When al-Annabi and an-Nashama square off in the final match of the Asian Cup football tournament at Lusail Stadium, the excitement level is at an all-time high.
The Souq Waqif, which is Qatar’s old-style all-purpose market and also serves as the country’s central tourist attraction, is a place where people from all walks of life, dozens of different nationalities, and a wide range of interests come together for a one-of-a-kind mix of color and noise.
The level of excitement reaches a fever pitch whenever a nation is the host of a football tournament, regardless of whether it is the most important sporting event in the world, such as the FIFA World Cup, or a regional championship.
The well-known marketplace in the middle of Doha served as the gathering place for football fans of both teams that were competing for the championship of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in the final match that took place on Saturday at Lusail Stadium.
There was a large gathering of ardent fans of an-Nashama. Group of fans gathered to sing and dance traditional songs
A Jordan supporter who was observing from a distance said, “They are saying the team is like an agal [a traditional black cord that is worn by men in the Middle East as part of their headdress] to them and they wear this as a crown and with immense pride.”
Mahmoud was afraid that playing in front of tens of thousands of Qatari fans would be too much for his team.
“I hope they don’t feel the pressure and I hope the referee is fair,” he said.
The final reminds supporters of Qatar of their incredible victory four years ago in the United Arab Emirates, where they defeated all odds to win their first-ever Asian Cup trophy.
A fan said, “I started following this team after the Asian Cup win in 2019,” as Jordanians danced from one end of Souq Waqif to the other.
He declared, “We’re going to drive all over Qatar to celebrate the victory of the al-Annabi tonight, from Lusail to Katara and Souq Waqif.”
Every Qatari home has a majlis, which is a room in the house or a separate structure attached to it that is used for a variety of gatherings, from everyday relaxation to more significant occasions attended by the men of the household. Special arrangements will be made there.
In the event that Qatar wins, festivities will probably continue into the wee hours of the morning.
Al-Annabi, the home team, will have to endure the clamour of thousands of an-Nashama supporters who have come from all over the world or live in Qatar to watch the match at Lusail.