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The Muslim Gulf nation is staking its reputation on delivering a
smooth tournament and has denied accusations of abuse of workers
and discrimination. Governing body FIFA hopes the spotlight will
now turn to action on the pitch.
Organisers have also denied allegations of bribery to win the
rights to host soccer's biggest event.
"People of all races, nationalities, beliefs and orientations
will gather here in Qatar and around screens across the
continents to share in the exciting moments," Sheikh Tamim bin
Hamad al-Thani told the crowd in a tent-shaped stadium.
"How lovely it is that people can put aside what divides them to
celebrate their diversity and what brings them together at the
same time," the emir said in the ceremony, during which he
kissed the hand of his father who abdicated in 2013.
Tamim arrived at Al Bayt stadium flanked by FIFA president
Gianni Infantino, to a roaring crowd, and sat alongside other
Arab leaders. A show unfolded on the pitch, featuring camels,
American actor Morgan Freeman, Jungkook of K-pop boy band BTS
and Qatari singer Fahad Al-Kubaisi. Fireworks lit the sky.
Saudi Arabia's crown prince and the presidents of Egypt, Turkey
and Algeria, as well as the United Nations Secretary-General,
were among leaders at the stadium, where Ecuador later scored a
2-0 victory over Qatar, the first World Cup hosts to lose their
opening game.
SOFT POWER
The soccer tournament, the first held in the Middle East and the
most expensive in its history, is a culmination of Qatar's soft
power push, after a 3-1/2 year boycott by Saudi Arabia, Egypt,
the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain that ended in 2021.
The UAE, whose rapprochement with Doha has been slower than that
of Riyadh and Cairo, sent its vice president who is also ruler
of Dubai, where many World Cup fans have opted to stay.
There were signs of other thaws as Turkish President Tayyip
Erdogan and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, whose
countries' ties have been strained, shook hands in Qatar.
And for the first time, a direct commercial flight from Tel Aviv
to Doha landed in Qatar despite the absence of formal bilateral
ties, in a deal brokered by FIFA.
Qatar hopes the event will cement it as a global player, display
strength to rivals in the region and placate Qatari frustrations
at mounting criticism of the host nation.
As they prepare to compete in a conservative Muslim state where
same-sex relations are illegal, Denmark's and Germany's team
captains will wear One Love armbands. Organisers say all are
welcome, while warning against public affection.
FAN FESTIVAL CHAOS
Throngs of fans are already in Doha, but the main rush will be
later this week. Nevertheless, chaotic scenes broke out inside
and outside a fan festival an hour before kick off after
organisers allowed too many supporters to flood the precinct.
Crowd control will be key, with some 1.2 million fans expected
to visit the city - more than a third of Qatar's population,
which itself is made up mostly of foreign workers who vastly
outnumber Qatari citizens.
Qatari Ahmed Al-Kuwari, 69, opted to stay home with his family
to watch the opening and match. "Qatar has been a workshop and
bees' nest," he told Reuters of the construction frenzy,
considering intense criticism of Qatar as "hypocrisy".
Alcohol is banned at stadiums but is available at the FIFA Fan
Festival and other venues. Argentina fan Julio Cesar said he
expected a great atmosphere, saying "we'll drink before the
match".
For Daniel Oordt from the Netherlands, however, there was a
feeling of "constant pressure" not to say or do the wrong thing,
adding, "it's not a fun atmosphere to have at a World Cup".
Outside the city's edges, workers can watch matches in a sports
arena in an industrial zone, priced out of the stadiums many
toiled to build along with other infrastructure for the event.
No alcohol was being served.
"Of course I didn't buy a ticket. They're expensive and I should
use that money for other things - like sending it back home to
my family," Ghanaian national Kasim, a security guard who has
worked in Qatar for four years, told Reuters.
(Reporting by Maya Gebeily and Andrew Mills;Writing by Ghaida
Ghantous and Michael Georgy;Additional reporting by World Cup
Team in Doha, Omar Fhamy, Mahmoud Mourad and Nafisa Eltahir in
Cairo and Ali Kucukgocmen in Istanbul;Editing by Kirsten
Donovan, Frances Kerry, Alexander Smith, Peter Graff)
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