Hamburgers, snacks and hot dogs that are far from mouth-watering for fans – although for some it is enough. The price, however, is similar to what you pay in snack bars in the center of Doha, capital of Qatar.
This is the description of part of the menu sold in the 2022 World Cup stadiums, standardized in the arenas.
The price is high and, in general, fans complain about the quality of the items sold. But, despite the protests, queues form during breaks, when points of sale are more disputed.
For the third time in an arena at the World Cup, Omani Wadia Alghassani, 27, ate the beef burger, just to satisfy his hunger. “Neither is good,” he says.
At the Al Bayt stadium, in Al Khor, to support Morocco in the game against France, this Wednesday (14), the resident of Oman ate in the interval between times, while complaining about the price and the snacks he had already tasted — none passed his approval.
The best option, according to him, is the hamburger. “It’s dry, it’s expensive and it’s overrated, I think,” says Alghassani.
On the other hand, the Qatari Wassim Marwani, 31, considers the food good, but not delicious. For a stadium, he says it fulfills its role. Returning to the starting point, he carried a hot dog, a very different version of the Brazilian one, with only bread and sausage.
“I think [a comida] it’s ok. It’s clean, the staff is nice. It’s ok”, he points out, saying that he would give it a score of around eight.
A simple hamburger, the kind with bread, meat and cheese, is around R$60. If you want to add a Coca-Cola, you’ll have to spend about R$22 more. another R$ 15. A complete meal would then be in the hundreds range.
A cheaper option is the fatayer (a kind of wrap), which costs R$15, and the hot dog, around R$37. A 500 ml bottle of water also costs R$15.
Mohamed Anani, 36, was tasting the food offered at the arena for the first time. For the Moroccan fan, the biggest problem was the high price associated with the limited menu.
He considers positive points the fast service and the large number of stores in the stadium, but says that the cost is high, if compared with the values found outside the arena, in addition to the fact that the establishment does not offer options for children.
“If you want potatoes, they’re not fresh, they’re potato chips. There are no sweet options,” he says.
Another point that caused distress for fans was Qatar’s decision to ban beer inside and around stadiums.
The order came from the Delivery and Legacy Committee, which organizes the Worlds, shortly before the start of the championship. Fans who had organized their trips for months, sometimes years, were caught off guard.
Alcohol is only allowed in places authorized by the government, such as hotel bars. During the World Cup, FIFA Fan Fests are also selling beers.
After the decision, only the non-alcoholic version of the official sponsor is sold in the arenas. The drink, which is not popular with the crowd, costs around R$45.
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