Football mania!

The football craze in this city is undeniable. If it's match day, football fans are on their A game. Everyone is discussing players, strategies and outcomes. Football fans are a plenty here, and with Qatar hosting the 2022 FIFA games, the excitement is palpable. Doha Diaries was curious to know which cafe or restaurant football fans frequent to watch their games, and what their wish for the football watching culture in this city is. We posed these questions to three very seasoned football fans in Qatar, and this is what they had to say:

Ahmad Alia is a professional management consultant who is new to the country. He is always looking for places where he can watch football with friends. For him "Watching football with a huge crowd comprising Egyptian fans is a whole different experience. It is both exciting and energetic.” Ahmad usually frequents Cairo Nights which is located at Souq Waqif where he highly recommends ordering the grape mint shisha. For him, the people you watch football with makes all the difference, regardless of the place. “I need to be surrounded by hardcore football fans. The atmosphere is intense and I always have a little laugh when I see someone cry over a football game” he chuckles. The Real Madrid fan also likes to watch matches in the comfort of his home. His only wish for the football watching scene in Doha? ‘Bigger screens and more grape flavored shisha’

Sweta VB, a long time resident of Doha watches her football games mostly at home, especially because of the odd hours of the matches. Comfort is priority for her as she says "I’d like to know I can sit there comfortably through the entire game, get something cold to drink and not have to deal with a crazy, unruly crowd." For someone who loves to try new places, Sweta is always looking for options where she can watch football, especially to watch Barcelona and Spain play.  With 'Beer and wings' as her go to match food, she gives extra points to a place that serves orange mint shisha. Her match haunts? Grand Joud Cafe, Irish Pub, Radisson Blu and Champions. 

Mihir Manjeshwar, an auditor with a big four company in Qatar likes catching his games at Lobby Villa (Holiday Villa), Champions (Courtyard Marriot) and Sherazad (Radisson Blu). He says “Champions and Shehrazad are genuine sport bars, so it provides you with the ideal atmosphere to enjoy a good football game. Patrons of the bar are generally out showing their support for respective teams and it adds to the overall experience. Lobby Lounge in Holiday Villa is a little more quiet and relaxed compared to the previous two.” When asked what he looks for in a café or restaurant before going to watch a game, he replies “First and foremost would have to be the general crowd present to watch these games. The idea is to sit together with friends, other fans, and have a good time, and not get caught up in unruly altercations with rival fans, which thankfully I haven’t experienced in Doha yet. You also have other factors such as seating arrangements, size of TV screens which play a role in where you go, especially for the big games”. This Barcelona fan believes that ‘nothing goes perfectly with a good game like a beer’ ‘The beer tower at Shehrazad is quite the incentive of watching a game there. Usually, we also order some light snacks like wings or fries to keep the anxiety in check during a tight game.’, he adds. What are his options in the city? To that, he says “Other options would include dropping by at one of the many shisha lounges around Doha. The only disadvantage is that they usually fill up quickly, but it’s still lighter on the wallet. There’s also the option that never fails, watching the game at home.” Mihir would ideally like to see sports bars in Doha have game night specials which include promotions on food and beverages.  He is also pleasantly surprised by the football atmosphere in the country and hopes it just gets better.
 

We hope so too!

What about you? Where do you catch your game in this city and what do you hope to see in Qatar, as a football fan, in the near future?