Qatar’s migrant workers celebrate their own World Cup

Muhammad cannot sit still. Again and again he slides back and forth with his behind on the dusty lawn and throws his hands over his head. He’s sitting in the front row in front of a giant screen in the middle of a cricket stadium. Behind him more rows, hundreds of men staring at a screen. Welcome to the public viewing in the “Industrial Fan Zone”.

A secluded parallel world

20 kilometers from the center of Doha, 45 minutes drive from the glamorous Corniche and the glittering facades of the skyscrapers. No World Cup tourist will get lost here, this is where the guest workers’ stadium is located.

Thousands of visitors come here every day to watch the World Cup games. They are almost exclusively young men, between 20 and 40 years old. They mostly come from India, Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal and Pakistan. They work as drivers, electricians, in road construction or on other construction sites related to the World Cup.

And most of them send a large part of their wages further home. Just like Muhammad. As a driver, he earns a lot, says the 23-year-old from Pakistan. About 1300 riyals a month, the equivalent of a little less than 350 euros. But still around a hundred euros more than the minimum wage recently introduced by the Qatar government. Did he toy with a ticket for the stadium? He waves his hand: “How am I supposed to pay for that?” he asks. Muhammad would have had to spend a third of his wages for the ticket. “Much too expensive.” But he still doesn’t want to miss the games, here in the fan zone in the cricket club. At the stadium he watches football with all the other workers whenever the job allows it.

Stadium tickets not affordable

There were discounted World Cup tickets for the 2.9 million residents of Qatar, around 90 percent of whom are migrant workers, but the inexpensive tickets were sold out immediately or were part of a lottery process. Many didn’t even apply. Shams from India, on the other hand, was lucky. He has been living in Qatar for almost 13 years and has built up a bit, his family also lives here. He got hold of a stadium ticket and spent the equivalent of 60 euros on it. “We helped build this country,” says Shams. “Why shouldn’t we experience and celebrate the World Cup just like the Qataris?”. The sandwich shop that he runs on the site has the typical FIFA branding, the colors purple and turquoise can also be found on posters and information signs. Alcohol is not served. “Beer’s not allowed,” whispers Shams from behind the counter.

And that’s not the only reason why this fan zone is different from all those in the center of Doha or the popular tourist areas. Admission is free, and you don’t need a Hayya Card, the entry permit that is sometimes required for tourists in the other fan zones. Less pushy sponsors, less fuss, the focus is on football. Instead of the pop stars that FIFA bought for its prestige events, local artists perform here in the breaks between games – with a connection to the home countries of the workers. Tonight it’s an Indian singer from a talent show, and many crowd up to the front of the stage. The noise from the speakers is deafening.

Migrant workers in Qatar – work at any price

“We come every evening,” says Ibrahim from Bangladesh. “It’s too much fun.” Like many others here, the 26-year-old lives not far away in the “industrial area” that combines everything that human rights organizations criticize about Qatar: notorious apartment complexes on the outskirts of Doha, where mainly migrant workers live, in far too large a complex number, crammed together in accommodation that is far too small. Without them, Qatar would not have been able to handle all the ambitious construction projects related to this World Cup, many workers paid with their lives. It is still unclear exactly how many died on World Cup construction sites, also because the Qatari authorities do not release exact figures.

On the cricket pitch in the fan zone, a few guest workers kick the ball themselves, using tricks and straddling. The six-on-six game on the small pitch is at least as tough as the World Cup game on the silver screen, which hosts Qatar lose again. The third loss in the third game. Qatar have scored a single goal in the entire tournament.

“But we don’t mind,” says Ibrahim, who wears a t-shirt with a red heart and the words “I love Qatar”. Muhammad in the front row is draped in a Qatar flag.

Like Ibrahim and Muhammad, most here support the Qatar national team. A few also support Ronaldo and Portugal. It is a strange parallel world, full of contradictions at first glance. Globalization and stark contrasts: There, the chic new stadiums, well-heeled fans from all over the world on a sightseeing tour in Doha. Here, far out there, guest workers just among themselves. Secluded. They too want to belong and celebrate football and the World Cup in their country. Just in her own way.