Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands

[LinekersLegs]

 

[Fedlingen]

Watching the disallowed goal back it's even weirder.

To me it looks like it's primarily the GK playing the ball?

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They must deem that the dude challenging the keeper is playing the attacker besides him offsides?

 

[heatmeiser]

3/4 empty stadium half way through the first game of the world cup.

Embarrassing stuff

 

[Fedlingen]

wouldn't have expected anything less.

Only people left are the Ecuadorians and the "Qatari"-people in matching shirts.

 

[davek]

The stadium was good.

I think if you have good stadiums like that one and an absence of utter 'kin belters with car horns or vuvuzelas you have half a chance at a decent atmosphere.

When the countries with the committed fans start playing this WC will be atmospheric.

 

[roydo]

The stadium was good.

I think if you have good stadiums like that one and an absence of utter 'kin belters with car horns or vuvuzelas you have half a chance at a decent atmosphere.

When the countries with the committed fans start playing this WC will be atmospheric.

Agree on the ground. £200 Billion would suggest they will all be.

But its just not a football culture there. That aint a dig, its just true. I really hope that when some proper football countries play each other, my fears will be unfounded.

 

[allen]

When the countries with the committed fans start playing this WC will be atmospheric.

Have enough fans gone to actually create an atmosphere?

I honestly have no idea. All I’ve seen from a fan perspective is this Fyre Festival-ass video:

 

[davek]

Agree on the ground. £200 Billion would suggest they will all be.

But its just not a football culture there. That aint a dig, its just true. I really hope that when some proper football countries play each other, my fears will be unfounded.

Half of the dampner is down to the way this WC has been served up so far by the BBC and ITV. Once they STFU about the non-football stuff we'll have a tournament on our hands.

There'll be classic games in this tournament just like there always is. And the fans will play their part.

 

[davek]

Have enough fans gone to actually create an atmosphere?

I honestly have no idea. All I’ve seen from a fan perspective is this Fyre Festival-ass video:

We're seeing what the BBC and ITV propaganda is showing us.

 

[toffee82]

The stadium was good.

I think if you have good stadiums like that one and an absence of utter 'kin belters with car horns or vuvuzelas you have half a chance at a decent atmosphere.

When the countries with the committed fans start playing this WC will be atmospheric.

Didn't watch the build up. Watched the game and the news after which is the first proper look at the stadium. Architecture is fantastic. Imagine the others will be too.

Shame that the body count is over 500 per ground.

 

[allen]

We're seeing what the BBC and ITV propaganda is showing us.

Oh, so you’re pro-Qatar now. Of course you are.

 

[davek]

Oh, so you’re pro-Qatar now. Of course you are.

No, I've been through this...

Dont kid yourself. It will be watched by billions as per usual.

My point is that the western media are hypocrites in any case. We all know what Qatar is. If they really wanted to take a lead on this they should be running stories all year long of British businesses and the UK Government making deals with regimes like Qatar and Saudi - but they wont do that because it's a fast-track to getting sacked...football is the easy target for these cowards.

They can GTF.

Between Nov 20th and Decemebr 18th I, like billions of others, am settling in for a feast of football.

 

[davek]

Didn't watch the build up. Watched the game and the news after which is the first proper look at the stadium. Architecture is fantastic. Imagine the others will be too.

Shame that the body count is over 500 per ground.

I dont know about that. Id take the word of the ILO or some such body over the UK media or on the other hand the Qatar's and FIFA which has it at an unlielkiy 3.

 

[allen]

No, I've been through this...

Weird that I don’t read everything you write, and take in even less.

 

[BigMick]

Agree on the ground. £200 Billion would suggest they will all be.

But its just not a football culture there. That aint a dig, its just true. I really hope that when some proper football countries play each other, my fears will be unfounded.

Football is by far the most popular sport in the MENA region, although Qatar are traditionally one of the lesser lights. These grounds were used in last year's Arab Cup - the best thing about the tournament was the atmosphere created by the different sets of supporters.