If one word can be used to encompass all that’s happened thus far at the thrilling 2022 Qatar-hosted World Cup that word would probably be upset.
Going back a decade, FIFA’s unlikely decision to choose the small Gulf nation to host the world’s largest sporting event was a major upset – and to be sure, very much upset many other nations in contention, the football elite, and millions of others throwing tomatoes from the social media cheap seats.
But what was initially seen by haters as a scam Qatar transformed into a golden opportunity for its citizens, players, and more than 1 million fans who would descend on Qatar over the course of the month-long tournament. Qatar invested billions – a staggering $220 billion – in football and non-football infrastructure. Much of the investment was part of Qatar’s wider public investment project, Qatar National Vision 2030, a blueprint for the country’s future."The World Cup acted as an accelerant in terms of the Qatari government wanting to address issues as far as the country's infrastructure was concerned," Kieran Maguire, a football finance specialist at the University of Liverpool, told Germany’s Deutsche Welle last month. "It gave them a focal point. Compared to other World Cups, it is far more expensive."Qatar’s national wealth allowed for a great deal of freedom to fund this massive effort. Major Cup sponsorship dollars were far less important to this host nation, allowing Qatar to build a massive infrastructure to accommodate the tournament while at the same time standing by its cultural heritage and beliefs.One such example – and one of the tournament’s biggest upsets – was Qatar’s eleventh-hour decision to ban beer sales near the tournament stadiums. Whether you are Budweiser, one the World Cup’s blue-chip sponsors, or a fan who traveled thousands of miles to cheer on your team, pulling beer from a typically booze-fueled fan experience was a jolt to the system.
What has ensued as a result to date has been one of the most high-energy and peaceful World Cup tournaments in the history of the sport. To date, there have been no reports of violence, other than a few fistfights between disgruntled fans, connected to the World Cup in Qatar. As often happens, sport has brought people together.
"I think it's more peaceful. You don't have these very drunk people everywhere and people are simply normal and happy," Germany fan Christian Kopatsch told Reuters before Germany's 1-1 draw with Spain.Ellie Molloson, who runs the HerGameToo campaign, told the Sunday Times, “I had all these preconceived notions about what I would encounter. The reality has been nothing like that. I’ve not experienced any of the harassment I have experienced in England. I don’t know how they have achieved that but it’s an amazing environment to experience.”And let’s not forget a few of the greatest upsets in World Cup history that took place on the pitch over the last few days in Qatar.Saudi Arabia shocked the world when the team defeated reigning Copa America champions and Lionel Messi-led Argentina, a team that, along with Brazil, entered the tournament heavy favorites to take home the Cup. Argentina was able to course correct and win their group, but certainly were not pleased with such a start.
Japan is the other remarkable underdog story with an incredible knack for delivering upsets this year, first defeating Germany and then taking down Spain. Japan incredibly won its group with six points from their two upset games.
Then you have Morocco that upset Belgium and just defeated Spain to move into the quarterfinals.
But the biggest upset undoubtedly has been the steps Qatar has taken to exceed expectations as the first Middle-East World Cup host and reshape its society. Qatar has worked tirelessly to put its best foot forward on the world stage and demonstrate an inclusive and welcoming face of Islam, an approach expressed by the Emir early on.
"Hosting the World Cup is an occasion in which we portray who we are, not only in terms of the strength of our economy and institutions, but also in terms of our civilizational identity," said the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. "We accepted this challenge out of our faith in our potential, we the Qataris, to tackle the mission and make it a success, and due to our awareness of the importance of hosting a major event such as the World Cup in the Arab world."History ultimately proves whether or not the World Cup sparks long-term societal change for every host country. If you haven’t noticed the magnitude of such a shift already implemented in Qatar, you’ve missed the biggest upset of the 2022 Cup.
