World Cup hosts Qatar lost the opening match against Ecuador. The fans left the stadium in droves. At the final whistle the ranks were only sparsely occupied.
According to official figures, more than 67,000 spectators watched the opening game of the 2022 World Cup between Qatar and Ecuador in Al-Khor. Very few stayed until the end.
The first fans leave after 25 minutes
The first fans left the stands after just 25 minutes, and at half-time – Qatar were already 2-0 behind – they almost fled the stadium, as various videos on social networks show. At the final whistle, the stadium was only half full. The only applause came from the loud fan block from Ecuador.
National coach still feels “supported”
“We felt supported”, Qatar’s national coach Felix Sanchez emphasized anyway. But it was hardly more than a phrase. “We hope that people will be more proud of us after the next games. I’m sure they will support us until the end of the tournament,” he said again.
In view of his team’s shockingly poor performance, the fans could also head home early for the other two group games against the Netherlands and Senegal.