Day 1 was disappointing, mainly because the US failed to put forward a good effort and because I was sick (see Qatar World Cup Day 1: USA vs. Netherlands). Day 2 held glimmers of hope due to the food, my infatuation with the pristine metro, and the energy of the Senegalese fans (see World Cup Day 2: England vs. Senegal). Day 3 featured Japan vs Croatia and Brazil vs Korea. I was determined, as the pre-kickoff song before each game dictates, get down to business. I was determined to bring the energy since, to this point, Doha had not.

Champions Bar

When I visited Doha the previous October, hoping to find a local partner for the Urban Turban, I frequented the Champions Bar at the Marriott Marquis every night. Having gone there on the first night and seeing actual football fans, I decided to pre-game before the Brazil game. Perhaps it was the $16 Stella that was being consumed in mass quantities or the Japan game that went to PKs, but this night was different. There was energy and excitement. There were also fans from around the globe who enjoyed showcasing the Urban Turban.

974 Stadium 

One of the more innovative stadiums was 974 Stadium. Per Wiki, “Created by Spain’s Fenwick Iribarren Architects in collaboration with Schlaich Bergermann Partner and Hilson Moran, this stadium utilised repurposed shipping containers and recycled steel, resulting in cost-effective construction and reduced waste. Constructed on a 450,000 square-metre (111-acre) waterfront site, it has a modular design and incorporates 974 recycled shipping containers in homage to the site’s strategic location, industrial history and the international dialing code for Qatar (+974).” It was also supposed to be TPOL’s home during his stay at the World Cup (see Housing World Cup Qatar: Adventurous or Fyre Fest?). Fortunately, I found availability at the Hampton Inn Doha (see Hilton World Cup Booked! Your Results Will Vary).

The Game

Unfortunately, it was not much of a game. While I was cheering for Korea, Brazil had other plans.

Bud Light Zero

Bud Light is gross. Bud Light Zero is an abomination. I had to buy it for the souvenir cups.

Overall

Bar was fun, the stadium was cool, but the excitement was not there.

Day 1 was in the books (see Qatar World Cup Day 1: USA vs. Netherlands). Day 2 started promptly at 4:30PM. Healthy and rested, I was ready to take on the World Cup.

To watch the France game, we went to Al Jazeera, an Iranian restaurant right around the corner from our hotel, the Hampton by Hilton (see Hampton Doha Old Town: Perfect for the World Cup). The advantage of staying in the quiet old town versus the city center is the reasonable food prices, and more importantly, the more authentic Middle Eastern cuisine.

Look at this delicious kebab, grilled tomatoes and onions, and biryani.

TPOL’s Tip: Al Jazeera is located at Al Muthaf Street (Old Salata) Doha 1

Metro? This Way! 

Having learned our lesson from being late to the US game the day before, we left early to see England take on Senegal. This time, we used the impeccable and beautiful metro starting at the National Museum (see Qatar 2022: Tremendous World Cup Logistics). Transport was free throughout the World Cup.

Was this a metro or business class suite?

From there, we took the bus to Al Bayt Stadium, which literally means ‘the house stadium’. It was on that bus that I learned from a fervent American fan that I was spending far too much on tickets (see The Guide to Buying Tickets for the World Cup And Other Big Events). He had found a single ticket to this match on the FIFA site while I had paid for two. I assumed the tickets were sold out and didn’t check the site. When I did check it for the Japan game, it kept giving me errors each time I tried to check out.

TPOL’s Tip: Always check the official site for tickets that may be available. Block tickets that were sold for teams that did not qualify are put back on the market.

TPOL’S Tip: Tickets showing available and actually available are two different things. Despite learning this ‘trick’, I was unable to purchase any tickets through this platform.

Arriving early, I was able to watch the teams take the field and hear Let’s Get Down to Business, the hype song before the opening kick. Like the US game, the team I supported, Senegal, was thrashed rather quickly by the England side. This did not deter the Senegalese fans from continuing to dance and play music. I had to wonder after watching so many games who was financing these fanatics.

TPOL’s Tip: Buy your own Urban Turban here.

I stayed until the last whistle as I did not want to miss what would have been a great comeback. Alas, it was not meant to be. While this game had more energy than the US match, it still was not the hype that I was hoping for. Exiting the stadium, I did encounter Senegalese fans who were dancing and having a good time despite the loss. Finally, people were having organic fun.

Leaving Al Bayt, I followed the instructions of the numerous workers for the bus to Souq Waqif.

Souq Waqif

Souq Waqif is the Disney version of Marrakech’s Medina (see Medina, Marrakech: The Definitive Guide To Lamb Brain, Tongue, Eyeballs & More Food). Unlike the Marrakech medina, which was constructed in the 11th century and features extensive labyrinths (see Medina, Marrakech: Lost in the Labyrinth), Souq Waqif was renovated in 2006. Despite the late hour, the place was crawling with people. I went to my favorite after-hours restaurant in Dubai, Zaatar w Zeit, for kofta and shawarma. Although it was nice to sit outside and watch the people go by, the quality of the food did not match my recollection. Then again, I usually went to what I call the Middle Eastern equivalent of Taco Bell after post-partying, something I had yet to do in Doha.

Day 2 Recap

A small buzz here and there, and then long lulls were how I describe day 1. Day 2 was much better than day 1, but I was still waiting for the World Cup fever to take hold.