In order to watch the inauguration ceremony of the the first World Cup in the Middle East, thousands of migratory workers gathered in Doha Stadium and took selfies from stands and sitting on the grassy pitch.
Another special fan zone set up was also arranged at the industrial area on the city’s outskirts including a stadium with huge TV screen and another big screen set up outside for an overflow crowd.
It’s adjacent to the various worker camps where Qatar’s hundreds of thousands of low-income labourers live.
“We are here to enjoy our sweat now,” said Ronald Ssenyondo, a 25-year-old Ugandan who was rooting for Qatar recently.
He was in Qatar for two years, working all day and night in order to finish stadiums where the tournament was about to begin.
“I am just overwhelmed with the things I’m seeing now,” he said.
Qatar is a home country to 2.9 million people in which the majority are the one who are foreign workers from low-income construction workers to high-powered executives.’
However, Rights groups charged the authorities who failed to protect lower-income workers including the ones who constructed the stadium and hotels to host World Cup fans – from overwork, unpaid wages and poor living conditions.
Moreover, the match tickets for the opener worth an average of $200 while the industrial fan zone was free.
Thousands stacked up in order to cheer up when the match ended with Ecuador’s win 2-0.
