QATAR has paid 1,500 fans from other countries to come to the World Cup and support the host nation, it has been alleged.
The tournament is now in full swing with the group stages coming to an end in the coming days.
Qatar were the first country to be eliminated after losing their first two games but face a final clash with Holland this afternoon.
Loud, passionate fans grouped in one part of the stadium and wearing maroon shirts with ‘Qatar’ written across the front are expected to be in attendance again.
But the New York Times reports that those fans have been paid to come from other countries and provide an atmosphere.
The ultras have been seen making a racket during games as they try to cheer on the Qatar players to cause an upset.
But as many as 1,500 fans from Lebanon, Egypt, Algeria and Syria were flown out, provided free accommodation, food and match tickets as well as payment to attend games, according to the American newspaper.
They report that the foreign fans arrived as early as mid-October to rehearse chants and learn the Qatar national anthem in an attempt to replicate the ‘ultra culture’ seen across European countries.
One unnamed Lebanese ultra insisted that money was not the pure motivating factor for the fans who had been flown in to support the host nation.
They told the New York Times: “It is our duty to support an Arab country. We share the same language. We share the same culture. We are fingers on the same hand.
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“We want to show the world something special. You will see something special.”
Many criticisms have been levelled at the Middle Eastern nation since they won the rights to host the 2022 World Cup.
One consistent comment is that the country lacked a fan culture seen in other countries who had previously hosted the tournament.
There was controversy before a single ball was even kicked after it was claimed that hundreds of “fake fans” had been paid to parade through Qatar in the days leading up to the opening match.
