World Cup Host Qatar Loses Opening Match, Gulf Leaders Attend

The host of the World Cup lost its opening match in the quadrennial international soccer championship against Ecuador, 2-0. It is the first time that the World Cup home team has lost the first match and could make it difficult for the Asian champions to make it out of the first round.

No leaders of major Western countries attended the opening ceremony for the World Cup, but the leaders of several Mideast and Gulf countries were in attendance, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Qatar in 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Relations were repaired in January 2021 at the Gulf Cooperation Council summit in AlUla in Saudi Arabia.

Also in attendance were: UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Senegalese President Macky Sall, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

Western countries’ leaders likely stayed away due to concerns over the country’s human rights record, including its treatment of the LGBTQ community, and its treatment of migrant workers.

Eight stadiums were built or renovated throughout Qatar for the World Cup, at an estimated cost of $200 billion.

Meanwhile, The Jerusalem Post reported that Jewish organizations said that Qatar won’t allow any cooked kosher food to be sold or offered to visitors of the FIFA World Cup, despite promises that they would be permitted to do so.