They didn’t show it on the BBC channels. According to Gary Lineker, he said, we could see it if we pressed the red button, but it was not announced. It is available on BBCIPlayer.
There were quite a few women in the stadium watching the game and children and I think some female members of the Al Thani family too.
I did not watch everything, but i haven’t seen any women in between the Catari dancers. That’s why i said it. But then i switched it off.
You found it shameful , really ?
On the positive side of football. This was abit heartwarming. 
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Yes, really.
A lot of people in the UK wanted to watch it, but they took that right away from us…
Disgusting.
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Mel Reddy on Sky Sports: The stadium announcer said over the PA that there was a crowd of 67,000 for the opening game, but the stadium capacity is only 60,000
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That might be a shame for you but there’s nothing shameful about it. It makes me feel quite proud actually.
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Yes the whole first 2 days of the tournament was rearranged as recently as about 2 months ago to suit the Emir of Qatar who decided last minute he wanted to a do a firework show and needed it to be a night for it to work.
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I’m not alone in my sentiments, as I’m sure you’re not either.
Hypocrisy and as Maria mentioned before the double standards of the BBC isn’t anything new, not the first time they’ve disgraced themselves.
Usually, the BBC put a footnote, press the red button for such and such etc, but nothing was announced, viewers were waiting to watch it and missed it.
Edit: From what i see and read about this World Cup, i just feel Qatar is getting more pelters of criticism than Russia got. Not every single Qatari thinks like the Qatari govt or like their polices, but they are trying their best to welcome people from all over the world.
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Isn’t it Germany?
There’s a very interesting piece here about the Qataris themselves and a little recent history lesson which helps explain the real reason the tournament was so important to the country ;
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Yes I think it was GR who alluded to it yesterday, I stand corrected.
VVD said he wants to wear it but if he’s going to get booked then they (the Dutch) need to talk to FIFA because he “doesn’t like playing with a yellow card”
There’s only 300,000 Qatari’s total! Population of 2.7 mil, the difference is the migrant workers, which is why so many outlets have featured story lines with migrant workers.
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So far nobody knows what the punishment for wearing the One Love armband will be. Could be a yellow card. Could be a fine.
Vvd and Manuel Neuer still plan to wear it but they probably wait to see what will happen to Harry Kane tomorrow.
Usually there is a meeting with the refs and the captains before every game. That’s probably where Kane will be told what the consequences will be.
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People pretend to care far too much what goes on in the Arab world and their affairs…only once Qatar is named as the host nation do people want to open their mouths and condemn…never before. I find that fascinating.
Either you care, or you don’t.
Also you don’t need to wear a piece of garment to express your feelings…god knows you’ve been speaking out since June, that’s enough. The football is here, let’s focus on that. Let the organisations responsible and involved in the human rights world deal with the outside stuff.
German commentator Bela Rethy is doing his 10th World Cup and he said he has never seen more empty seats during a tournament like today.
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I kind of agree with you.
Now that the deed is done, teams and some fans are on the ground, it’s not deliberately antagonising the hosts will make them change their ways. It’ll just make things more unpleasant for everyone.
But going forward, the World Cup host selection has to be COMPLETELY overhauled. This kind of bullshit selection cannot happen a second time.
And when I say bullshit I mean on purely footballing terms. They have no pedigree or history of football. With the environmental crisis hitting the entire world, it’s criminal to have to build these white elephant stadia that will basically fall into disrepair over time. Why a waste of money and resources, unconscionable! And then moving the World Cup because of the fucking weather? At the risk of injuring the playing personnel who have been subjected to a squeezed season? Fuck no, never again.
If that means binning FIFA then that’s what has to happen.
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