Qatar’s forward, Akram Afif, revealed on Thursday that he signaled to local supporters to throw items onto the field to stall time in a crucial World Cup qualifying match against the United Arab Emirates. The match, held at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, ended with Qatar securing a 2-1 victory over the UAE, securing the top spot in Group A of the Asian playoffs and securing direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
The Asian champions required a victory to secure direct qualification, while a draw would have been adequate for the UAE to progress. Videos shared online depicted Afif motioning to fans, who proceeded to hurl water bottles onto the pitch towards the end of the game. Speaking during a televised interview at the AFC Awards ceremony in Riyadh with Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, Afif explained that he advised the fans to throw objects to consume time.
He humorously mentioned, “Just to waste time, naturally. Honestly, I told them to throw (things) so we could waste time,” and added, “At the same time, I was asking them to stop so the referee wouldn’t add more (stoppage time).” The incident escalated when Pedro Miguel netted Qatar’s second goal in the 74th minute, leading to UAE fans throwing bottles and plastic cups onto the field before play resumed.
Similar occurrences took place during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, where Qatar triumphed over UAE 4-0 in the semi-finals, resulting in Emirati fans throwing objects and mobile phones at Qatari players. Afif, aged 28 and a two-time AFC Player of the Year, played a crucial role in Qatar’s journey to qualify for the World Cup.
This upcoming World Cup will mark Qatar’s second appearance in the tournament, following their role as hosts in 2022 and their initial qualification via the Asian qualification process.