Qatar: Why women feel safer at World Cup 2022

Francesca Ramsey, from Malta, has travelled with her husband.

“We love sports events,” says Ms Ramsey, who also went to the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

“It’s very different. Here, I feel the need to cover up more, but I don’t have a problem with that. I respect the culture.”

Ms Ramsey seems a bit disappointed by the limited access to alcohol here.

“I like to have a glass of white wine – possibly two or three,” she laughs, before adding that you do see better behaviour in the stadiums.

“We’re used to a drink. I would’ve liked a glass of wine at the stadium. It’s a time when you want to shout, scream and have a drink.”

The last-minute alcohol ban raised questions about the decision-making of football’s world governing body Fifa, and its sway – or lack of – over the host country.

But for the local population, it was seen as the country’s leadership staying true to Muslim rules and norms that the vast majority of people in Qatar abide by – and the ban may have made the World Cup more accessible for many locals, who probably would have opted out otherwise.

Despite the crowds, some fans have chosen to stay away, with the decision to stage the World Cup in a country where homosexuality is illegal heavily criticised. A transgender Qatari woman told BBC News about the fear she lives in, while Amnesty has said women in Qatar face discrimination in law and practice,, external with them needing a guardian’s permission for “key life decisions”.

One of the most noticeable things here has been the number of local women, especially young ones, in the stadiums – be it Qatari women or residents who have lived here most of their lives.

Salma Ahmed says one of the reasons she and her relatives have felt comfortable to go is the fact there is no alcohol.

“I wasn’t thinking about going to the stadiums before – but after the ban, I actually wanted to go,” she says.

“I’m a huge fan of football, so it’s been a great experience.”