This is the biggest match of the Asian football calendar. But no one from the WATER host will look

Acrimony

It remains to be seen whether many people will visit the stadium to witness Qatar's incredible outsider to the glory of the Asian Cup.

Held in the United Arab Emirates, the occasion put politics in the spotlight following Qatar's remarkable remoteness from its Gulf neighbors in June 2017.

Much of the criticism of the Gulf State comes from its alleged support for the Muslim Brotherhood, an Islamic group considered a terrorist organization by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

At the time, Qatari citizens had 14 days to leave the United Arab Emirates, alongside Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, which also prohibited their citizens from entering Qatar. A travel ban is still in effect.

The lack of any real fan base in the surprise set of the tournament was a blow for the organizers, who saw their number of spectators hover around 10 to 14,000 for most of the group matches, and even those involving the hosts saw many empty seats.

Sales atone

It remains to be seen how many spectators will appear in the final, since Qatari fans are largely forbidden to enter the UAE and that the Japanese, small but sturdy, helps to travel will only take place. a small fraction of the 43,000-seat stadium at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

"Only a handful of Qatari fans were in the (semi-final)," an emirati veteran journalist told CNN, who asked to remain anonymous, because of tensions around Tuesday's match.

"Tuesday's stadium was packed (but) I do not see how it could happen on Friday (for the Japan-Qatar final) given the lack of interest in the match as a whole. are few and if Gulf nationals were present, they would support Japan widely. "

Some matches attracted only a handful of spectators, such as the clash between Qatar and North Korea – which was only watched by 452 spectators.

Angry scenes

This behavior will be misunderstood by the authorities and could jeopardize the possible division of tasks by the UAE as organizer of the World Cup in 2022, if the enlargement to 48 teams materializes.

The AFC told CNN via a statement that she "was conducting a thorough investigation into the events of the 2019 Asia Cup semi-final between the UAE and Qatar. Once this investigation is completed, she will decide the appropriate course of action.

"The safety of our players and supporters is of utmost importance to the AFC and we work with the local organizing committee and local authorities to ensure that the procedures and the highest safety standards are in place. place for the final. "

The semi-final match marks the first time the two men have met on the football field since the United Arab Emirates joined Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt to sever relations with Qatar almost two years ago.

While the occasion apparently concerned football, the preparation for the competition – also known as the "blockade derby" – was surrounded by political badyzes and diplomatic conflicts in the region.

The AFC confirmed to CNN that the UAE football badociation had formally filed a lawsuit with the Asian ruling body over the eligibility of two Qatar players.

Final non grata

Since the defeat, the atmosphere has deteriorated, not to mention the lost semifinal or Friday's final, in the UAE press or on its streets. Sports commentators even avoid pronouncing the name of the greatest rival of their country.

Another UAE-based journalist, who also wants to remain anonymous, told CNN that, since Qatar was suffering the indignity of defeat against the organizers, the coverage of the tournament is much lower than the fans should be. expect him to be ahead of a final AFC game.

When asked why, the reporter replied, "you know why."

The race to the finals has been a remarkable feat for Qatar, a country that has worked hard over the past few years developing its football infrastructure and development through its Aspire Academy and the work of the team. Felix Sanchez coach in the youth system.

All this work, including winning the 2014 AFC Under-19 Championship with the same group as the finalists in this tournament, will not be canceled by Qatar's treatment of the United Arab Emirates. but the chandelier has certainly not disappeared.