Commentary: Asian Cup kicks off in Qatar amid rising tensions in Middle East

PARIS: Little more than a year after Qatar hosted FIFA’s 2022 World Cup, the country is again set to host one of global football’s biggest national team competitions – the Asian Football Confederation’s Cup.

The small Gulf nation will take on Lebanon at the Lusail Stadium, the venue at which in December 2022 Lionel Messi captained Argentina to tournament victory.

Qatar will be hoping to repeat its 2019 Asian Cup triumph, at a competition taking place for the first time since it defeated Japan in the United Arab Emirates. The last five years have been dynamic, turbulent and uncertain; indeed, China was supposed to have hosted the Asian Cup in 2023, having won the right to stage it in June 2019.

Back then, China was aspiring to become one of the world’s leading football nations. Nowadays, such dreams have been thwarted by underachieving players, interfering politicians and an air of cautiousness among Chinese officials. In 2022, as most of the world exited pandemic controls, China’s zero-COVID policy saw it withdraw from hosting the Asian Cup.

The AFC therefore reopened bidding for the rescheduled 2024 event, which proved to be a serendipitous opportunity for Qatar. Having spent over US$200 billion preparing to host the World Cup, the country will be able to utilise its new infrastructure and demonstrate that tournament hosting can yield positive legacies. This is especially important for Qatar because neighbouring Saudi Arabia has emerged as a serious rival in organising sport events.

WHEN FOOTBALL AND POLITICS MIX

At the 2022 World Cup, Qatar established itself as a reliable host capable of successfully delivering events, a focal point for communicating a vision of Arab unity and a legitimate, trustworthy member of the international community. Officials in Doha will no doubt be seeking to do more of the same, especially given recent turbulence in the Middle East.

Over the last few years, Qatar has engaged in diplomacy between the United States and Taliban government in Afghanistan, arranged a hostage swap involving Iran and the United States, and been instrumental in negotiating the release of Gaza hostages in the Israel-Hamas war.

At the Asian Cup, Qatari officials will need to deploy their soft power and diplomacy to full effect, not least because of several teams that have qualified for the tournament.

The Gaza war has resulted in the deaths of several Palestinian football players and has posed challenges for the national team in preparing for the tournament. In its first match, the Palestinian team will face Iran – the country accused by Israel, the US, and their allies of being behind Hamas attacks, and of supporting Hezbollah in Lebanon.

At the 2022 World Cup, Iran drew the world’s condemnation as at the time women in the country were being arrested and beaten for refusing to cover their heads in public. This issue may resurrect itself once again, though the UAE’s appearance in the same group as the Iranians and Palestinians suggests more prominent issues may arise. Football and politics ideally should not mix, but very often they do.

Throughout the recent conflict, the UAE’s Etihad Airways has been one of the few international airlines that has continued to fly into Tel Aviv. This follows its normalisation of relations, in 2020, with Israel – a process from which several football deals emerged. Tournament host Qatar has always refused to follow suit, while Saudi Arabia has paused plans for normalisation following Israel’s military action in Gaza.

With this year’s Asian Cup taking place against a backdrop of such conflict and uncertainty, Saudi Arabia heads to it trying to establish a more progressive, responsible international reputation.

Nowhere has this been more evident than its investments in football. Five years ago at the Asian Cup, the kingdom came second in its group then exited in the round of 16 – an underwhelming performance compared to its smaller neighbours Qatar and the UAE (which reached the semi-final stage).

This time round, having spent heavily on overseas player acquisitions and its domestic league, Saudi Arabia will be hoping to play well and project a positive image of the country. The Asian Cup will not be a litmus test of the returns on its investment in football, but of how football in the kingdom is developing.

GULF NATIONS WILL BE UP AGAINST THE BEST

In the soft power and attractiveness stakes, the Gulf nations will find themselves up against some of the best in the business, notably Japan and South Korea. Both will be appearing at the tournament, and both have a well-established reputation for engaging audiences around the world – whether it is it is Japanese fans cleaning-up stadiums after them, or the likes of South Korea’s Son Heung-min projecting Hallyu cool.

Further tension may be added by Australia and Syria, who will play each other. Their off-field relationship remains strained, the former having bombed the latter during the last decade.

Indonesia will also be making an appearance, a country that harbours ambitions of hosting the FIFA World Cup, but which reportedly stepped aside to allow Saudi Arabia to become the preferred bidder for the 2034 tournament.

Plus, there is India, a traditionally underperforming football nation that is slowly waking up to the sport’s economic and political benefits.

Unlike previous editions of the Asian Cup, the 2024 edition brings poignancy and particular significance with it. Parts of Asia are embroiled in conflict, while others are becoming global powerhouses. This serves to illustrate how the world is pivoting from the Global North to the Global South.

However, the tournament also reminds us that this pivot is not necessarily a smooth one, especially at this difficult time.

Simon Chadwick is Professor of Sport and Geopolitical Economy at SKEMA Business School, Paris.