Factors including scarcity of alcohol and travel costs have changed the face of England’s support, but will it last?
It was 16-year-old Mohamed Suleiman from Bolton who said it best, as he gazed at a vast panorama of England supporters around him in Doha – and saw so many faces looking like his own. “I think English fan culture is changing,” he said. “It’s becoming more diverse. More welcoming. And you can definitely see it in Qatar.”
Mohamed’s father, Abdul, explained that he had always dreamed of taking his son to a World Cup. Now they were here in England shirts for what they both called a trip of a lifetime. “Over the weekend England and Wales fans were fighting in Spain,” added Abdul. “But there are no issues here. Perhaps the lack of alcohol has something to do with it, but it feels safe and welcoming.”
