World Cup Postcard: Hold my beer

Stadium 974 will host Portugal v Ghana next week

Stadium 974 will host Portugal v Ghana next week Credit: FIFA

Macdara Ferris reports from Qatar

Tomorrow the World Cup kicks off. The start is 24 hours ahead of when the tournament was supposed to commence following the opening game between Qatar and Ecuador being moved forward a day after the tournament draw was made back in August.

Of course the World Cup is also five months later than originally planned as the June/July temperatures put pay to the idea of traditional summer tournament.

The build-up to recent World Cups from South Africa onwards has seen plenty of controversy but nothing like this event in Qatar. Dominated by discussions on exploitation of migrant workers and the treatment of LGBT+ people, now it is all about the beer it seems. 

The latest change of direction has been the decision to ban alcohol from being sold at any of the tournament stadiums. Beer will be available in the FIFA Fan Fest but if you want a pint at a game, you’ll only be able to get a non-alcoholic Bud Zero.

This decision by FIFA was the story of the day when I turned on my phone after landing into Hamad International Airport in Doha yesterday. From there I used my Hayya pass to travel on the metro into Doha. The pass doubles as my entry visa and gives free access to transport in the city. 

It is three stops on the red line from the airport to the accommodation I’d booked through FIFA’s website. There were plenty of options from Fan Villages (essentially a series of portcabins) to eye wateringly expensive stays on cruise ships or villas but I’ve gone with a reasonably priced apartment.

However I will have a couple of days in one of the Fan Villages later in the tournament – I do hope they are finished by then as I’ve read a couple of stories online about how the finishing touches are still being made to some of these villages.

Cricket in the stadium car park

It is a stifling hot five minute walk from the metro to my apartment across what is the ‘park and ride’ car park for the adjacent Stadium 974 World Cup venue. Winter temperatures typically range from 18 to 24 degrees but the thermometers creep up to 34 degrees this day.



It didn’t put off the lads playing cricket across the expanse of the empty car park. The maximum temperature is expected to drop to below 30 next week which I’m sure the players will be thankful for (as will I). 

Stadium 974 is where I will watch Portugal v Ghana in a few days time. The venue is a steel frame construction, infilled with 974 shipping containers (with 974 also being the phone prefix for Qatar).

It will no doubt be one of the iconic stadiums of the tournament. 

El Presidente

The main media centre is about a 30 minute metro ride away in the Qatar National Convention Centre which is relatively close to the Education City Stadium. The Convention Centre must be one of the biggest buildings I’ve ever been in.

There are two massive media working rooms including one for photographers and two huge large auditoria. 



I attend an event in one of these. The Virtual Stadium 1 is hosting a referee briefing by Pierluigi Collina, chairman of FIFA's Referees Committee, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino popping along to make a few remarks to the assembled media.

There is a fascinating (for me anyway) discussion about the refereeing of the tournament including some video analysis and the event is rounded off by a trip to one of the four VAR rooms (one for each game on a four match day) that are based in the sprawling adjacent International Broadcasting Centre.

Afterwards I grab a bit to eat in the main media restaurant which offers a range of international cuisine and for 50 QAR (about €14) a hungry member of the media can get a main course, salad and a non-alcoholic beverage. No beer available here either it seems!

About Macdara Ferris

Macdara Ferris is a contributor since 2007 to Hoops Scene (Shamrock Rovers' match day programme) and is the co-author of two books on Shamrock Rovers - 'Tallaght Time: Shamrock Rovers 2009 to 2012' (with Karl … View Full Profile