In Doha, PSG’s appeal is still a work in progress | OneFootball

PSG are still working to deepen their popularity in Qatar as they prepare to face Flamengo in Wednesday’s Intercontinental Cup final in Doha. According to L'Équipe, efforts dating back to QSI’s 2011 takeover run up against Real Madrid and Barcelona’s pull.

On Monday the club opened the Ici, c’est Paris Park, a fan zone modelled on last summer’s Los Angeles activation, to present Paris to the “mother country”. Around 50 local media and influencers attended, with Désiré Doué, Ousmane Dembélé and Warren Zaïre-Emery present.

Crowds were modest and family heavy, with locals posing alongside the five trophies Paris have lifted this season. Kids ran PSG Academy drills, coaches mixed languages and a boy with a Juventus bag drew laughs.

PSG Academies span 13 sites in Qatar and host 1,700 youngsters, while the Doha supporters’ club keeps the daily beat some 5,000 kilometres from Paris. Fans tried VR, skills tests and PlayStation games against Luis Enrique’s men.

Local fan Mohamed puts Paris third in Doha behind Barcelona and Real, despite being very popular, and says his 200-strong shirt collection now includes Dembélé. He and Auteuil regular Anwer both noticed a Champions League bounce in conversations and shirt sightings.

Dembélé’s Ballon d’Or has been taken as recognition, and he is expected to be one of the main attractions on Wednesday. By the eve of the tie, 30,000 of roughly 44,000 tickets had been sold, prices from 12 euros. About 1,000 Paris fans are due, including travellers from Oman, Iran, Côte d’Ivoire and South Korea.

Source: L'Équipe