Friday 12th January 2024 – The Asian Cup – Lusail Stadium, Doha

Escapism: noun – the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy.

I wouldn’t necessarily call a 50-odd hour, 7 game whirlwind trip to the Asian Cup in Qatar, escapism but here I was in very pleasant UK summeresque sunshine, looking forward to a weekend of international football.

The Asian Cup rarely gets the same billing in England as the African Cup of Nations, none more so for this tournament where the two are happening at the same time.  It wasn’t meant to be like this – the fact this is the 2023 Asian Cup gives the game away slightly.

China were the original hosts, with the tournament due to take place in the summer of 2023 but due to the strict regulations introduced by the Chinese government after the COVID-19 pandemic, they withdrew their intention to host in May 2022.  After a second round of bidding took place, Qatar, fresh from hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup, won the bid and shifted the tournament back to avoid the heat.

All but one of the World Cup stadiums were to be utilised- the 974 Stadium, made of shipping containers had been dismantled and their contents dispatched to their rightful owners.  Two smaller stadiums, with capacities less than 15,000 were added to the roster and despite an initial surge of ticket sales, according to the organisers, it seemed that was a sensible choice.

The tournament was wide open.  Japan arrived as favourites but Jürgen Klinsmann’s South Korea, Australia and the hosts themselves fancied their chances, mixing it up with rank outsiders including Syria, Tajikistan and Hong Kong.  The political element would also be hitting the headlines with Syria, Lebanon and Palestine all taking part in the three week tournament.

The opening game, to be held at the magnificent Lusail Stadium, saw Qatar hosting Lebanon, playing in just their 3rd tournament.  It was scheduled for 9pm initially, giving me plenty of time to get to the game after my flight was scheduled to land at 6:45pm.  Ticket secured, plan in place then the organisers moved kick off forward to 7pm.

I needed a wing and a prayer to make any of the game but I was determined not to miss the opportunity to visit one of the two stadiums I didn’t see a game in during the World Cup.  

90% of the passengers on my flight from Gatwick it seemed were in transit.  As I started the long and lonely walk from the gate to immigration my spirits sank with signs telling me it was an 18 minute walk.  It was 7:01pm, the game had kicked off.  

My saviour, of sorts, came in the form of a golf cart.  An airport worker was cruising the terminal looking for riders so I hopped on and sped down the empty walkways and deposited me at immigration.  

At 7:10 I was on the metro, heading north to Lusail.  Still 0-0.

The train pulled into Lusail at 7:45.  If I was lucky I’d get to see 40 minutes or so.  The station was rammed, with thousands of “fans” heading away from the stadium, many with branded bags of freebies given out by the hosts.  Had I not been here in Qatar for the World Cup I’d be concerned that I had screwed up my timings and the game was over.  But no, the practice it seems in these parts is to grab the freebies and run.  The official attendance will be recorded as 82,490.  By the start of the second half if there was more than half of that in the stadium I’d be stunned.

In theory with so many people departing you’d think getting in would be straight forward? Nope.  The route took me away from the stadium and continued into the horizon.  With a gap in the stewards, I hopped a barrier and joined the throng of exiting spectators as they headed for the metro, before diving off towards the  security checkpoint.

Having come straight from the airport I expected some issues in trying to take my bag in, and so it was.  The guards informed me that no food or drink could be taken in (fair enough), my toothbrush could be used as a weapon and that my pair of converse were a definite no-no as I could wave them around as an insult to people. So, back to the restricted items storage unit, check the bag in, explain why I had a spare pair of shoes and then back to security.

As I entered the stadium and started the long walk up to the cheap seats there was a cheer.  Not deafening to be a Qatar goal but surprisingly loud if it was for Lebanon.  All was revealed when I finally reached my seat.  It was a second goal of the evening for Qatar, scored by Almoez Ali, which had been greeted by a stadium that was now a quarter full at best.  

I simply can’t fathom why.  It’s not like there were other major events or attractions on where everyone was heading to.  It had been the same when I’d seen Qatar face Senegal at the World Cup when the Al Thumama stadium was half empty by the thirty minute mark.

I intended to get my money’s worth anyway – my ticket, the most expensive of the seven games I’d go to had cost me £18.  Qatar’s squad were very unusually for today’s international game, all drawn from domestic clubs whilst Lebanon had the novelty of an English player on the bench, AFC Wimbledon’s Omar Bugiel.

According to FIFA Rankings, this was 58th v 107th, and it showed.  Both teams seemed goal shy, preferring possession than attack.  It took a good ten minutes after my arrival to see the first shot, by which time another few thousand fans had departed.  The introduction of Bugiel did provide Lebanon with their greatest threat on goal and twice he came close.  But with six minutes of injury time played, Qatar scored their third when Akram Afif drilled home from 10 yards.

We kept on going and the additional ten minutes played turned out to be a saviour.  Despite the long walking route set out by the organisers to the metro, by the time I got there the crowds had all but gone and by 10:30pm I was back at base camp opposite the Education City stadium.

Day two and three games awaits.