Qatar Far Exceeded Hosting Expectations

As I am sure, everyone is still recovering from that cracker of a world cup final, I also think it's best to give credit to the hosts. Qatar went far and beyond in exceeding world expectations. They produced a world class sporting product that brought the best out of all the teams that competed. When teams performed, it didn't take long for fans to buy in and contribute to the already explosive and jubilant atmosphere. It's understandable as to why many were so hesitant about the tournament being in that part of the world. Taking things such as cultural differences and Qatar's strict rules and regulations into consideration, many thought it would be a total bust! Add to that, the limited access to alcohol may have been the deal breaker for most fans. However, the country should be commended for doubling down on their rules and not folding under western pressure.

They showed the world that it's possible to produce a world class spectacle, and by doing it in their own way. That takes a lot character! Respect to them! Anyway, enough world politics, let's get back to the football. Hosting the tournament in November was always going to be tricky. For the Southern Hemisphere nations, it must have felt really weird. I say that because the December summer period is when everyone is usually already on vacation. But, even with all these schedule changes, the world adjusted well and tuned in to watch the biggest sporting event in the world! The viewership numbers were released on the FIFA+ platform, and I'll tell you, they didn't disappoint at all. The tournament TV and online streaming viewership surpassed 1Billion!

That is rather impressive isn't it? Stadium attendances also recorded exceptional numbers. This proves that the organizing committee was on point in making sure that the stadiums were well and ready to enhance the fan experience.

So many teams emerged and surprised the world with their performances. Underdogs were stepping up! When going into a world cup, there is this tendency of football fanatics nominating Brazil as favorites. This really needs to stop because they have underperformed in playoff stages- for five world cups, in a row! Japan was impressive. Not surprising at all, considering they had just completed their domestic season. The players were game fit and sharp! The same can also be said about the USA. The November conclusion of the MLS ensured that the players were in peak form and condition for the world cup. The biggest surprise of the FIFA World Cup were non other than Morocco. Nobody gave them a chance about advancing as far into the tournament as they did. But I guess, that is what makes the tournament what it is. A star team, or player is always born! The world loves to see that. As if we weren't surprised enough, last night, Argentina made sure to let us know that this truly was a world cup of unexpected turn of events. Beating a favored France, to be crowned world champs, couldn't have been an easy task for them. But with the hunger they showed, they did it! I don't think there is a better fairytale ending to a superstar's international career than that of Lionel Messi. He really deserved to be on the winning side this time around. It's been a long time coming. Congrats to Argentina and hard luck to France. That was an unbelievable display of football. The best I've ever seen! Thank you to both teams for giving the world that sort of entertainment.

By: Zila Mbekela

Sports Agent & Sports Content Creator