In one hour, the Moroccan airline company RAM sold out all seven additional flights from Morocco to Qatar, where the Atlas Lions will face Portugal in the quarter-final on Saturday. The Moroccans have already enjoyed the greatest fan support, but now they will really be playing at home.
By far the largest and loudest support in the round of 16 was enjoyed by Morocco, which has now definitively become the home team. Thousands of Moroccans living and working in Qatar have already received generous reinforcements from the surrounding Gulf states, home to at least half a million of their citizens.
Representatives of Africa and the Arab world
At the same time, many Moroccans living in European countries also decided to visit WC 2022, as a result of which the matches of the Atlas Lions were already fully occupied in the preliminaries. At the same time, Morocco, as the only remaining representative of Africa, understandably received the support of all Africans in Qatar. At the same time, it also became the first Arab national team to break into the top eight, which leaves no doubt as to who the Qataris and many immigrants from the Arab world, who represent between 15 and 20 percent of the population, support most passionately.
Problem: Not enough free tickets for the match
In the homeland, RAM prepared an additional seven flights, but they were sold out in the wee hours on Friday morning. “We need more planes,” commented the representative of the airline. Many Moroccans have bought plane tickets, despite not having purchased a ticket to watch the semi-final match with Portugal, but managed to obtain a haya card, which is a prerequisite for foreign fans to enter Qatar during the World Cup.
During the Round of 16 match against Spain, Moroccan fans in their red jerseys with a green star occupied at least three quarters of the stands. Morocco is expected to have an even bigger share and thus home advantage in Saturday’s match, which, to the great regret of the Moroccans, will be hosted by the Al Tumama stadium, which can accommodate only 44,400 spectators.
Source: Rtvslo
