Egyptian fans watch their team against Uruguay in the World Cup in Dubai. Satish Kumar for the National
Egyptian fans watch their team against Uruguay in the World Cup in Dubai. Satish Kumar for the National

The unique pleasure of watching the World Cup right here in the UAE



As a lifelong football fan, there have been many benefits of moving to Abu Dhabi from Melbourne nearly eight years ago. The biggest is the pleasure of watching tournaments such as the World Cup at a civilised time, and European matches that kick-off from 2pm to midnight.

This is a far cry from my time living Down Under when watching the big match required a 3am alarm and, consequently, a groggy day in the office.

And while I’m certainly savouring all of the football action while eating dinner, another unexpected pleasure of watching the World Cup in the UAE’s capital is the diversity of fans to share the beautiful game with. Who needs to travel to the host nation Russia and hang out in the fan zones when you have all of the world right here?

For the World Cup, which runs until July 15, I have been making a point of watching the matches in Abu Dhabi venues that share a cultural link with some of the competing teams. As a result, my viewing experience has considerably heightened.

The Arab teams' games

When it came to the Arab teams, there was no greater place to watch the matches than in the city’s plethora of shisha cafes. This, in my opinion, was the second best experience after being at the stadium itself. Here we were all packed tightly together in wonky plastic chairs, nursing our mint teas from the sudden and expansive gesticulations of those sitting beside us.

Needless to say, with all of the Arab teams knocked out in the first round, the cafes turned from being a place of celebration to the host of therapy sessions on the nature of defeat.

“What’s the point of trying,” exclaimed the Egyptian coffee-maker Abdou in Khalidya’s Al Noukhada.

“If we are going to work our guts out to be in this stupid tournament then that work should continue once we are actually there. I mean, I didn’t come to Abu Dhabi for a holiday. I came here to work. It’s the same thing.”

The German games

For Germany’s games, meanwhile, I experienced the true meaning of German stoicism at the Brauhaus restaurant. I watched the team’s shock defeat by Mexico there, however there was none of the wailing and beseeching at the large screen that I saw when Saudi Arabia were thumped by Russia. There a deathly silence on the outside tables as people morosely tucked into schnitzels and sauerkraut.

When the final whistle blew, there was an almost collective rueful sigh as dinner groups then began immediately discussing the next German game.

The Belgian games

Unexpectedly, it was the Belgians who delivered the celebratory vibes that I was looking for, and that’s because their national side was winning with style.

Responding to the Facebook call out from the UAE-based fan club, the Red Devils, I went to the Belgian Beer Café and encountered a cacophonous sea of red, with more than a hundred Belgians chanting and dancing along to make-shift tambourines.

The most memorable of all was the half-time entertainment provided by a singer and a flautist as they took on Euro-pop hits such as All That She Wants by Ace of Base.

With a few weeks left for the tournament, I recommend you ditch the home viewing and the lavish tents and go out and experience the game with the hard-core fans in the nation’s many global bars and restaurants.

Not only does this make for a more thrilling football-watching experience, but it truly is a representation of the UAE’s glorious cultural mix.

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Read more of Saeed's thoughts:

How storytelling reveals who we are and creates bonds between us

How speaking in Arabic will add colour to my vocabulary this Ramadan

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ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures

October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA

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THE BIO

Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.

Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.

Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.

Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.

 

 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Airev
Started: September 2023
Founder: Muhammad Khalid
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: Generative AI
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
 
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UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

'Joker'

Directed by: Todd Phillips

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix

Rating: Five out of five stars

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The specs

Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors

Transmission: two-speed

Power: 671hp

Torque: 849Nm

Range: 456km

Price: from Dh437,900 

On sale: now

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGrowdash%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJuly%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESean%20Trevaskis%20and%20Enver%20Sorkun%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERestaurant%20technology%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%20so%20far%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24750%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFlat6Labs%2C%20Plus%20VC%2C%20Judah%20VC%2C%20TPN%20Investments%20and%20angel%20investors%2C%20including%20former%20Talabat%20chief%20executive%20Abdulhamid%20Alomar%2C%20and%20entrepreneur%20Zeid%20Husban%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol

Power: 154bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option 

Price: From Dh79,600

On sale: Now

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

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The Dictionary of Animal Languages
Heidi Sopinka
​​​​​​​Scribe

Race 3

Produced: Salman Khan Films and Tips Films
Director: Remo D’Souza
Cast: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol, Daisy Shah, Saqib Salem
Rating: 2.5 stars

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CREW
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MATCH INFO

Burnley 0

Man City 3

Raheem Sterling 35', 49'

Ferran Torres 65'

 

 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
WWE TLC results

Asuka won the SmackDown Women's title in a TLC triple threat with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair

Dean Ambrose won the Intercontinental title against Seth Rollins

Daniel Bryan retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against AJ Styles

Ronda Rousey retained the Raw Women's Championship against Nia Jax

Rey Mysterio beat Randy Orton in a chairs match

Finn Balor defeated Drew McIntyre

Natalya beat Ruby Riott in a tables match

Braun Strowman beat Baron Corbin in a TLC match

Sheamus and Cesaro retained the SmackDown Tag Titles against The Usos and New Day

R-Truth and Carmella won the Mixed Match Challenge by beating Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox

EA Sports FC 25
Cinco in numbers

Dh3.7 million

The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown

46

The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.

1,000

The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]

50

How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday

3,000

The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

1.1 million

The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.