A major reason Qatar drew criticism after being granted the 2022 World Cup was their lack of domestic soccer culture. Compared to other nations, soccer was introduced relatively late into Qatari culture and today it struggles to entice the nation. In the Qatari league, most games draw less than 10,000 spectators even with low prices equivalent to 5 British pounds. The quality of teams in the league is comparable to mid-tier teams in the English Championship, the second tier of English soccer behind the Premier League which signals that there is some talent, yet soccer still does not draw crowds on a consistent basis. [2]

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With Qatar's more conservative culture, the Qatari soccer experience lacks a lot of what we consider to be benchmarks of an invested crowd; Qatari crowds do not chug beer like the Germans or fill stadia with the noise of chanting or loud instruments like many Latin and South American teams. Seemingly missing a unified front when supporting their national team that we see with many other teams, even those who do not perform well on the global stage, we can explore one factor that may be holding Qatar supports back: a lack of national identity. Qatar's population is composed primarily of migrants from surrounding nations who have their own pre-existing loyalties and ties. One can argue that there has not been a significant enough event, soccer-related or otherwise, that has been powerful enough to forge a unique Qatari identity.

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We can see that even the organizers of the Qatar World Cup are aware of this lack of outward passion. There are reports that Lebanese ultras, an umbrella term assigned to an easily recognizable type of organized and flamboyant fans, were offered free accommodations and tickets in exchange for bringing their energy to the Qatar fanbase. Even if they were not sporting their matching maroon shirts that say "Qatar" in both English and Arabic, these fans would be picked out by spectators easily. [3]

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                                                                 A group of Ultras cheering for Qatar.

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While the league doesn’t seem to be popular, the Qatari clubs have no problem throwing out money to entice household names. In 2021, Al-Rayyan reportedly paid Columbian star James Rodriguez € 215,000 a week on a transfer [4]. Before becoming the manager for Al Sadd, Spain and Barcelona star Xavi played for the Qatari side from 2015-2019, reportedly earning € 10 million a year [5]. They usually target “big name players” who are out of their prime. Other notable players that eventually went to play in Qatar in their careers' are Toby Alderweireld, Pep Guardiola, André Ayew, and Frank de Boer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

James Rodríguez playing for Al-Rayyan

 

Qatar has also tried to legitimize themselves through foreign leagues. In 2011, Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) bought Paris Saint-Germain. QSI is part of a state-run sovereign wealth fund by the Qatari government [6]. The ownership of the French club gave Qatar visibility in the football world, even if no Qatari players play in major European, North American, or South American leagues.  

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