Qatar ‘paid for’ fans at World Cup, up to 2,000 involved | OneFootball

Qatar is said to have bankrolled travel, hotels and match tickets to bolster support for its national team at the World Cup, according to The Telegraph.

The Gulf state went out in the group stage after a 3-1 defeat by Bosnia, yet several hundred supporters still backed the side.

The investigation says anonymous fans were offered packages worth several thousand euros, covering accommodation, match entry and flights when needed. Recipients also received a box before games containing a Qatar shirt, sunglasses, a scarf and a national flag. Some alleged participants had never previously set foot in a stadium.

Across the group phase, about 1,000 people were mobilised on an all-expenses-paid basis. For the Bosnia match, the number is said to have risen to around 2,000, with suggestions American and Mexican fans joined in at the oil state’s expense.

The Qatar federation is said to have initially targeted diehards and Qatari students studying in the United States and Mexico. The scheme appears to have been expanded well beyond that brief.

Source: L'Équipe