International Football
CHEAPER ALCOHOL PLANNED FOR FANS AT QATAR 2022 WORLD CUP
With a deal about to be struck by Qatar 2022 organisers, alcohol at the World Cup will be subsidized.
A pint of beer in Doha typically costs around £10, but this new deal would bring this price down, as well as make alcohol more readily available throughout the tournament.
In addition to the cheaper prices and greater number of locations selling alcohol, there is likely to be an extension of hotel happy hours – when the general price is reduced significantly, often by as much as 50%.
In return, the Qatari World Cup organisers have asked England fans to behave themselves and “bridge the cultural gap”.
In an official statement, Nasser al-Khater, the chief executive officer of the 2022 World Cup, said:
“Alcohol is not part of our culture. However, hospitality is. Alcohol is not as readily available here as in other parts of the world but for the World Cup we want to ensure it is accessible for fans who want to have a drink, so we are trying to find designated locations for fans to have alcohol, other than traditional places such as hotels and so forth.”
The consumption of alcohol is strictly restricted in Qatar. People are prohibited from drinking in public spaces, with private areas in some hotels being the only places it’s available to buy.
With over a million football fans set to descend on the small Gulf state for the World Cup, one proposed solution to accommodation is to moor cruise ships in the port and use them as hotels during the tournament.
Alcohol could be sold on the cruise ships but there is trepidation around creating a “booze cruise” mentality.
The upcoming Club World Cup in December, which includes Champions League winners Liverpool, will be used as a test event for the World Cup in terms of security and policing.
The participation of Jurgen Klopp’s side is notable, with organisers conscious of fan trouble from English supporters after last year’s Nations League match between England and Portugal.
Al-Khater added: “There is a lot of training that is going into security personnel to make sure things that are culturally different are seen in that frame – of what might be acceptable to an England fan might not be acceptable here – and to make sure we bridge that gap.
“Safety and security at any major event is your number one priority.
“The possibility with altercations between fans because of the size of the country, and a lot of the fans being in the same vicinity, is the key priority. But what we expect from the fans is similar to what we saw in Russia.”
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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