World Cup 2022 in the live blog: Study: More than half do not want to watch a World Cup game

• 2:59 p.m.: ➤ Study: More than half do not want to watch a World Cup game
• 1:02 p.m.: Scholz wishes national team “successful tournament progress”
• 12:04 p.m.: Qatari security forces harass Danish TV team
• 09:54 am: After injury and World Cup out: Frankfurt striker replaces Nkunku
• 8:12 a.m.: Rüdiger warns: “Don’t underestimate Japan and Costa Rica!”

Update World Cup ticker here

➤ Study: More than half do not want to watch a World Cup game

The German fans’ anticipation of the soccer World Cup in Qatar, which begins on Sunday, is still very clouded. This is the result of a representative survey of football fans conducted using the FanQ app. More than half of those surveyed said they “didn’t watch a game at all” during the tournament. Only about one in ten plans to watch “most games”, a good 17 percent want to watch “only the Germany games”.

From November 20th to December 18th, 32 nations will play for the World Cup title in the emirate. The DFB team from coach Hansi Flick open their hunt for the fifth trophy on November 23 against Japan. For about 85 percent of the study participants, the anticipation of the tournament in the desert state is “much less” compared to previous world championships. Only a good two percent are more euphoric than in the past.

Many football fans expressed their dissatisfaction with the human rights situation in Qatar and the timing of the staging in the German winter. More than two-thirds of the people stated that the period had a “negative” effect on their mood. Since the temperatures in Qatar are too high in the summer months, a World Cup will take place in winter for the first time.

The World Cup host has been criticized for years, primarily because of the poor human rights situation in the country. The government of the emirate largely rejects the allegations. In the German Bundesliga stadiums, fan posters have recently been seen calling for a boycott of the tournament. More than 90 percent of those questioned believe that the international attention generated by the World Cup will not lead to an improvement in the human rights situation. (dpa)

The other news of the day:

Scholz wishes national team “successful tournament progress”

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) wished the German national soccer team all the best for the World Cup in Qatar. “The Chancellor not only keeps his fingers crossed for our players for the opening game, but of course also wishes our team a successful tournament,” said a government spokesman in Berlin on Wednesday.

He answered the question of how enthusiastic the successor to the World Cup was Angela Merkel (CDU), who had always been a big fan of the national team, and whether he would watch games.

“The Chancellor is looking forward to our team’s games and hopes for a peaceful World Cup with fair and exciting encounters,” said the spokesman. The World Cup starts on Sunday. Germany plays its first game next Wednesday against Japan.

Qatari security forces harass Danish TV team

A Danish television crew has been harassed by local security forces while working in Qatar. Among other things, the men threatened to destroy the TV2 team’s camera. The World Cup organizers have meanwhile apologized to the broadcaster and the local team.

During a live report by journalist Rasmus Tantholdt, security guards appeared and tried to obstruct the shoot, even though the team had valid accreditations and a permit. In the video, the journalists can be heard saying, “They invited the whole world to come here, why can’t we film here? It’s a public place.” Tantholdt further said: “You can break the camera, do you want to break it? Are you threatening us by smashing the camera?”

The World Cup organizers confirmed the incident. A statement said: “The tournament organizers are aware of an incident where a Danish broadcast crew was accidentally interrupted during a live broadcast in one of Qatar’s tourist destinations. After inspecting the crew’s valid tournament accreditation and filming permission, an apology was issued by security .” (dpa)

After injury and World Cup out: Frankfurt striker replaces Nkunku

After RB Leipzig striker Christopher Nkunku was injured for the World Cup in Qatar, Randal Kolo Muani from Eintracht Frankfurt will replace the current top scorer in the Bundesliga. As the French Football Association announced on Wednesday, national coach Didier Deschamps has nominated the 23-year-old. The attacker is currently in Japan with Eintracht and will arrive with the national team in Doha on Thursday morning.

The newspaper “L’Equipe” and the radio station RMC had previously reported that Kolo Muani should join the world champion’s team. The Frankfurt attacker has had two short appearances in the national team so far.

Christopher Nkunku was injured on Tuesday. In a duel with his teammate Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), the Bundesliga striker, who is currently the best with twelve goals, sprained his left knee, the French football association said after radiological examinations late Tuesday evening.

“Get well soon, Christo! This news hurts,” RB Leipzig tweeted immediately after the news from France’s World Cup quarters: “We are with you and know that you will come back stronger!” Nkunku’s RB teammate Timo Werner will also miss the World Cup due to injury.

Nkunku has made eight appearances for the national team, with two assists. The fast and technically highly talented attacker was planned as a backup player under coach Didier Deschamps. The competition, especially up front, is fierce for the Equipe Tricolore.

France meet Australia, Denmark and Tunisia in Group D of the World Cup finals in Qatar. (dpa)

Rüdiger warns: “Don’t underestimate Japan and Costa Rica!”

DFB defense chief Antonio Rudiger warns against taking the German preliminary round group at the World Cup in Qatar lightly. “Don’t underestimate Japan and Costa Rica! They are very uncomfortable teams,” the Real Madrid professional told Sport Bild.

The German national team has to play against Japan on November 23rd. This is followed by the matches against Spain (November 27th) and Costa Rica (December 1st). After the 6-0 debacle in the Nations League two years ago, there was “definitely something to make up for” against Spain, said Rüdiger.

Basically, the DFB-Elf in Qatar have to “hold back from the start and immediately create a momentum that will carry us from the first to the last game of the tournament”. Germany have “great players, that’s true – but we have to show that now”.

Rüdiger (29) sees Argentina “and above all Brazil” as top candidates for the title. But, he emphasized, “I also thought that we were favorites in 2018, and then we were eliminated in the preliminary round. Such a disgrace should not happen again to a football nation like Germany!” (AFP)

Fan representative sees “great uncertainties” among travelers to Qatar

Philipp Beitzel, who is responsible for the German fan embassy at the football World Cup in Qatar, sees “great uncertainties” among the fans traveling to the emirate. “The Emir has given the Minister of the Interior security guarantees for traveling fans, especially with regard to the rights of LGBTQI. On the other hand, they have not been published anywhere,” said the 39-year-old officer at the Fan Projects Coordination Office (KOS) in Frankfurt/Main to the German press -Agency.

In addition, some regulations have been changed, for example the COVID regulations. You might think that would make getting there easier, says Beitzel. “But these are such short-term things that don’t exactly increase confidence in the organizers.” In principle, a World Cup mood could already develop on site because fans from many nations come together. “But it’s questionable whether the framework conditions are right overall, that an atmosphere develops that should actually define a World Cup,” said Beitzel.

Qatar’s World Cup ambassador Khalid Salman recently caused outrage with his homophobic statements. In the ZDF documentary “Geheimsache Qatar”, the former national player described being gay as “mental damage”. Beitzel pointed out that FIFA usually allows posters in the stadiums if they are not discriminatory: “If someone positions themselves for LGBTQI rights, for example, or shows something in rainbow colors, it must be allowed under these rules. An insecurity but it is what happens in public space.”

The English abbreviation LGBTQI stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans people, queer and intersex people. An often used additional asterisk is a placeholder for further identities and genders. (dpa)

With material from afp and dpa.

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