World Cup 2022: What does football mean to the Middle East?

For the first time World Cup history, the tournament is hosted in the Middle East. Football has always been more than just a game in the Middle East.  Seen sometimes as a symbol of decolonisation and regime legitimisation, it also plays a role in fostering national identities. In the region, the beautiful game is intertwined with culture, politics and history. As the World Cup in Qatar is now underway, we explore the culture in history of football in the region. In this episode:  Abdullah Al-Arian (@anhistorian), author and associate professor at Georgetown University in Qatar. Episode credits: This episode was produced by Khaled Soltan and our intern Nada Shakir.  Our sound designer is George Alwer. The lead engagement producer is Aya Elmileik and the assistant engagement producer is Munera Al Dosari. Our executive producer is Omar Al Saleh. Ney Alvarez is the head of audio. The show is hosted by Sami Zeidan.  Connect with us: @AJEPodcasts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook