Desert World Cup but take your coat!

YOU would not expect to regret not bringing a coat to the first match of a World Cup in the desert but that was the case last night.

I managed to get a ticket yesterday for the opening ceremony but the only thing I saw of it were fireworks going off from the roof of the stadium, as it was no easy task getting to Al Bayt, which is the northernmost venue in Qatar. Entering the stadium was just as hard, with lots of security checks. Once inside this fantastic venue, though, it quickly felt autumnal rather than a warm Arabian night due to the air conditioning being pumped out of vents under every

lower-tier seat. This was one of many unusual experiences. Take walking around the concourses — where you might be used to feeling the stickiness of spilt beer under your feet in an English venue but there was none of that. Bud Zero is the only thing that resembles alcohol but nobody tried to buy it. There was also no hot grub and staff seemed overwhelmed by the crowd of 67,372. If you are going to a match, it is not cheap — four Cokes, three bags of crisps and a bag of popcorn was £24.

And the football? The VAR drama that denied Ecuador an early goal was just like it is in the Premier League. How can those in seats be denied the chance to see why a decision is being examined? The excitement quickly fizzled out and long before the end many locals had gone home, most of them leaving behind the gift bags that had been waiting for them under their seats. Things, perhaps, will only get better.