The Qatar World Cup is so alien to so many people, not just the time that it was. I mean, they've had winter World Cups in the winter time of the Southern Hemisphere several times. The Qatarian national team that no one knows any of those players unless you're a keen follower of the Belgian Second Division and First Division. And there's always going to be other stories. You know, this is a big thing.
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The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has officially kicked off, but not without its controversies. Ever since Qatar was awarded the tournament in 2010, making it the first country in the Middle East to do so, there has been scepticism from the West around the decision, with critics citing human rights violations, LGBT rights, and corruption within FIFA. On this episode of the podcast we're joined by journalist and author James Montague who first began covering football in the Middle East two decades ago. Drawing on his book, When Friday Comes: Football revolution in the Middle East and the road to Qatar, he discusses the intersection of football, politics, and global power. The host for this episode is Joey D’Urso, investigations writer for The Athletic UK.
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