Blood Soccer: Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 is tainted by bribes, death, coercion, homophobia

FIFA World Cup 2022 is less than 10 days away. It is being hosted in Qatar, making history for FIFA as the first tournament to be hosted in western Asia. But the cheers and excitement around the Qatar FIFA World Cup are drowned in cries of abuse, corruption and fear as the event approaches. 

Even if you are a fan heading to watch the tournament of your lifetime, you should be cautious.

A glimpse at the price of the 2022 FIFA World Cup:

Buying cheers: Recently, Qatar was accused of luring football fans from around the world with free tickets to the World Cup, travel and accommodation in exchange for cheering for the Qatari government. 

Fan villages: What's more, there are concerns being raised about the accommodation conditions for tourists and fans who will be visiting Qatar during the tournament. 

• These tiny tin cans for a budget stay for fans at the tournament in the middle of a desert with soaring temperatures are raising some eyebrows. Who wants to be roasted alive for just $200 (around Rs 16,000) a night? 

Views of one of the World Cup fan villages in Doha, Qatar.

A stay at Al Emadi costs over $200 per night 📸 pic.twitter.com/yh6QfIpcBZ

— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 9, 2022

• Women, LGBTQIA+ and even unmarried couple football fans travelling to Qatar should be extra cautious due to the country's strict conservative laws. 
• Recently, FIFA World Cup Ambassador Khalid Salman called homosexuality a mental defect.
• Women may not be able to report sexual harassment at the tournament due to strict and skewed laws on rape and harassment of women. 
• Unmarried couples may also not be allowed access to contraceptives and another related medical emergency. 

Now, the only thing to do before you set off to Qatar to watch FIFA World Cup 2022 is to pray that all goes well.

[Read: Gay player scared to play, hotels not allowing same-sex couples: The homophobic troubles of FIFA World Cup at Qatar]