Chronicles of Chaos: Ronaldo, Al-Duhail and a Ticketing Fiasco
Ever since the group stage draw for the 2023-24 AFC Champions League was made, the attention of football fans in Qatar was fixated on one game – Al-Duhail vs Al-Nassr, and one name—Cristiano Ronaldo.
Fresh from a lackluster World Cup performance in Qatar, the Portuguese superstar was set to grace the country once more, this time wearing the colours of Al-Nassr. However, what promised to be a thrilling spectacle turned into a ticketing nightmare, unraveling a tale of confusion, frustration, and unexpected twists.
The mere mention of Ronaldo’s participation in the Al-Duhail vs. Al-Nassr encounter sent shockwaves across Qatar. Fans, many of whom were oblivious to Al-Duhail’s existence despite residing in the same city, suddenly found themselves on the hunt for tickets. The demand was unparalleled, posing an unprecedented challenge for the club, local authorities, and the AFC on how to manage the overwhelming interest.
While football authorities globally have established protocols to maintain a balance between home and away fans, the Ronaldo factor presented a unique challenge. What can you do when the ‘home’ fans are there only to watch a player on the ‘away’ team? Just sell the tickets and make money, I guess.
The decision to switch the venue from the smaller Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium (AKS) to the larger Khalifa International Stadium (KIS), with a seating capacity of 47,000, was thus a strategic move to make the most out of the situation.
However, it also fueled confusion, compounded by the unfamiliarity of fans with the stadium names, creating a perfect storm for miscommunication, especially with ticket sale happening at the AKS itself. I personally know fans who were planning to go to KIS for the tickets. They would have wasted precious time while the actual queue grew over at AKS.
Normally, you’d expect ticket sales for an AFC Champions League game to start a couple of days before kickoff. There would rarely ever be any big demand, and clubs either distributed tickets for free or sold them at the stadium. Deviating from the usual procedures, tickets for the Al-Duhail vs. Al-Nassr clash went on sale ten days before the match. The initiative – in principle – was good. Start early, and avoid last-minute issues.
The first attempt at physical sales at AKS saw massive queues, logistical issues, and a lack of clarity. The decision to introduce a second selling point and a morning session on the following day only seemed to exacerbate the chaos. Longer queues, police intervention, and adverse weather conditions further added to the mayhem.
The absence of an online ticketing option, the (logical!) standard practice for such matches, added to the growing frustration. Despite the turmoil, the club’s communication fell short, offering an apology on social media without providing concrete solutions or explanations for the unfolding chaos. Fans were left in the dark, questioning the transparency of the ticketing process.
A day before the highly anticipated match, a bombshell hit the fans—Cristiano Ronaldo would not be playing. The news led to a sudden influx of tickets flooding the market, with disappointed ticket holders looking to offload their prized possessions. Tickets, once considered unattainable, were now readily available on the market, but the air of anticipation had been replaced by a sense of disillusionment.
In the end, 36,000 fans attended the game at Khalifa Stadium, with a significant number in Al-Nassr or Portugal jerseys. Why did they all turn up? I suspect many of them wanted to at least make the entire effort of standing for hours in long queues worthwhile. Some others would have harboured slim hopes, that Ronaldo would perhaps make a surprise appearance.
For the record, the much-awaited superstar did not turn up to greet his fans.
On the pitch, Al-Duhail took the lead, but ended up losing 3-2 to Al-Nassr, who were unpetrubed by Ronaldo’s absence, with the Brazilian star Anderson Talisca stepping up and leading with a hat-trick.
Beyond impacting Al-Duhail’s prospects in the tournament, the match laid bare the challenges faced by Qatari clubs in connecting with their local football community. The event highlighted elements of greed and unpreparedness in opting for a physical ticket sale over a more streamlined, third-party online solution. The Al-Duhail vs. Al-Nassr ticketing saga serves as a cautionary tale, emphasizing the need for clubs to strike a balance between star power, fan expectations, and effective event management in the world of modern football.
