Qatar Football Association has been accused of paying fees for fans to attend this summer’s World Cup in North America. Qatar ended their World Cup campaign on a disappointing note after losing 3-1 to Bosnia and Herzegovina in their final group match on Wednesday night.
The tournament got off to a strong start for the 2022 hosts, who snatched an unlikely point with a late goal against Switzerland. However, in the second match against Canada, they were at a disadvantage with a 6-0 victory, and Bosnia’s victory ensured an early elimination.
But for those inside the stadium rooting for Qatar, all was not as it seemed, according to the Telegraph. That’s because the media alleges that the Qatar Football Association employs people to pose as supporters in order to convince people that Qatar is a well-supported footballing nation.
Express Sport has contacted the Qatar FA for comment.
The allegations were first raised four years ago, when Qatar became the first Middle Eastern country to host the World Cup. However, it is claimed that Qatar provided thousands of pounds worth of tickets, flights and hotel rooms to around 1,000 people posing as supporters in North America.
The paper suggests that some of these “fans” have never even been to a soccer match before, but have been awarded the most expensive all-expenses trip to the World Cup in history. Qatari “fan boxes” were handed out to the people in question, which included shirts and scarves so they could at least look the part.
One fan told the Telegraph: “Many of us had never even stepped foot in the stadium. I had the time of my life.”
Meanwhile, in a statement issued last month, the Qatar Football Association effectively confirmed that around 1,000 fans will be covering the costs of the trip. It said: “To ensure seamless operations, the program includes flights, hotel stays and local transportation with Qatar Airways.
The program aims to create a “vibrant stadium atmosphere that encourages players to aim for the best on the world stage”.
Julen Lopetegui, former Wolves manager and current Qatari manager, praised his team’s support after the defeat against Bosnia, saying: “Thank you to the fans. They are a minority, but they supported us and tried to stay behind us. I feel sorry for them, but even if we didn’t achieve our goal, I think they can be proud of this team. We fought until the end and gave everything on the pitch. We have to have hope for the future.”
