Qatar's Field of Dreams

As host of the upcoming FIFA World Cup, the entire nation is busy preparing for the grand event. But even beyond the Beautiful Game, the smorgasbord of experiences in the capital city of Doha will make it to any bucket list

- SAMARPAN BHOWMIK

Imagine 40,000 frenzied football fans, cheering their teams on and witnessing the spectacle that is the FIFA World Cup, a scene familiar to anyone who has ever been to a stadium to watch a football game. Standing inside Qatar's newly minted Stadium 974, one of the venues for FIFA 2022, it's easy to be swayed by the force of the historic occasion that will unfold here in November.

Constructed entirely out of 974 shipping containers, a play on Qatar's international country code, the stadium represents learnings gleaned by the Qataris from the 2014 edition of the tournament held in Brazil. Much like this time, the 2014 edition saw the construction of many new football stadiums for the occasion. While many of the venues constructed at the time fell into disrepair once the tournament was concluded, the Qataris are determined not to make the same mistakes. Stadium 974 is a temporary installation and once it has served its purpose for the global tournament, it will be dismantled and transported to a location and nation where it would be needed. For now, I enjoy unfettered access to the stadium, including the stands and the box seats, which is part of a lounge with a rather enviable view of the Doha harbour.

From the moment I landed in Doha, the preparations for the impending tournament have been but evident. Museums, monuments, roads, flyovers, stadiums, everything in the country is either undergoing renovation or being built from scratch. It's no mean feat to host an event of such epic proportions, and given that it's the first time that it is being held in the Middle East, the excitement is palpable. Be it the bazaars, the waterfront or even the business district, most public spaces are festooned with football-centric signage and decorations.