The FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar is characterized by the close distances between the stadiums, so we accompany you on a trip to Stadium 974, to follow the Portugal-Ghana match.
I went to Stadium 974 before the Ghana-Portugal match in the first round of the two teams in the group stage. The stadium is located in the capital, Doha, and it is one of the eight World Cup stadiums, but it is unique in that it will be completely dismantled after the tournament.
The journey started from Al Gharrafa, where my house is located, and I opened Google Maps, which informed me that the journey takes about half an hour to cover a distance of more than 30 kilometers.
The most important thing that distinguished my trip was that there was no traffic, even though we went two and a half hours before the match, which is unexpected for a major tournament such as the World Cup.
I passed many of the main roads in Doha until I reached the Ras Abu Aboud area where the stadium was built, and I noticed the vast organized parking spaces, including a large place for taxis and public transportation, to facilitate the movement of fans before and after the match.
Also near the stadium is Ras Abu Aboud metro station, about 10 minutes' walk away.
Among the beautiful things that I noticed during my walk was the abundance of security men and individuals working to serve the masses, whether they were ambulances or cleaners, and wheelchairs for people with special needs were spread everywhere, with free assistance as well.
We arrived at the stadium in a smooth manner, and of course near the stadium there were celebrations, whether from the fans of the two teams or the teams contracted by the World Cup Organizing Committee.
And I noticed that the Portuguese fans were much more as a result of Cristiano Ronaldo's fans, as most of the fans were wearing Portugal shirts.
It is funny that some of the fans were wearing the Argentine shirt, specifically Lionel Messi, and I asked some of them, and the answer was strange to me, which is that they "encourage Ronaldo."