FIFA World Cup
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Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Newcastle UtdSaudi Arabia's sports binge
After years of relentless spending, Saudi Arabia is now a central player in the world's most lucrative sports. Critics say it is sportswashing, but is there an economic payoff that makes it all worth it? Arthur Sullivan reports
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Udo Steinbach on Europe and the GulfLet's have none of the old arrogance
Middle East expert Udo Steinbach has been advocating closer relations with the Gulf states for years. Genuine interest in regional development, however, needs to look beyond the stereotypes. Birgit Svensson spoke to him in Baghdad
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FIFA World Cup in Qatar 2022Did LGBTQ rights campaigns in Qatar help or hinder?
Protests by Western activists at the FIFA World Cup may have backfired and sparked a backlash against gay, lesbian and queer communities in Qatar, critics say. By Cathrin Schaer
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Women's rights in QatarDriving emancipation forward
During the World Cup in Qatar, much has been written about the role of women in the Gulf state, yet they themselves rarely get a word in edgeways. Karim El-Gawhary spoke to two Qatari women in Doha
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Arab world on tenterhooksWorld Cup semi-final – "We are all Moroccans"
Morocco has taken the 2022 World Cup by storm, with the northwest Africans reaching the semi-finals for the first time in their soccer history. As the knockout match approaches, Birgit Svensson's public viewing report from Baghdad throws a different light on Morocco's recent victories in Qatar
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FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022Qatar critics and their blind spots
We are in favour of human rights. But One Love armbands are self-righteous and ignore some fundamental issues. Stefan Buchen examines the debate surrounding the World Cup in Qatar
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Qatar, Israel and the PalestiniansMiddle East conflict impacts World Cup
With reported hostilities against Israeli journalists and the flag of the Palestinian territories flying on the streets and in the stadiums, it is clear the World Cup in Qatar is not apolitical. By Stefan Nestler and the DW team in Qatar
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Qatar 2022Migrant workers enjoy FIFA World Cup on the cheap
Shafeeq Saqafi paid $3 for the Argentina shirt he proudly wore when he sat with 15,000 other migrant workers in a hidden corner of Doha to watch Lionel Messi's side salvage their World Cup
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Lamya Kaddor on the Qatar World Cup"Address problems, but acknowledge progress"
Lamya Kaddor, MP for Germany’s Green Party, visited Qatar with a group of parliamentarians. In interview with Claudia Mende, she advocates a differentiated picture and urges that progress in human rights also be recognised
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Faith united at Sisterhood FC!
Playing football in a hijab: founded in 2018, the London-based football club Sisterhood FC offers Muslim women the opportunity to combine their sporting passion and their religious beliefs. By Claudia Dehn and Ayse Tasci-Steinbach
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FIFA World Cup 2022Major events at any price?
All organisers use major sporting events like this year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar primarily to advertise their country and promote a slick public image. This is not something we need to be involved in, writes Samuli Schielke in his commentary
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Football in the Middle EastFreedom vs. oppression
"Rebel Game: The Power of Football in the Middle East and the Qatar World Cup", an anthology published by Middle East researchers Jan Busse and Rene Wildangel, takes the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Qatar as its basis for grappling with the socio-political and historical relevance of football in the Middle East. By Mirjam Schmidt