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Welcome to the GRcade FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 thread!The Good - It's the WORLD CUP - the sights, the sounds, the stadiums, the fans, the sticker albums, the kits, the wall-to-wall matches
- All your favourite teams and players, competing for the ultimate prize in football, a shot at immortality, a chance to become gods!
- It's bringing the beautiful game to a new corner of the world, opening up a conservative nation to the majesty of international mingling, bringing fans and teams from all over the world into one melting pot, experiencing different cultures and the glory of an international tournament
- It might even be coming home
(but probably won't)
- Shining a light on the issues (see below) might just bring about some positive change in the host nation for workers and minorities
The Bad - It's being played smack bang in the middle of the club season, forcing all of world football to warp their domestic and continental calendars to fit it in
- As such, it's being played across November and December, so there's no chance (for most of us) of enjoying a BBQ whilst watching the big games
- There's probably not going to be enough accommodation for all of the travelling fans
- Even in their winter, Qatar is an oven. It's going to be
hot - The tournament was very obviously awarded to Qatar through massive corruption
- Qatar has no footballing history or tradition and was an... odd choice as a host nation. They've never even qualified for a World Cup before
- Alcohol, that best friend of football, is very hard to come by in the dry Gulf state, so good luck with that
- Italy, one of the most storied World Cup nations, didn't qualify
- Harry Maguire is probably going to play every game for England
The Ugly - Qatar is a very conservative Islamic country, and as such has heavy restrictions on civil liberties and freedom of expression/press etc - no good
- Numbers vary, but there have been an estimated 6,500 migrant worker deaths during the construction of the stadiums and associated infrastructure
- Homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, and they generally have a very medieval approach to all things LGBT
- Further to this, Qatar's World Cup Ambassador very recently described homosexuality as "damage in the mind"
- Women's rights in Qatar are pretty restricted (even by most Muslim countries standards)
- Even Sepp Blatter, that old knobhead, has said that Qatar getting the vote to host was a mistake
(Courtesy of Lotus) Here's a list of sponsors and partners if anyone wants to boycott or generally gooseberry fool on them:
Tifo's World Cup Explained video series:So where do you stand on the World Cup - will you be watching, or not? Vote in the poll so I can let FIFA know ______________________________________________________________________________
Who's competing?The Important Dates/TimesOpening Ceremony - Sunday 20 November, 5pm
World Cup Final - Sunday 18 December, 3pm
When are Wales and England playing?England vs Iran - Mon 21 November, 1pm
Wales vs USA - Mon 21 November, 7pm
England vs USA - Fri 25 November, 7pm
Wales vs Iran - Fri 25 November, 10am
Wales vs England - Tue 29 November, 7pm
When are Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland playing? Disclaimer - I really wasn't sure if I should make this thread, given the controversy surrounding the tournament. Emotions are running high and I want to be sensitive to that. But the World Cup is happening in Qatar whether we like it or not, so what's the point in pretending it isn't a thing? And y'know... it's the World Cup! We only get this once every 4 years, it's my son's first one (that he might actually remember) and I just want to enjoy the sport I love with him. I dunno, it's very conflicting. I won't be buying any of the sponsor products and won't be visiting Qatar anytime soon. I used to live in Qatar as a child and have very fond memories of my time there, but I'm not blind to the issues in the country today and find it all pretty depressing. It shouldn't be being rewarded with this amazing tournament and it's a disgrace that it's still hosting it after everything that's come out since the award. But hopefully some good can come of it, shining a light on the issues is the only way they can be addressed, fingers crossed the ruling family get the hint and stop being bastards. It's also a(nother) shameful chapter in the sleazy history of FIFA and football and one we'll hopefully all look back on and think "boy, I'm sure glad England won the World Cup again, but what a shame it happened in Qatar." So yeah, sorry to those of you who might be offended that this thread even exists, and please don't take it as me in any way condoning or minimising the issues that have been swirling about. Thanks, Preezy x