times. 
 

I love the idea of escaping our crappy winter to go to a World Cup but not sure about everything that goes with it on this occasion 

[PHILINFRANCE]

34 minutes ago, The Constant Rabbit said:

Spot on

While they have no 'religious' Police in Qatar - which means a slightly looser policing of any religious slights (intentional or otherwise)- there is zero tolerance on public drinking, or being drunk in public.

Designated areas only for drinking - stray from there, and a very unpleasant stay in the local lock-up awaits.

You will go to prison.

Make no mistake, being pissed up and wandering around Doha with your mates and chanting and singing gets you a one-way ticket to a red hot cell with 30 locals and a hole in the floor to shit in.

 

Drink if you must in the designated areas - get a cab or hotel bus back to your hotel

 

I can see some serious problems in Doha, with the locals, and Police. The embassy will not be able to get you out of there quickly - it's a Muslim country and alcohol is tightly controlled - and is seen as insulting the prophet by many.

 

Lot of people are going to have a very unpleasant experience if they act as if its just 'another away game'

 

If you can't stay off the beer - don't go. You can find yourself getting sent down for a few years - and middle-eastern prisons are not the place Westerners want to be in.

 

 

As you say, whilst there may be no ‘Mutawa’ in Qatar, it is still a strict Muslim country and subject to Islamic restrictions on alcohol/drunkenness and public amorous physical contact - regardless of the sexes involved.

I posted earlier that I fear many Western visitors will be in for a rude shock, as it is really not at all like the more ‘enlightened’ Emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah.

Nevertheless, given that the whole world will be watching, I do wonder whether, even if it is not announced officially, there might just be some subtle relaxation of the laws insofar as it relates to Western foreigners - I stress Western foreigners, as I doubt very much whether any such tolerance would be afforded to the numerous South Asian labourers.

Edited November 13, 2021 by PHILINFRANCE

[BTRFTG]

When I first visited Qatar it was, like Saudi, 'dry' (officially that is.) Alcohol wasn't served in hotels. Long story but I was an official guest of the State, installed in the Presidential Suite at The Sheraton, free fruit based drinks served by butlers on tap but alcohol, not a chance. No problem, lots of things to try in what to me was then an alien culture.

So if yobs visit and abuse that culture I hope they're thrown into dark places and left. I think the FA/FCO might do well to run a comprehensive advertising campaign warning fans of the dangers of not behaving themselves and reminding that if they do err they'll not get western treatment and have only themselves to blame.

Fans might also do well to learn from this idiot who deciding to forgo the wonderful pools went instead for a swim in the Gulf (in those days the various hotels hadn't netted off their sections of beach.) I'm happily waving back at the friendly sailors on the passing dhow late on to realise they're pointing not at me but the large fin circling. Mark Spitz was never so quick.

[Red-Robbo]

15 hours ago, winsaw said:

They where ment to be roofed it's was promised in there bid so it could be in summer like normal but building air-conditioning stadium proved to difficult so they are just normal one's that's why it's been moved to there winter, it's a total mess from FIFA but what else would u expect, 

According to Qatar's own (probably unreliable) information all the stadiums have some sort of climate control that makes them "comfortable at any time of year".  Hmmm...

[Never to the dark side]

Well this is what I will be doing.

1) I won't be going

2) I will register to purchase ALL match day tickets from FIFA and England supporters club.

only to see how unpopular the games will be with no intention of buying any,

and In the hope of getting a constant flood of e-mails saying tickets available for XXXXX games.

3) I will watch Englands games,not watching England will not prove anything

4) Will  not purchase any of the sponsors products

[Never to the dark side]

Maybe they could extend this till december 2022

 

https://connectingtravel.com/news/qatar-adds-uk-and-uae-to-its-red-list

[Bristol Rob]

 

[The Batman]

On 12/11/2021 at 19:11, Gakoe said:

I thought the same when the cricketers started kneeling in Sharjah. Amazing.

With regard the W/C. Is it possible the players could boycott the tournament itself? I mean, they're not contractually bound or anything are they? 

If they had anything about them, they'd have forfeited their selection as a matter of principle.

"ZeRo ToLeRaNcE tO rAcIsM aNd AlL fOrMs Of DiScRiMiNaTiOn" they keep telling us. About time they did something tangible with that. End of the day, they do this "protest" because a terrible murder happened 4000 miles away in Minneapolis that has no relevance to British football. Qatar is also 4000 miles away and has a direct relevance to football yet not a word from anyone bar some other countries wearing a few tshirts

Practice what you preach and all that. People shouldn't be afraid to call out people's BS. I've done it to people from all walks of life, and it's about time the media started putting these guys under fire too. 

Gordon Strachan had it right about morals in football. Don't think I've seen him on TV since 

 

[BTRFTG]

On 16/11/2021 at 08:08, Never to the dark side said:

Well this is what I will be doing.

1) I won't be going

2) I will register to purchase ALL match day tickets from FIFA and England supporters club.

only to see how unpopular the games will be with no intention of buying any,

and In the hope of getting a constant flood of e-mails saying tickets available for XXXXX games.

3) I will watch Englands games,not watching England will not prove anything

4) Will  not purchase any of the sponsors products

If you're going to boycott the tournament why watch the games on TV? Absolutely there's a point - If nobody watches and with zero ratings it's about as strong a message as one might send to register a protest. Broadcasters and their ad revenues will get it immediately.

Talk's cheap though. It's easy to faux protest against this and that, to visibly seek the moral high ground, especially for a tournament one never had intention of visiting, yet participate by watching it anyway.

 

 

[Red-Robbo]

I haven't watched any of the qualifiers and won't go out of my way to watch the Qatar games.  I see a few might be played in our evening, so I may accidentally catch sight of some down the pub, but that's it.

Dunno how I'll feel if we make the final though. 

[Never to the dark side]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/16791605/royals-britain-snub-beijing-winter-olympics/

[Alwaysdreaming]

On 12/11/2021 at 07:33, Never to the dark side said:

As the England are on the threshold of qualifying for next years world cup(in 2022)

I would love to have attended a World cup in Australia or somewhere similar but I ain't going to Qatar.

I am just hoping that many more football followers will decide not to attend in person

Apart from what happened when Blatter was in charge,its the way our football season will be stuffed up.

Suggest if you get an e-mail saying register for World cup tickets,don't bother.

This will then send a message to the bone heads that football fans that they are not going to attend

Keep your money in your pockets for 2024 and 2026

 

Do you follow England around the world qualifying and tournaments or just jumping on dont go to Qatar because you can't go? Or the news have told you so? I'll be there along with my kids we follow England to as many qualifiers home and away as we can. And there will be alot more.

We've Had this before don't go to Russia hooligans going to get you. It was probably the best tournament I've been too unbelievable place couldn't be more friendly and best of all, was less of us out there untill we got to the semi final then the typical drunken T**TS came over and then it could of been trouble from England fans not Russian.

Dont always listen to the press is my main point and people scaremongering posting stuff like this do what you want to do. 

Edited November 20, 2021 by Alwaysdreaming
Grammer

[1960maaan]

I must admit I was thinking about it. It will have the lowest amount of chair throwers ever, which is a plus. But so many reasons not to go.
One more that has been added, though not a surprise. I have missed out before due to scare stories about cost, but this looks poor. I know FIFA have no feeling for the fans, but top price face value for the final £1600 ? Lowest number of "cheap" tickets and looks like a massive amount of corporate areas (Not for Sale) , it just screams "this is for us, the fans are just a necessary evil".
Link at the bottom, but I've posted a few clips.

Tickets for Qatar 2022 went on sale this week and the tournament has some truly eye-watering prices for an event
The cheapest seats on general sale internationally to watch the opening game of the tournament are up 37% to $302 (1,100 Qatari riyals) from $220 seen in Russia. Similarly, there’s a rise of 13% for category-two tickets to $440 (1,600 Qatari riyals) from $390.

The final of the tournament is due to take place at the Lusail Stadium on 18th December and the most expensive ticket for that game is 5,850 Qatari riyals ($1,607), a 46% increase from the $1,100 for the 2018 final in Russia.

Qatar 2022 will also see a drastic reduction in the percentage of the cheapest category tickets available at each venue – further hitting the tournament’s affordability. 
For example, there are 60% fewer category 3 and 4 tickets available at the 40,000-seater 974 Stadium in Qatar compared with the similarly sized Kazan Arena at the World Cup in Russia.

Head of Football Supporters Europe Ronan Evain said: “Category 3 and 4 are so small that they might as well not exist. This is absolutely unprecedented.”

 

 

https://thefsa.org.uk/news/qatar-2022-ticket-prices-reveal-most-expensive-world-cup-yet/?fbclid=IwAR0gRsd6TR-d20Wy-lApNGg52Hh-XewuFsKwuWFPdr205YD9p4Ythfg2PU4

 

[ExiledAjax]

3 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

 

 

 

https://thefsa.org.uk/news/qatar-2022-ticket-prices-reveal-most-expensive-world-cup-yet/?fbclid=IwAR0gRsd6TR-d20Wy-lApNGg52Hh-XewuFsKwuWFPdr205YD9p4Ythfg2PU4

 

With that colour scheme its pretty clear that they don't care about colour blind fans either! Category 2 and 4 are completely indistinguishable for me, and I'm sure others would have issues with the "not for sale" section as well.

[1960maaan]

1 hour ago, ExiledAjax said:

With that colour scheme its pretty clear that they don't care about colour blind fans either! Category 2 and 4 are completely indistinguishable for me, and I'm sure others would have issues with the "not for sale" section as well.

I doubt they even considered that for a second. Firstly, make sure they have a lovely area paid for by the fans. Second, try and keep "ordinary fans out" through price. 

I do wonder if they may have made a big mistake with this. Money may not be available to a lot of fans that would normally go. They could end up with no atmosphere at games. I doubt they'd care about that though, as long as they can keep milking it for their own benefit. 

They could gradually price the atmosphere out of games, they could end up with just those that go for the drinks party. The ones that nip out early and get back to their seats 10/15 minutes late with no care about results. All corporate cling ons, now that would be interesting.

[Ska Junkie]

I'm not remotely interested in this world cup / corporate event tbh.

That said, if England go well, my interest may improve.

At the moment it stinks of brown envelopes, fraud and everything that is wrong with football at the higher levels. So much for 'the working man's game' eh.

[BTRFTG]

Last I looked there was no accomodation to be had ( not yet released by FIFA who own all rights,) though there were plans to have cruise liners parked up as temporary hotels. Not sure what's happened since.

[North London Red]

Accommodation is going to be a nightmare to arrange when it eventually goes on sale (which is meant to be around March or April, I think). I've seen estimates ranging from there being 90,000 available rooms in Qatar to 180,000, which would fall way short of the number needed.  

I remember reading that in Russia, around 500,000 unique fan IDs were issued to visitors from other countries, and that was without the USA qualifying (they took one of the largest numbers of fans to the 2010 and 2014 tournaments). Some may be put off attending this time but if Scotland or Wales come through the play-offs, and if the USA qualify, the demand for accommodation could outstrip the number of available rooms several times over. FIFA's sponsors and delegates will have first dibs on whatever is available, so travelling fans will be left to fight over the scraps. 

Staying in Dubai or Abu Dhabi and driving to / from Doha isn't really a viable option either, as it would necessitate a multi-entry visa to Saudi Arabia, and I gather hire car companies in the region are none too keen on their cars being taken across borders. Prices for flights for November / December between Doha and the other Gulf hubs are already through the roof, although not all routes have been put on sale yet. 

Hopefully I'm being unduly pessimistic with the above and it turns out to be easier to arrange than I'm fearing, but right now it's looking like open wallet surgery. 

[Oh Louie louie]

I still have nightmares about the time, i turned the pillow over, in that hotel in amsterdam, in 2000,

Discovered a multitude of sins.

[BTRFTG]

12 minutes ago, North London Red said:

Accommodation is going to be a nightmare to arrange when it eventually goes on sale (which is meant to be around March or April, I think). I've seen estimates ranging from there being 90,000 available rooms in Qatar to 180,000, which would fall way short of the number needed.  

I remember reading that in Russia, around 500,000 unique fan IDs were issued to visitors from other countries, and that was without the USA qualifying (they took one of the largest numbers of fans to the 2010 and 2014 tournaments). Some may be put off attending this time but if Scotland or Wales come through the play-offs, and if the USA qualify, the demand for accommodation could outstrip the number of available rooms several times over. FIFA's sponsors and delegates will have first dibs on whatever is available, so travelling fans will be left to fight over the scraps. 

Staying in Dubai or Abu Dhabi and driving to / from Doha isn't really a viable option either, as it would necessitate a multi-entry visa to Saudi Arabia, and I gather hire car companies in the region are none too keen on their cars being taken across borders. Prices for flights for November / December between Doha and the other Gulf hubs are already through the roof, although not all routes have been put on sale yet. 

Hopefully I'm being unduly pessimistic with the above and it turns out to be easier to arrange than I'm fearing, but right now it's looking like open wallet surgery. 

When I used to visit there was no Tourist Visa for Saudi, but now there is I'm not sure how it would work on the land border.? I know you can have multi entry international visits from abroad but assumed these were from international ports and airports, not internal travel on the peninsula. There was a time Saudis would routinely shut borders for various reasons known only to them. 

[Sweeneys Penalties]