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[black_guardian]

Been here a few days...

People are generally welcoming
Organisation has been fine
Public transport has been free with the Hayya card
Plenty of women dressed like in any big city in the UK during daytime and no issues raised that I have seen

Going to check out fan zone area later in the week, so might have more to say. Biggest gripe is they wouldn't let my mate take his camera in because it had a DSLR lens so they withheld it and he had to collect it after the game.

Just back from England vs Senegal and my feet are burning. Rest day tomorrow.

[antdad]

Cool (well clearly not)...what's the lens ban about potential piracy and how full was the stadium? Can never tell at the start whether folks are not in their seats for whatever reason.

[Carlos J]

Excellent, bg, and have a fabulous time there.

Ant. Think I remember from the Euro's last year, they had a DSLR camera ban. or maybe certain sized lenses, can't remenber, but all the same on modern sports tickets. Oh those hidden in the stands pro photographers impingnig our rights.

Phones obvous, and little digital cameras allowed.

[carcinogen]

...I'm sure it's all lovely if you're a straight, white, male tourist with a bit of money using a transport system that cost part of the 300billion spent.

Sorry, just being facetious. Have a good time! It's getting fucking cold here ... enjoy the warmth.

[black_guardian]

...I'm sure it's all lovely if you're a straight, white, male tourist with a bit of money using a transport system that cost part of the 300billion spent.

Sorry, just being facetious. Have a good time! It's getting fucking cold here ... enjoy the warmth.

Going to the stadium and walking en route, all I can say is there are people of every colour and nationality on display.. Black men in Senegal shirts were openly taking to French team supporters on the metro about how their match went. White, black and Asian people dressed in England flags and kits. I've been to a few England games at Wembley but this had a different feel.

No punch ups, no leery behaviour towards women, no racist chanting. The drumming of the Senegal supporters gave a lovely rhythm in the background, they hardly stopped.

So yeah, you need money to get here. As for migrant workers, it's nothing different to what you see in any Middle Eastern country but a reminder of history and at what stage of evolution this part of the world of is at.

I see their treatment no different to that of the English to the Irish workers who dug the canals and railways around London, dropping dead where they stood. Time will bring change in attitudes and hopefully better treatment for workers here in the future.

Oh and the attendance was 60000 so a little short of capacity but much more full than the Euro 96 match I attended at Elland Road. The corporate areas were where most of the empty seats were.

[kancutlawns]

Nice one bg!

[antdad]

Good post, of the games I've watched alot of the opening shots of the pitch have shown a lot of empty seats on or around the halfway line which as you say is probably corporate but hasn't given a good initial impression. Are you planning to stay and go to anymore games?

[carcinogen]

What's your accomodation like?

[JudgeTedd]

Can you bring me back a souvenir?

[Sadact7]

Been here a few days...

People are generally welcoming
Organisation has been fine
Public transport has been free with the Hayya card
Plenty of women dressed like in any big city in the UK during daytime and no issues raised that I have seen

Going to check out fan zone area later in the week, so might have more to say. Biggest gripe is they wouldn't let my mate take his camera in because it had a DSLR lens so they withheld it and he had to collect it after the game.

Just back from England vs Senegal and my feet are burning. Rest day tomorrow.

Shit Red

[black_guardian]

What's your accomodation like?

We got apartments in the Al Mansoura area south of Doha. Pretty decent but we had to book them months in advance. Metro stop is close and we had to make a few changes but it's ok. Got a kitchen, two bedrooms with two bathrooms plus TV with cable.

Met some Brazilian fans tonight who were very complimentary about how England played, saying it surprised them. I told them they weren't the only ones!

Met a Welsh guy, clearly pissed up to the eyeballs and whining about how he likes to laugh at the English. I made a deal with him; I promised not to say England would win the football World Cup if he did the same about Wales not winning the rugby World Cup because we both know neither will not happen. He just banged on about Warren Gatland coming back so I walked off and left him to stew in his resentment.

[black_guardian]

Good post, of the games I've watched alot of the opening shots of the pitch have shown a lot of empty seats on or around the halfway line which as you say is probably corporate but hasn't given a good initial impression. Are you planning to stay and go to anymore games?

Portugal vs Switzerland
Netherlands vs Argentina (if it's anything as good as the QF clash in 1998, I'll be elated)