World Cup 2022 qualifying begins

[leon]

Qatar WC's General Secretary Mansoor Al Ansari:


no great shock, probably not the kind of statement FIFA want them making though

No great shock indeed, but surely Lewis Hamilton should currently be in prison, as this was his helmet design at the Qatar GP last year.





Although I guess it is ok if its the most famous person in the sport, that you've just paid 10s of millions of dollars to host, doing it.

They wouldn’t dare arrest Hamilton. They will feel much safer arresting Joe Public. Aresholes.

Well it is a fascist country

[bakerlou]

Disaster for early buyers of Panini's WC 2022 album as Ecuador face pre-tournament expulsion

https://talksport.com/football/1193002/ ... -castillo/

[Silver Fox]

Shit, junior only bought the book yesterday, fortunately not invested in any packs yet

Although it would be better to wade in now and try to finish Ecuador before this is decided wouldn't it?

[Stranded]

Disaster for early buyers of Panini's WC 2022 album as Ecuador face pre-tournament expulsion

https://talksport.com/football/1193002/ ... -castillo/

It's fair enough if they are kicked out but it is all a bit farcical and should have been uncovered a lot earlier. For example, if found earlier then Peru may well have had direct qualification and Australia may have faced a potentially tougher opponent in Colombia to qualify.

As it stands, Chile may benefit as if any game Castillo plays in becomes an automatic 3-0 win to the other side, Chile will jump up from 7th to take the qualification spot.

If they don't kick them out, then does that mean Castillo can continue to play for them or will just he been banned?

[Sutekh]

Disaster for early buyers of Panini's WC 2022 album as Ecuador face pre-tournament expulsion

https://talksport.com/football/1193002/ ... -castillo/

It's fair enough if they are kicked out but it is all a bit farcical and should have been uncovered a lot earlier. For example, if found earlier then Peru may well have had direct qualification and Australia may have faced a potentially tougher opponent in Colombia to qualify.

As it stands, Chile may benefit as if any game Castillo plays in becomes an automatic 3-0 win to the other side, Chile will jump up from 7th to take the qualification spot.

If they don't kick them out, then does that mean Castillo can continue to play for them or will just he been banned?

Another farce to add to original farce of awarding the competition to Qatar in the first place. Wonder what the next farce will be….

[Winston Biscuit]

people should listen to the Guardian Football Weekly podcast today for detail today of accommodation, availability and cost of beer, and generally appalling detail on how the World cup will be

it starts about 35 minutes in if anyone actually does want to listen

[Sutekh]

people should listen to the Guardian Football Weekly podcast today for detail today of accommodation, availability and cost of beer, and generally appalling detail on how the World cup will be

it starts about 35 minutes in if anyone actually does want to listen

All fans of every country should really boycott going and stay home to watch it on the telly and hope FIFA and related sponsors make as little as possible out of it.

[Stranded]

Was planning on watching very little of it this year but Stranded Jr has become obsessed by football over the last 2 or 3 months and is getting very excited about it, so it'll be on most evenings.

[Silver Fox]

people should listen to the Guardian Football Weekly podcast today for detail today of accommodation, availability and cost of beer, and generally appalling detail on how the World cup will be

it starts about 35 minutes in if anyone actually does want to listen

There was a piece in Popbitch this week about how the Qataris booked Muse for half time entertainment at some point and siad they'd sort all the details for them. They booked the flights and luxury accommodation, although they put the crew in Tehran, which kind of put the kybosh on the whole thing so the band cancelled. I'd imagine much of the rest of the organisation is similarly shambolic.

On the positive side nobody has to suffer a half time show from Muse

[Winston Biscuit]

from what I remember from that podcast, there is no accommodation left, they are trying to find more boats to bring in and use as accommodation, alternatively people can stay in neighbouring countries and travel into Qatar for matches but you can't bring cars in so you leave your car at the border and get a bus.

They are relaxing laws on drinking but it will only be available in limited hotel restaurants. Qatar currently estimates beer will be £12-£15 a pint. There will be a fan zone where drinks are available for your teams games but the hours are very limited and they will only serve Budweiser. They have paid to bring in some weird DJ thing from Glastonbury and in that massive tent you can drink all day, but only when inside the tent listening to loud eurodance pop tunes.

Stadiums are in inconvenient places which you can't reach unless you take public transport there. Sometime the public transport only gets you to with 1-2 miles of the ground

My very favourite was that BEin sports are charging crazy money to watch games out there, so much so that many hotels will not allow games to be screened in your rooms

Current estimates are something like 5000 England fans to travel there. But that is travelling from the UK, it is unknown how many ex pats in the region will also try and go to games.