Tag: qatar

Qatar announces new gas output boost with mega field expansion | Oil and Gas News

The overall expansion of North Field from 77mtpa currently to 142mtpa by 2030 represents an 85 percent increase in production.

Qatar has announced new plans to expand output from the world’s biggest natural gas field, saying it will boost capacity to 142 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) before 2030.

The new North Field expansion, named North Field West, will add a further 16 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per year to existing expansion plans, Qatar’s Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi said at a news conference on Sunday.

“Recent studies have shown that the North Field contains huge additional gas quantities estimated at 240 trillion cubic feet, which raises the state of Qatar’s gas reserves from 1,760 [trillion cubic feet] to more than 2,000 trillion cubic feet,” said al-Kaabi, who also heads the state-owned company QatarEnergy.

These results “will enable us to begin developing a new LNG project from the North Field’s western sector with a production capacity of about 16 million tonnes per annum”, he said.

This will bring Qatar’s production capacity to 142 million tonnes once “the new expansion is completed before the end of this decade” – a nearly 85 percent rise from current production levels, al-Kaabi added.

The QatarEnergy chief said the firm will “immediately commence” with engineering works to ensure the expansion is completed on time.

Qatar is one of the world’s top LNG producers alongside the United States, Australia and Russia.

Asian countries led by China, Japan and South Korea have been the main market for Qatari gas, but demand has also grown from European countries since Russia’s war on Ukraine threw supplies into doubt.

The latest expansion plans follow a flurry of announcements for long-term Qatari gas supply deals.

Earlier this month, Qatar said it would supply 7.5mtpa of LNG for 20 years to India’s Petronet, with the first deliveries expected from May 2028.

At the end of January, QatarEnergy announced a deal with US-based Excelerate Energy to supply Bangladesh with 1.5mtpa of LNG for 15 years.

Last year, Qatar signed LNG deals with China’s Sinopec, France’s Total, Britain’s Shell and Italy’s Eni.

Global price collapse

Competition for LNG has ramped up since the start of the war in Ukraine, with Europe, in particular, requiring a large quantity to help replace Russian pipeline gas that used to make up almost 40 percent of the continent’s imports.

The Qatari announcement came as the US gas prices trade near an all-time low if adjusted to inflation after a decade of meteoric rises in output which made the US one of the top oil and gas exporters.

Prices of gas in Europe also fell steeply despite a drop in Russian supplies after the US and Qatar helped replace lost volumes.

Despite the price drop, all leading gas producers, including the US, Australia and Russia, want to increase output betting on further demand growth and worries that their gas might not be needed decades from now if the energy transition makes green energy cheaper.

The latest expansion may not be the last for the Gulf energy giant as al-Kaabi said appraisal of Qatari gas reservoirs would continue and production would be further expanded if there is a market need.

On partnerships for the new trains, al-Kaabi said QatarEnergy will go ahead and begin the engineering phase of this project on its own without seeking partners and then take a decision on partnerships later.

The North Field is part of the world’s largest gas field, which Qatar shares with Iran, which calls its share South Pars.

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Israeli delegation expected in Qatar for more Gaza talks | Israel War on Gaza News

Framework of the agreement includes a six-week pause in fighting that could see an exchange of captives and increase in aid.

An Israeli delegation is soon expected in Qatar to continue talks on securing a pause in the war on Gaza that could see captives released.

The talks began last week in Paris and were attended by the chiefs of Israel’s spy agency Mossad and domestic security service Shin Bet, along with mediators from the United States, Qatar and Egypt.

The Israeli delegation returned from the French capital, with Israeli national security adviser, Tzachi Hanegbi, saying during a televised interview late on Saturday that “there is probably room to move towards an agreement”.

According to Israeli media, negotiators had a meeting with the Israeli cabinet, which agreed to send a delegation to Qatar in the coming days to continue negotiations.

Al Jazeera’s Willem Marx, reporting from occupied East Jerusalem, said Israeli media are talking about the details of a framework for talks, which could potentially see a pause in fighting for up to six weeks if a captive is released each day from Gaza.

“It looks like there will be around 40 Israeli hostages being released – that would be women civilians, female soldiers, older men with serious medical conditions – in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners currently held in detention or Israeli jails.”

Marx said an agreement could also lead to a considerable increase in humanitarian aid going into the Gaza Strip and a potential return of Palestinians to the heavily bombarded and attacked areas in the northern part of the enclave.

“Hamas, crucially, has not commented on any of this,” he said.

Prior to the latest round of talks, Hamas had said it would accept nothing less than a complete cessation of fighting and an end to the siege of Gaza, something Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had dismissed while emphasising “total victory” over the armed group.

Close to 30,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been confirmed killed by the Ministry of Health in Gaza, with thousands more missing and presumably still under the rubble.

More than 100 captives, including Israelis and other nationals, were released as part of a one-week pause in fighting in November, which also saw hundreds of Palestinians released from Israeli prisons.

‘We need a new government’

In Israel, pressure has been steadily building on Netanyahu and his war cabinet to strike a deal to secure the release of the captives.

Thousands of protesters once more gathered at what has become known as “hostages square” in Tel Aviv on Saturday to demand swifter action and new elections, with police using water cannon to disperse the crowds.

Al Jazeera’s Hamdah Salhut, reporting from Tel Aviv, said Saturday’s gathering was the “biggest show of force since the war began”.

“Antigovernment protesters say they will continue coming out every Saturday in full force until their message is received by the Israeli government.”

Neria Bar, a protester, told Al Jazeera that the government has failed and needs to be replaced.

“We need a new government, new people, new leadership, someone that counts us in and thinks about us, not just about themselves,” she said.

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Qatar to ICJ: Israel carrying out “genocidal war” on people of Gaza | Israel War on Gaza

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Qatar told the ICJ “Israel’s genocidal war on the people of Gaza” is the most pressing threat to international peace and security. Qatar presented its argument on day 5 of the UN top court’s hearing into legal consequences over Israel’s occupation of Palestine.

Published On 23 Feb 2024

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Qatar condemns ‘double standards’ at ICJ hearing on Israeli occupation | Israel War on Gaza News

Qatar tells the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that it rejects the “double standards” when international law applies to some but not to others during a hearing on Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.

“Some children are deemed worthy of protection while others are killed in their thousands,” senior Qatari diplomat Mutlaq al-Qahtani said on Friday in The Hague.

“Qatar rejects such double standards. International law must be upheld in all circumstances. It must be applied to all, and there must be accountability”.

Al-Qahtani added that Israel had implemented an “apartheid regime” to maintain the “domination of Jewish Israelis over Palestinians”.

He also said the occupation is “illegal” due to it violating the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.

The court has the “clear mandate and indeed the responsibility to remedy this unacceptable situation. The credibility of the international legal order depends on your opinion, and the stakes cannot be higher.”

Qatar, the United States and Egypt are currently mediating negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to stop the current war, which is taking a devastating toll on Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip.

Over the past week, the ICJ has been hearing the opinion of more than 50 countries on the legal implications of Israel’s occupation ahead of the court issuing a nonbinding opinion.

The 15-judge panel has been asked to review Israel’s “occupation, settlement and annexation, … including measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and from its adoption of related discriminatory legislation and measures”.

But Qatar echoed similar statements from several countries in calling out Israel’s policy as a breach of international law, including South Africa, which also referred to the occupation as “apartheid”.

Representatives from several other countries, including Pakistan, Norway, Indonesia and the United Kingdom, spoke at Friday’s hearing.

Pakistani Minister for Law and Justice Ahmed Irfan Aslam said that while Israel had tried to make its occupation of the Palestinian territories irreversible, history has shown that change is possible, referring to the withdrawal of French settlers from Algeria in 1962.

He added that a two-state solution “must be the basis for peace”.

Norway’s representative said developments on the ground “give reason to ask whether the occupation is turning into a de facto annexation”, which is prohibited under international law.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, who said she left the G20 meeting in Brazil to address the ICJ personally, stated: “I stand before you to defend justice against a blatant violation of international humanitarian law that is being committed by Israel.”

Marsudi added that Israel’s “unlawful occupation” should not be normalised or recognised, all actions that stop the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination “shall be unlawful” and it is clear that its “apartheid regime” is in breach of international law.

The British representative was the only person to divert from what other countries had said on Friday and instead aligned with the US, who called on the court to reject issuing an advisory opinion.

The representative said that while Israel’s occupation is illegal, it is a “bilateral dispute”, and issuing an opinion would affect the security framework led by the United Nations Security Council.

The hearings are, in part, a push by Palestinian officials to get international legal institutions to investigate Israel’s occupation, especially in light of the current war on Gaza.

During the past four months and after Hamas’s October 7 attacks in southern Israel, which killed 1,139 Israelis, Israel has conducted a military campaign in Gaza, which has resulted in the deaths of more than 29,000 Palestinians.

In the occupied West Bank, settler violence has increased, and world leaders have issued sanctions to try to penalise and curb the attacks.

Israel, which is not attending the hearing, has said the court proceedings could be harmful to achieving some kind of negotiated settlement.

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Taliban’s conditions to attend UN meeting ‘unacceptable’, Guterres says | United Nations News

The Taliban has set unacceptable conditions for attending a United Nations-sponsored meeting about Afghanistan in the Qatari capital, Doha, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says.

“I received a letter [from the Taliban] with a set of conditions to be present in this meeting that were not acceptable,” Guterres said at a news conference on Monday.

“These conditions denied us the right to talk to other representatives of Afghan society and demanded a treatment that would, to a large extent, be similar to recognition,” the UN chief added.

The two-day meeting which ended on Monday in Doha brought together member states and international envoys to Afghanistan to discuss an array of issues facing the country. But the Taliban didn’t attend because its demands were not met.

The Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021 after United States and NATO forces withdrew following two decades of war.

However, no country recognises it as Afghanistan’s government, and the UN has said that recognition is almost impossible while bans on female education and employment remain in place.

The biggest point of contention between the international community and the Taliban are the bans imposed on women and girls.

Since it retook power, it has ordered women to cover up when leaving home, stopped girls and women from attending high school and university, and banned them from parks, gyms and public baths.

The Taliban insists the bans are a domestic matter and reject criticism as outside interference.

Guterres said it was essential to revoke the restrictions.

In January, Taliban chief spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said the UN preoccupation with Afghan women was unwarranted and dismissed its concerns.

“Afghan women wear hijab of their own accord,” he said on X. “They don’t need to be forced. The Vice and Virtue Ministry hasn’t forced anyone [to wear hijab] either.”

Another point of contention is the appointment of a UN special envoy in the country, which the Taliban opposes.

On Monday, Guterres said there needed to be “clear consultations” with the Taliban to have clarification of the envoy’s role and who it could be to “make it attractive” from the Taliban’s point of view.

He said it was in the Taliban’s interests to be part of the consultations.

Many governments, international organisations and aid agencies have cut off or severely scaled back their funding for Afghanistan in response to the Taliban policies, causing a serious blow to the country’s struggling economy.

“One of our main objectives is to overcome this deadlock,” Guterres said, explaining that a roadmap needed to be created in which “the concerns of the international community” and the concerns of the “de facto authorities of Afghanistan” are taken into account.

Lotfullah Najafizada, CEO of Amu TV, an international media outlet, told Al Jazeera the Taliban made a strategic mistake by not attending the talks.

“I think it is very important also for the Taliban to understand where the world stands. At the moment the world has planned to go ahead without the Taliban, which is not something that they expected,” he said.

“I think it is very important for the international community to build consensus and deal with the Taliban with one voice.”

The meeting in Doha also aimed at a more coordinated response to tackle issues in Afghanistan.

Guterres said there had been discussion of a “contact group”, with a “limited number of states able to have a more coordinated approach in the engagement with the de facto authorities”.

He said this could include permanent members of the UN Security Council, neighbouring countries and relevant donors but it would be “up to member states to decide how to create it”.

“I believe it would be a way to have coherence in the way the international community is engaging with the de facto authorities of Afghanistan,” he said.

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Qatar releases former Indian navy officers after dropping death sentences | Military News

Seven of the men have already been returned to India, but details of the case remain scant.

Qatar has released eight former Indian naval officers previously sentenced to death on charges of spying for Israel.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) thanked Doha on Monday as it announced that the octet had been freed. The details surrounding their arrest, sentencing, and commuting remain unclear.

“We appreciate the decision by the Amir [Emir] of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals,” the ministry said in a statement in New Delhi.

The men were reportedly arrested in August 2022, due to accusations that they had passed sensitive submarine-related information to Israeli intelligence. Neither Qatar nor India officially confirmed the charges.

A preliminary court sentenced them to death last year, prompting India to express deep shock and file an appeal.

The MEA confirmed in December that it had gained consular access to the prisoners. Later the same month, it said an appeals court had commuted their death sentence to varying prison terms.

It said on Monday that seven of the men had already returned to India. No further details were given about the eighth man, the conditions of the release, or the current status of the case.

Firm allies

The arrest of the men last year made headlines in Indian and Arab media.

The eight were senior employees of Dahra Global Technologies and Consulting Services, a company advising on a Qatari programme aimed at obtaining high-tech, Italian-made, submarines that could evade radar detection. The private firm has since been shut down.

While briefly disturbing ties, the case appears unlikely to have a significant effect on relations between New Delhi and Doha, which are firm allies.

The pair continue to have extensive economic ties. Last week, they signed a deal worth tens of billions of dollars that will secure exports of Qatari liquified natural gas until the end of 2048.

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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Qatar for Gaza ceasefire talks | Israel War on Gaza News

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has arrived in Doha for talks on securing a ceasefire in Gaza with the Qatari emir, whose country has been at the heart of mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said Abbas would meet Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Monday, but did not say if he would also meet leaders of Hamas, a group that has long been at odds with Abbas and his West Bank-based Fatah group.

The Palestinian ambassador to Qatar, Munir Ghannam, told Voice of Palestine radio on Sunday that Abbas and the emir would discuss efforts to secure a Gaza ceasefire with Israel and ways to increase aid for the territory’s 2.3 million people.

“Qatar plays an important role in the international efforts and mediation to reach a ceasefire. Therefore, coordination with Qatar, also with Egypt, is of special importance, to bring an end to this aggression against our people,” Ghannam said.

Qatar hosts the head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, as well as another senior leader in the group, Khaled Meshaal, who handles diaspora affairs in the Hamas political office.

The visit comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promises to advance plans for a ground offensive on Rafah, despite growing international alarm at the potential consequences for the 1.4 million Palestinian civilians crammed in the city in southern Gaza.

The United States, Israel’s key international ally, has warned that an attack on Rafah could be a “disaster” and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that Palestinian civilians in the city had “nowhere to go”.

Egypt warned of “dire consequences” of a potential Israeli military assault on the south Gaza city of Rafah near its border.

“Egypt called for the necessity of uniting all international and regional efforts to prevent the targeting of the Palestinian city of Rafah,” its foreign ministry said in a statement.

Mohammed Nazzal, a senior Hamas figure, told Al Jazeera that Netanyahu “wants the war to continue to stay in power, and doesn’t want to lose his right-wing coalition”.

“He wants to keep the fighting going on until the US elections in November for [Donald] Trump to win,” Nazzal said.

Israel began its assault on Gaza on October 7 after Hamas fighters carried out a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing at least 1,139 people and seizing around 240 others as hostages, according to Israeli officials.

After the attack, Israel launched a devastating bombardment and a ground invasion that has reduced much of Gaza to rubble and killed more than 28,100 people, according to Palestinian authorities.

Talks for a deal on a ceasefire and the release of hostages have so far failed to bring an agreement. Last week, Israel rejected a Hamas proposal, saying it would not stop fighting while the group retained brigades that Israel says are hiding in Rafah.

Last Thursday, a Hamas delegation was in Cairo and left the next day after talking to Egyptian and Qatari officials for ceasefire talks.

While Gaza has been governed by Hamas since 2007, areas of the Israeli-occupied West Bank are governed by the Palestinian Authority, led by Fatah.

Abbas’s authority has largely been reduced to the West Bank, which is larger than Gaza but which is also fractured by Israeli settlements.

Past attempts, mainly led by Egypt, to resolve disputes between Hamas and Fatah have so far failed to end the rifts, which analysts say weakens Palestinian efforts to secure a state of their own on land now occupied by Israel.

Meanwhile, Israeli officials blame the PA for failing to control factions including Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, which have called on Israel to remove the blockade of the enclave and end its occupation of Palestinian territories.

Successive Israeli governments have expanded settler expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories in violation of international law.

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Qatar keep AFC Asian Cup trophy at home with 3-1 win over Jordan | AFC Asian Cup News

Lusail Stadium, Qatar – The world’s eyes were on the majestic Lusail Stadium once again as it played host to yet another historic final that saw hosts Qatar hold on to their Asian Cup crown against first-time finalists Jordan.

The country’s favourite footballing son and the tournament’s standout performer Akram Afif was the hero as he slotted in three penalties that gave Qatar a 3-1 win in an all-Arab AFC Asian Cup 2023 final on Saturday.

The hosts were one of the contenders for the crown but not outright favourites when they opened their tournament campaign with a 3-0 over Lebanon at the same venue last month.

But they leave Lusail as back-to-back champions – the first time the feat has been achieved since Japan’s consecutive wins in 2000 and 2004 – and with their star Afif as the continent’s best player.

Losing finalists Jordan leave with their hearts broken but their heads held high after an inspirational run at the tournament that landed them in their first-ever final.

Nerves wreak havoc on Jordan

An-Nashama began the match with jangled nerves and under the weight of the expectations of their adoring fans. They were unable to complete moves and lay the ball through to their strike force of Musa Tamari and Yazan Al Naimat.

The poor start eventually cost them when Qatar were awarded a penalty midway through the first half and Afif was handed the ball by his captain Hassan Al-Haydos. The number 11 made no mistake and rolled down his sock to bring out a card with the letter S written on it to celebrate.

His unique goal celebration sparked social media debates but Afif later confirmed it was a nod to his wife whose name begins with the letter and whom he credits with his success.

“It was her first time watching me inside a stadium so I decided to dedicate it to her,” he told bemused reporters afterwards.

Jordan reemerged a much-improved side after half-time. Pushed on by their raucous supporters, the players began showing glimpses of their attacking prowess. It resulted in an equalising goal from Al Naimat and the game seemed to be heading for a nail-biting last half-hour.

As soon as the ball returned to Jordan’s half, Jordan defended clumsily and gave away another penalty. Afif duly obliged to score the goal that put his tournament Golden Boot award beyond any doubt.

The swift change in fortunes and scoreline seemed too much to take for the Jordanian players and their fans. Their loud chants gave way to stunned silence as Qatar’s fans celebrated in disbelief.

Jordan players look dejected after the match [Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters]

Later on, Jordan’s coach Hussein Ammouta would pinpoint the second penalty as the moment his team fell far behind the hosts.

“The timing of the penalties was crucial and they didn’t allow us to make a comeback,” he said in his post-match news conference.

Ammouta, who has won over Jordanians in a matter of weeks, said the pressure from players’ friends and families, as well as fans on social media, may have impacted their performance.

“I cannot take away their phones and tablets and tell them they can’t talk to people – but I did have a fear that these factors would have an impact on their mental state during the match.”

Akram Afif holds up a card reading ‘S’ after scoring Qatar’s first goal [Molly Darlington/Reuters]

‘Cristiano of the Middle East’

Qatar’s win and Jordan’s fate were sealed in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Afif completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after being handed the ball yet again by his teammates.

The 27-year-old was the standout performer and it was only a matter of time that he would be linked to European leagues.

But the Al Sadd striker, who has had loan spells at Spanish clubs, evaded the questions and said any potential move would have to be initiated by a club and approved by his beloved wife.

“For now, what I do know is that we’re back-to-back [Asian] champions,” Afif said with a shrug.

With his player-of-the-match performance, Afif won over new fans from across the Arab world.

“He [Afif] is too good – my word, he’s the Cristiano [Ronaldo] of the Middle East,” Mohammed Rabeea, who came to watch the final from Kuwait, told Al Jazeera after the match.

Others, like eight-year-old Mohammed al-Kaabi, were over the moon to see the player score a hat-trick.

“It’s the happiest day of my life!” the young fan exclaimed outside the stadium.

Hassan Al-Haydos with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani [Thaier Al-Sudani/Reuters]

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was in attendance during the match and handed warm embraces and winners’ medals to al-Annabi.

When the time came for the trophy to be handed to the winning captain Al-Haydos there was a moment’s delay. What trophy presentation in Lusail is complete without a black-and-gold bisht? The emir helped his captain put on the now world-renowned cloak before handing him the glistening trophy that never left Qatar.

Al-Haydos, Afif and Qatar’s hero in goal Meeshal Barsham collected the tournament’s top awards and ensured the trophy doesn’t leave the country for another four years – at least.

Lusail Stadium lit up with a ring of fireworks once again and its adjoining boulevard hosted another champions’ parade a year on.

The party that started in Lusail carried on towards different parts of the country with beeping cars and waving flags.



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Qatar defends AFC Asian Cup in historic win against Jordan | Football

Qatar successfully defended their Asian Cup crown after beating Jordan 3-1 on Saturday at Lusail Stadium where Akram Afif converted three penalties as the hosts won their second continental title.

Jordan were playing in their first Asian Cup final and seeking their first major trophy, but it was Qatar who prevailed in front of 86,492 fans including Qatar’s ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

After Afif opened the score in the 22nd minute with a penalty kick, Jordan’s attack pressed but could not break through until the second half, when in the 67th minute, Yazan Al-Naimat scored the equaliser.

Jordan’s relief was short-lived; only a few minutes later, Afif scored his second penalty and eventually sealed things for Qatar when he completed his hat-trick with a third goal from the penalty spot.

Afif, who was tossed into the air by his teammates after the final whistle, also picked up the award for player of the match and most valuable player of the tournament.

“Scoring penalties is because of the confidence my teammates had in me. It’s not about technique or choosing the angle, it’s the feeling of having my team behind me,” Afif said.

Meanwhile, Jordan coach Hussein Ammouta said, “We weren’t focused in the first half and we made mistakes. There were easy opportunities to score but we didn’t. The timing of the two penalties [in the second half] was harsh.

“But I want to congratulate the players. They’ve gained confidence and opened horizons for the future. Maybe we can win in future tournaments.”

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Asian Cup final brings FIFA World Cup frenzy back to Qatar’s Souq Waqif | AFC Asian Cup News

Doha, Qatar – On Friday nights, Souq Waqif – Qatar’s old-style all-purpose market that also serves as the country’s central tourist attraction – brings together people from all walks of life, dozens of different nationalities and varying interests for a unique mix of colour and noise.

But when the country plays host to a football tournament – be it the world’s biggest sporting event such as the FIFA World Cup or a regional championship – the excitement reaches a fever pitch.

On the eve of the final of the ongoing AFC Asian Cup 2023, the famous marketplace in the heart of Doha was the marching ground of football fans of both teams vying for the continental crown in Saturday’s final at Lusail Stadium.

Passionate supporters of an-Nashama – the gentlemen, as Jordan’s football team is lovingly known – gathered in a big circle to sing traditional songs and dance to the beat of their own tune.

“They are saying the team is like an agal [a traditional black cord that is worn by men in the Middle East as part of their headdress] to them and they wear this as a crown and with immense pride,” Waed Dolaat, a Jordan fan who was watching on from a distance, told Al Jazeera.

Ahmed, Mahmoud and Taiba Dolaat at Souq Waqif, Doha [Hafsa Adil/Al Jazeera]

Dolaat and her three children, Mahmoud, Ahmed and Taiba, have travelled to Qatar to support their team in their quest for a historic first Asian Cup crown.

The fact that Jordan face Qatar in the final brings excitement and relief for the Dolaat family.

“We have come here with great hope that our team will win, but even if they don’t we won’t be bitterly disappointed as we like Qatar as well,” she said.

As if on cue, the crowd turned their attention towards the opponents.

“It’s better to have family or friends [in the final] instead of a stranger,” the men sang.

Mahmoud, the 10-year-old, harboured a fear that his team may feel the heat of playing in front of tens of thousands of Qatar supporters.

“I hope they don’t feel the pressure and I hope the referee is fair,” he quipped.

For fans of Qatar, the final brings back memories from four years ago when they went against all odds to lift their maiden Asian Cup trophy in the UAE.

“I started following this team after the Asian Cup win in 2019,” Abdullah Qahtani told Al Jazeera as Jordanians pranced around Souq Waqif from one end to the other.

Qahtani praised Qatar’s newly-appointed coach Marquez Lopez and the players for turning their fortunes around after a poor run at the home World Cup more than a year ago.

“The al-Annabi will win tonight and we will drive all over Qatar to celebrate – from Lusail to Katara and Souq Waqif,” he said.

While the younger generation will be out on the streets, the older fans are likely to watch from the comfort of their homes.

Special arrangements will be made at every Qatari home’s majlis – an area in a house or a separate building connected to the house which is used for all sorts of gatherings, from daily lounging to more important events by the men of the household.

Bigger screens will make way for smaller ones, a wide range of snacks and hot beverages will be served and close-knit groups of friends and family members.

Should Qatar win, celebrations are likely to last until the early hours of the morning.

Despite being the home team, al-Annabi will have to put up with the clamour of thousands of an-Nashama fans who either live in Qatar or have travelled from all over the world to watch the game at Lusail.

Mohammed and Yazeedi Alshobaki have made a 600km (372 miles) journey from Riyadh to back the young men who bring them “immense joy”.

“The team has a special talent, and when they combine it with the will to fight on the pitch to bring joy to the people of Jordan, it makes them champions in our eyes,” Mohammed said.

The brothers do not have tickets to the final but they came to Doha anyway to soak up the atmosphere.

“We have heard the champions’ parade is going to be in Lusail, so we will be there – waiting to see the boys emerge from the stadium as champions of Asia,” Yazeedi said.

Jordan fans Mohammed (left) and Yazeedi (right) at Souq Waqif, Doha [Hafsa Adil/Al Jazeera]

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