world cup
Argentina extends Scaloni’s contract to 2026 World Cup
World Cup winner Lionel Scaloni will remain as coach of Argentina to the end of the 2026 World Cup.
The Argentine Football Association and Scaloni confirmed the deal on Monday. They didn’t elaborate.
The 44-year-old Scaloni and AFA president Claudio Tapia met in Paris before the FIFA awards late Monday, when Scaloni was named men’s world coach of the year.
“When trust is high, communication is clear and effective,” Tapia said on Twitter in a post with himself and Scaloni smiling and drinking tea in the French capital. “We continue to trust our project of national teams to Lionel Scaloni, the World Cup winning coach.”
Read: Messi voted best player at FIFA awards again
Scaloni’s contract expired after Argentina won the World Cup in Qatar on Dec. 18. Long negotiations followed.
Scaloni took over at the end of 2018 as a temporary measure, and received waves of criticism for his lack of experience. He had never coached a professional team. One year later, the job was his permanently.
He guided Argentina to the 2021 Copa America title, the team’s first in 28 years. Captain Lionel Messi and other key players repeatedly said they wanted Scaloni to remain on the job for the 2026 World Cup.
At the awards in Paris, Scaloni said, “The most beautiful thing is making your country happy, your people happy.”
Argentina’s first match since Qatar — and another celebration of the world champion — will be a March 23 friendly against Panama at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Qatar donates World Cup mobile homes to earthquake survivors
Qatar plans to send 10,000 cabins and caravans from last year's World Cup to provide shelter for survivors of the Turkish earthquakes, officials said.
The gas-rich Gulf nation says it had always planned to donate the mobile homes. They were needed to help house some of the 1.4 million fans who descended on the small country during soccer's biggest tournament.
An initial batch of 350 structures was shipped out on Sunday, the Qatar Fund for Development said.
The magnitude 7.8 and 7.5 quakes that struck nine hours apart on Feb. 6 killed more than 35,000 people in southeastern Turkey and war-torn northern Syria. The toll is expected to climb even further as search and rescue teams find more bodies.
Tens of thousands of buildings were destroyed or severely damaged, leaving millions homeless. As shelters filled up in the days after the quake many were forced to sleep outside in wet, wintry weather.
Qatar and other wealthy Gulf countries have joined the global effort to send rescuers and aid to the stricken region. The United Arab Emirates has pledged $100 million for relief efforts. Saudi Arabia has dispatched eight planes loaded with supplies to Turkey and Syria.
The eighth Saudi flight landed in government-held Aleppo, in northern Syria, on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia was a strong supporter of the opposition at the height of Syria's civil war and — unlike other Arab countries — has shown little interest in any rapprochement with President Bashar Assad.
2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup: Prospect of Bangladesh Squad
The 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup started on February 10 with Sri Lanka vs South Africa game. This is the eighth edition of the tournament, and Bangladesh is participating for the fifth time. Bangladesh started the World Cup journey on February 12 with a group-stage match against the Sri Lanka Women’s team. For this event, Bangladesh has been playing with a 15-member squad. This article will cover the squad analysis of the Bangladesh team.
Bangladesh Squad Analysis in 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
Nigar Sultana will lead the Tigresses at this year’s T20 World Cup, with Hashan Tillakaratne as head coach. This marks the fifth time Bangladesh has taken part in this tournament, having first competed in 2014 when they hosted. The team earned their place in the main event by winning the qualifier tournament in the UAE last year, beating Thailand in the semifinals and Ireland in the final.
The Bangladesh squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup has several players from their victorious U19 team. Shorna Akter, Marufa Akter, and Disha Biswas were all part of the side that shocked Australia U19 on the first day of the tournament, winning by a convincing seven wickets. Their success continued, and the team made it to the Super Six stage, ultimately finishing third in the group.
Read More: ICC Women's T20 World Cup: Bangladesh leave Dhaka for South Africa
Bangladesh Squad:
Nigar Sultana (c), Rumana Ahmed, Dilara Akter, Marufa Akter, Nahida Akter, Shorna Akter, Jahanara Alam, Disha Biswas, Fahima Khatun, Murshida Khatun, Salma Khatun, Lata Mondal, Ritu Moni, Sobhana Mostary, Shamima Sultana.
Traveling Reserves:
Rabeya Khan, Sanjida Akter Meghla, Sharmin Akter Supta.
Key Strength of the Bangladesh Team
The presence of the most recent U19 performers, such as Shorna Akter, Disha Biswas, and Marufa Akter, will surely boost the confidence of the Bangladesh team. Having them on the team will not only benefit the team’s performance, but it will also give the players a chance to gain experience from playing at the top level of cricket. They will be able to get accustomed to the competitive atmosphere and will be able to gain invaluable knowledge from it.
Nigar Sultana’s leadership is also another significant strength for the Bangladesh Women’s cricket team. As an experienced player, she brings a lot of positivity, calm, and composure to the Bangladesh setup. Her performances will be crucial for Bangladesh, and her captaincy skills will be on display for everyone to see.
Read More: Bangladesh vs England ODI Series 2023 Preview: Schedule, Fixtures, Team
In addition to that, Nigar Sultana’s leadership and determination to succeed have made her a true idol to admire. So far, she has played 69 T20I matches and scored 1,225 runs with a 24.50 batting average. So, it is expected that Nigar Sultana’s batting and wicket keeping performance will surely help the Bangladesh team.
Further, winning the qualifier will also work as a confidence booster. Having won the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup qualifier, the team is looking to make a strong impression in the group-stage matches. With confidence and determination, Bangladesh is ready to show the world what they are capable of.
Apart from these confidence-boosting opportunities, bowlers Salma Khatun and Jahanara Alam will also play a key role in the team. Salma started her T20I career with her debut against Ireland on August 28, 2012.
In June 2018, she had the honor of being a part of Bangladesh’s first-ever Women’s Asia Cup title. She was subsequently named captain of Bangladesh’s 2018 ICC Women’s World Twenty20 Qualifier tournament squad. She appeared in 91 T20I matches and took 84 wickets with 4/6 best bowling figures.
Read More: Imranur conferred with country's first-ever gold at Asian-level athletics
On the other hand, Jahanara Alam played 75 T20I matches and grabbed 57 wickets with a 21.75 bowling average. In October 2018, Salma Khatun was included in Bangladesh’s squad for the 2018 ICC Women’s World Twenty20 tournament in the West Indies.
During the tournament, she topped the wicket-taking charts for Bangladesh, claiming six wickets in four matches. After the tournament ended, the International Cricket Council (ICC) named her as the standout player in the team. So, Jahanara Alam is one of the top strengths of the Bangladesh team.
Weakness of the Bangladesh Team
Bangladesh has encountered several defeats leading up to the World Cup. This may lower the confidence level. They were crushed by New Zealand in a T20I series, losing all three matches. During the Asia Cup, the team was disappointed with the results, and this may have downgraded their spirits.
In addition to that, Bangladesh’s batters have been struggling with a low strike rate, which is a major source of worry in the T20I format. This game requires quick decisions and a fast-paced approach, leaving no room for weakness.
Read More: BAN vs ENG Series 2023: England Squad Analysis
Bangladesh’s success relies heavily on its experienced players; however, for the team to reach its full potential, younger, less experienced players need to step up and make an impact. The failure of senior players may cost a loss for the team. The World Cup is an opportunity for them to prove their worth and show the world what they are capable of. The team’s collective strength will be tested, and this could be a turning point for Bangladesh.
Prospect of Bangladesh in the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
Ahead of the tournament, Bangladesh has had two warm-up fixtures against Ireland. In the first match, Jahanara Alam shined with four wickets, and the team secured a five-wicket triumph. Unfortunately, the second match resulted in an eight-wicket defeat for Bangladesh.
To further prepare for the tournament, Bangladesh had two more practice games against Pakistan on February 6 and India on February 8. Pakistan Women’s team won by 6 wickets in the first warm up match. Bangladesh also lost to India. Team India won the warm up match by 52 runs.
Hence, these matches may resemble Bangladesh’s preparation. And any match with the big team may give a hard time to the Bangladesh team. Bangladesh will play against Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. Since these teams are stronger, Bangladesh may face difficulties in winning over them. Hence, Bangladesh has less chance to proceed to the semifinal.
Read More: BPL 2023: Comilla take down high-flying Sylhet to make final
Final Words
Bangladesh squad for the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup looks very promising. The team has a young and talented group of players who have already shown their potential in the previous matches. The team is well-equipped with quality batting and bowling resources, and the experience of some of the senior players will help them to perform better in the tournament.
U-19 Women’s World Cup: Bangladesh to play UAE on Wednesday for a semifinal berth
Bangladesh Women's Cricket team will play United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the last super-six match of the ICC U-19 Women's T20 World Cup on Wednesday (January 25) at the Absa Puk Oval in Potchefstroom, South Africa to decide a semifinal berth from Group-1.
Bangladesh, the unbeaten champions of Group A, made their semifinal berth difficult after conceding a five-wicket defeat against hosts South Africa in their first super-six match last Saturday (January 21).
To assure one of the two semifinal berths from Group-1, Bangladesh has to beat UAE by a huge margin on Wednesday to improve as their three opponents India, Australia and South Africa enjoying a good advantage in points and positive run-rate.
India assured the semifinal berth from Group-1 securing six points from all the four matches with a good net run-rate of 2.844, followed by Australia, also with six points from all the four outings, having a net run rate of 2.210.
South Africa have secured four points from three matches with a net run rate of 0.508 while Bangladesh bagged also four points from three matches, having a net run rate of 0.251.
South Africa was due to play their remaining super six-match against Sri Lanka Tuesday night (Bangladesh time) while Bangladesh will play their last super-six match against UAE on Wednesday.
So, it will be very difficult for Bangladesh to manage one of the two semifinal berths from Group-1 toppling Australia and South Africa
Earlier, Bangladesh clinched the Group A crown with all-win record securing full six points from straight three matches after a creditable seven-wicket victory over giant Australia, 10-run win over Sri Lanka and five wickets victory over USA, but they went down in the semifinal race losing their first super six match against hosts South Africa by five wickets last Saturday.
Argentina fan 'dies of heart attack' hours after Messi lifts World Cup trophy
A 25-year-old Argentine fan in Sylhet's Shibganj "died of a heart attack" after celebrating the South American side's thrilling World Cup final triumph against France Sunday night.
Joybroto Bhattacharya, from Sunamganj's Chhatak, died early Monday while undergoing treatment at Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College. He was a civil engineering graduate and worked at a private firm.
Citing Joybroto's sister, senior lawyer of Sylhet District Bar Mujibur Rahman, said: "Joybroto watched the match last night with his friends at a Shibganj mess. After Argentina beat France, he erupted in joy and came out on the street chanting slogans."
"At that time, Joybroto felt pain in his chest. As the pain became acute, his friends took him to MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital around 3am. An hour later Joybroto died."
Osmani Medical College Hospital Director Brigadier General Mahbubur Rahman Bhuiyan said Joybroto might have died of a heart attack. "But we are not yet sure of the cause of his death."
Read more: Argentine fan electrocuted to death while hanging flag in Laxmipur
Mohammad Ali Mahmud, officer in-charge of Kotwali Model Police Station, said: "MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital informed us of the death early Monday. Joybroto's body was handed over to his family at 10am."
Argentine fans in Bangladesh erupted with screams as La Albiceleste defeated France 4-2 on penalties to claim a third World Cup title.
Read more: Argentine fans chanted “Bangladesh-er doa chai!” before last night’s Qatar World Cup final
Benzema posts tweet indicating international retirement
France forward Karim Benzema posted a message on social networks Monday indicating that he is retiring from internationals, a day after the national team lost the World Cup final without him.
After raising the Ballon d'Or award as the world's top player to crown his remarkable rise, Benzema's dream of winning the World Cup was over last month before the tournament in Qatar even started as he tore a muscle in his left thigh during training with Les Bleus.
"I made the effort and the mistakes it took to be where I am today and I'm proud of it! I have written my story and ours is ending," Benzema wrote on his 35th birthday, in a post accompanied by a picture of him in a France shirt.
Read more: Brilliant Benzema and His Road to Ballon d’Or Glory
The Real Madrid striker was France's top scorer at the 2014 World Cup but did not play in the country's victorious 2018 World Cup campaign because he was still exiled from the national team for his alleged role in a sex-tape scandal with then-France teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
The fallout from that scandal led to a dramatic fall from grace for Benzema. He faced a nationwide deluge of vitriol and scathing criticism, including on the political level. It led to a long exclusion from the national team from October 2015 until his recall by Deschamps in May last year.
With his relationship with Deschamps repaired, Benzema scored freely for France with 10 goals in 16 games after his return to reach 37 overall, and he formed a great partnership with Kylian Mbappe.
His most impressive run of performances came in last season's Champions League as he led Madrid to the title – his fifth in Europe's top competition – with 15 goals. He has moved up to second place on Madrid's all-time scoring list with 329 goals.
At last year's European Championship, Benzema looked sharp and was France's top scorer with four goals.
Olivier Giroud started for France in Benzema's place at the World Cup in Qatar and finished the tournament with four goals, but he was substituted before halftime of Sunday's final with Argentina leading 2-0.
France fought back for 2-2 after 90 minutes and 3-3 following extra time before Argentina won a penalty shootout to cap one of the most exciting finals in World Cup history.
Read more: France's Benzema ruled out of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
PM congratulates Argentine president on winning World Cup
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday congratulated Argentine President Alberto Ángel Fernández on their victory in the FIFA World Cup 2022.
"On behalf of the people of Bangladesh and my own behalf, I have immense pleasure in conveying our heartfelt felicitations and warmest congratulations to you and the friendly people of the Argentine Republic on the spectacular victory of the Argentine football team in the FIFA World Cup 2022," she said in a letter to the Argentine President.
She also stated that the affection and love for football, particularly the Argentine football team, profoundly connects people of the two countries.
"The people of Bangladesh have demonstrated their admiration and love through the spontaneous celebration of winning the World Cup Football Championship of your national football team."
Read more: “Hearts of the people of Bangladesh and Argentina are dearly united by football”
Sheikh Hasina said that the unprecedented love and affection between the peoples of two football loving nations have paved the way for solid bilateral relations.
She expressed hope to further consolidate the relations by opening Missions in each other's capitals in the coming days.
Read more: Vamos Argentina, says Professor Yunus congratulating Messi's team on World Cup win
With Mbappé and Deschamps, France's future looks just fine
France played its part in one of the most memorable finishes in World Cup history, even though the defending champions failed to retain the title.
Kylian Mbappé’s hat trick of goals all came late — first in regulation, then in extra time — and helped give France a 3-3 draw with Argentina in the final.
In the penalty shootout, it seemed destined for Lionel Messi to win his first World Cup at the age of 35, not Mbappé to win his second at 23.
Still, the foundations of France's national soccer team are solid with just under four years to go until the next World Cup in 2026.
EXPECTATION VS. PERFORMANCE
France outperformed expectations even as the defending champion and the world’s fourth-ranked team.
A run of poor results in the UEFA Nations League, including a home loss in June to Denmark, plus a litany of injuries before and after the squad for Qatar was selected kept high hopes in check.Then, in the last training session before the flight to Doha, forward Christopher Nkunku was injured by a teammate.
It got worse in Qatar. Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema was forced out of the squad because of an injury and then Lucas Hernández, the left back in the 2018 team, picked up a season-ending knee injury nine minutes into France’s first game against Australia.
France persevered and got better as the team passed through the knockout rounds — against Poland, England and Morocco.
The record now under France coach Didier Deschamps of two World Cup finals and a quarterfinal, plus a European Championship final and a UEFA Nations League title is truly impressive.
“I’m optimistic about the future,” said Deschamps, who has expertly mixed youth and experience in his teams. “A lot of players have played in many of those tournaments and have got experience.”
WHO’S OUT
Only four of the 26 players in the squad has turned 30 and Deschamps has made clear he wants to sign the contract extension the French soccer federation says it wants to offer.
This year's World Cup could be the last for Olivier Giroud, who at 36 took the central striker role left by Benzema and broke Thierry Henry’s all-time France scoring record.
Giroud ended the tournament with four goals and now has 53, two ahead of Henry. Mbappé has 36 and could take the record before the 2026 World Cup.
Benzema turns 35 on Monday, and captain Hugo Lloris has his 36th birthday one week later. At 31, and after a standout World Cup, Antoine Griezmann can look toward another World Cup.
Deschamps is still only 54 and looks far from fatigued in his 11th year on the job.
WHO’S NEXT
The next generation of players to revitalize Les Bleus is already at the World Cup.
Several made debuts this year and their progress in Qatar was accelerated by all the injuries and illness to long-established players.
Aurélien Tchouaméni was joined by former Monaco teammate Youssouf Fofana in an emergency midfield pairing, and 21-year Arsenal defender William Saliba also got playing time.
Also read: 2026 World Cup hosts take diplomatic handover from Qatar
If Lloris does step down, 27-year-old Mike Maignan is primed to add to his handful of international games. A domestic league winner at both Lille and AC Milan, Maignan also was injured and missed the World Cup.
Nkunku, now 25, will move to Chelsea next season after four years at Leipzig and impressing in the Champions League.
WHAT’S NEXT
On March 24, France will host the Netherlands at Stade de France to start one of the toughest European Championship qualifying groups.
A clash between the World Cup finalists and quarterfinalists is the most anticipated game on the schedule when national teams return to action in three months.
Greece, Ireland and Gibraltar are also in the group, which plays through November and will send two teams directly to Euro 2024 in Germany.
France also has available dates in September and October for friendly games against teams from outside Europe.
FIFA World Cup Final 2022 Argentina vs France LIVE Streaming: Where and How to watch online and TV Channel, Predicted XI
Here you can get all the details as to When, Where, and how you can watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 Final Argentina vs France Live Streaming.
FIFA World Cup 2022 final Argentina vs France: Argentina will take on defending champions France in the final of the ongoing FIFA World Cup at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday. Argentina and France will face each other for the 13th time in their history, with both teams looking to win their third World Cup title.
Argentina qualified for the final after a comprehensive 3-0 win against Croatia in the semifinals, while France clinched a 2-0 win against Morocco to reach its second successive final. The champion of the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be crowned on Sunday.
Read More: Argentina vs France Final Match Preview: FIFA World Cup 2022
Here's everything you need to know about the highly anticipated match:
How and Where to watch FIFA World Cup 2022 Argentina vs France live in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh has a large number of fans who are watching FIFA World Cup 2022. Viewers can watch the match live on all of these channels: T Sports, BTV, PTE LTD and Viacom 18.
Toffee apps FIFA World Cup final 2022 live-The digital platform powered by Banglalink
FIFA world cup Qatar 2022 is being live telecasting on various apps. Bangladesh viewers can enjoy live stream between France vs Poland online the World Cup games on Toffee, the digital platform powered by Banglalink.
On social media Facebook pages and YouTube channels also live Argentina vs France final match.
Read More: How Argentina can beat France in the World Cup final
How to watch Argentina vs France live stream in India
In India, the World Cup is being live-streamed on Sports18, but every game is being shown for free and in 4K via the JioCinema app. You can live stream Argentina vs France Tuesday Night.
In Hindi, English, Malayalam, Bengali and Tamil Coverage is available and the JioCinema app is compatible with Chromecast if you want to get a big-screen experience.
How to watch Argentina vs France live stream in Australia
Soccer fans in Australia can enjoy Argentina vs France, along with every World Cup 2022 game, on free-to-air SBS. You can tune in on your TV or live stream Argentina vs France using SBS if you need.
This is free to use SBS on Demand and also it works on a range of smart devices as well as mobile phones, web browsers and smart TVs.
Read More: Will Messi's last performance in World Cup help Argentina win the trophy in Qatar?
How to watch Argentina vs France live stream World Cup 2022 soccer in the US without cable
Don’t` worry If you don't have cable TV, you can enjoy match live. A cord-cutting service is what for instant access to Fox and FS1. Sling Blue is the cheapest. Its only $40 per month but you needs to get first month half-price with this discount.
All of the matches of the World Cup is also being telecasted live on Peacock TV. The Peacock price may in at $4.99 a month and the service also proposals live coverage of the WWE, NFL, EPL and.
If you want to subscribe to Peacock, Sling or any other US live streaming service, and find yourself unable to access coverage because you're out of the country, you can consider using a VPN
How to watch Argentina vs France live sluice in UK
Football suckers in the UK can watch Argentina vs France live sluice for free on BBC iPlayer, along with numerous further World Cup 2022 games, as content of the event is resolve unevenly between the BBC and ITV.
UK Football suckers can enjoy live match of BBC iPlayer that's free to use, It works across a wide range of bias including laptops, smart TVs, mobile phones, games consoles, tablets and others streaming sticks. You can watch all the other FIFA World Cup Qatar final 2022 live aqueducts for free on ITV Hub.
Argentina vs France final match live: Where can you watch live?
United States –: Fox Sports app, FOX, Telemundo, fuboTV, , Telemundo Deportes En Vivo
United Kingdom –: BBC Sport Website, BBC One; Live Stream: BBC iPlayer,
Australia –: Live Stream: SBS On Demand, SBS;
Nigeria – Showmax Pro and SuperSport.
Singapore –: Channel 5, Mediacorp; Live Stream on Singapore: StarHub TV+, IPTV, Singtel TV
Hong Kong – Live Stream: Now TV, ViuTV: BeIN Sports, ITV;
Canada –: TSN app, CTV, TSN, fuboTV,
Malaysia –: Astro Go, RTM, Astro, Live Stream
Where will the Final match between Argentina vs France FIFA World Cup 2022 be held?
The FIFA World Cup 2022 final match between Argentina and France will be held at the Lusail Stadium.
When: December 18, 9.00 PM IST
What time will the Final match between Argentina vs France FIFA World Cup 2022 kick-off?
The FIFA World Cup 2022 Final match between Argentina vs France will start at 9:00 PM IST.
Read More: France struck by cold virus ahead of World Cup final
Argentina possible starting lineup:
Argentina Possible XI vs France: Cristian Romero, Rodrigo De Paul, Emiliano Martínez, Nahuel Molina, Alex Mac Allister, Nicolás Otamendi, Marcos Acuña, Enzo Fernández, Leandro Paredes, , , Julián Álvarez, Lionel Messi
France Possible starting lineup:
France Possible XI vs Argentina: Hugo Lloris, Jules Kounde, Raphael Varane, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez, Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Olivier Giroud
Argentina vs France overall Head-to-Head record
Out of the 12 matches they have played, Argentina has won six of them compared to France’s three. Three matches have ended in a draw.
Both sides will be locking horns for the 13th time in football history. Argentina holds the edge over France, having won six out of 12 times in their meetings, with France winning three; the other three matches have ended in a draw. France, however, had won in their last meeting that incidentally came in the World Cup knock-out stages at the previous edition (2018).
Read More: Messi or Mbappe: Who will win Golden Boot in World Cup 2022?
Qatar offers World Cup visitors an introduction to Islam
Fatima Garcia donned a headscarf and a black abaya — a long, loose-fitting robe — over her clothes as she walked into a mosque in Doha to learn about Islam.
In Qatar to enjoy the World Cup with friends, the Salvadoran visitor took a day off from soccer to go sightseeing at the Katara mosque, where preachers have been introducing Islam in multiple languages to curious fans from around the world.
“Qatar is my first exposure to Islam,” Garcia said inside the house of prayer, also known as the blue mosque for its beautiful turquoise tiles. “Qatar has been a life-changing adventure because it gives you a perspective on different cultures.”
Hundreds of thousands of visitors have come to Qatar during the World Cup. For many it's their first visit to a Muslim country. Those who don't venture far beyond the stadiums and Doha's glitzy hotels will have only limited exposure to the country's religion, such as hearing the call to prayer at a distance or witnessing Muslims prostrate at prayer rooms in stadiums, airports and hotels. But for those who are curious to find out more about Islam, Qatari authorities and religious officials are eager to help.
Local mosques are offering multilingual tours to visitors and the Islamic Cultural Center in Doha offers a virtual reality tour of the holy city of Mecca. Booths at tourist sites hand out free copies of the Quran and brochures about Islam are available in hotel lobbies. Billboards have been set up across Doha featuring U.S. Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammed and other Muslim personalities as part of a campaign encouraging people to explore Islam.
“Why during the World Cup? Everyone is coming here from across the world to Qatar, a Muslim country, and it’s an opportunity to educate people about the faith,” said Abu Huraira, a volunteer for the campaign by the Explore Islam Foundation and the Islam & Muslims Initiative.
Qatari officials say they hope the tournament will help provide visitors with a better understanding of their culture and that of the larger region.
Qatar follows an ultraconservative form of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism. But unlike neighboring Saudi Arabia, where adherence to Wahhabism led to strict segregation of unmarried men and women, banned women from driving and kept concerts, cinemas and even yoga off-limits for decades, Qatar has long sponsored the arts, allowed women to participate in high levels of governance and encouraged tourists to feel at ease.
The World Cup host, though, has faced intense criticism over human rights issues, including the treatment of migrant workers, and accusations of “sportswashing” or attempting to use the event’s prestige to remake its image.
Qatari officials have argued that the nation’s progress and achievements are being overlooked. The ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, said some of the criticism against the first Arab and Muslim country to host the World Cup included “fabrications and double standards.”
The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs and the host country’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy did not respond to requests for comment.
Read more: FIFA World Cup 2022: All you need to know about Qatar's laws, customs
Back inside the ornate Ottoman-style Katara mosque, Riffat Ishfaq, a guide from Pakistan, told Garcia that it was designed by Turkish interior designer Zeynep Fadillioglu, whose first name is the Turkish form of the name of the eldest daughter of the Prophet Muhammed. The tiles had been handmade, Ishfaq said; the columns were covered with leather and the domed roof contained gold. By the end of the tour, Garcia also learned why women dress modestly in Islam and the origins of the religion.
“We want to tell people about Islam. We feel pride in our identity,” Ishfaq said, before telling Garcia to keep the abaya as a parting gift. “This helps to dispel misconceptions.”
Nearby, Sergio Morales, a Guatemalan who had come for the whole tournament, finished listening to a tour and walked out of the mosque to a booth located at the entrance where he asked for a free copy of the Quran.
“Today I became interested because the guided tour was in Spanish and I could understand it all,” he said. “There should be guides in Spanish in every mosque because there are so many Latin American people coming to these countries.”
Booths with free Qurans and booklets introducing the religion in several languages are also available in the winding cobbled alleys of Souq Waqif, the capital’s oldest bazaar where stores hawk spices and perfumes, scented oils and silk scarves.
Just steps from there, World Cup visitors walked into the spiral-like building of the Abdullah Bin Zaid Al-Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center, for a tour and a visit to the mosque, where people gathered for Friday prayer.
Carlos Bustos, Mireya Arias and their sons, 8-year-old Jacobo and 13-year-old Matias toured the cultural center. The Colombian family read information on large placards about the contributions of the Islamic world to medicine, science, math and architecture.
“What we've seen is that they've made an effort to change the image that we have in the West of seeing Islam. It's breaking that barrier,” said Carlos Bustos, who along with his sons had dressed in traditional Qatari clothes.
“They've told us that we're very different but we see more similarities than differences,” he said.
His wife, Mireya Arias, admired the devotion of Muslims to their faith and how they follow the call to prayer. She also appreciated the efforts made by Qatar to introduce visitors to Islam.
Read more: Qatar ready to open Mideast’s first FIFA World Cup before leaders, fans
“They've used a lot of strategies to get closer to visitors, for us to understand and learn,” she said. “When you're on the buses that take you to the (World Cup) stadiums, you point to a QR code and it gives you explanations about the Quran.”
Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art also offers glimpses into religious beliefs and rituals. Visitors can read about the five pillars of Islam — the profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving, fasting and hajj or pilgrimage — or learn about hajj rituals and different funerary practices in the Islamic world.
“The more you understand this Islamic culture, the more fascinating it is,” said Jose Antonio Tinoco, a Brazilian museum visitor, who wore his country's soccer jersey. “The most important part of the museum for me was the part on Islam.”