Selling Morocco shirts with the World Cup fever increasing | Qatar World Cup 2022 news

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DOHA, Qatar – Morocco’s unprecedented success in the World Cup has caused a welcome headache for shopkeepers at Doha’s Souq Waqif.

Copies of the North African team jerseys are sold out, and there is a growing demand for more.

In the days leading up to the tournament, the shops that line the narrow alleys of the famous souk in the city center change their offerings from everyday Arabic clothing and accessories to T-shirts, scarves and flags of the participating countries.

Argentina, Brazil and hosts Qatar were the most popular teams among the football fans that crowded the tourist hub in the first few weeks of the World Cup.

Now, Morocco – who face France in the World Cup semi-finals on Wednesday night – has left all other teams in their wake.

“In November, we used to sell a few Moroccan shirts every day out of the dozens we ordered,” shopkeeper Mohamed Sadek told Al Jazeera, hours after Morocco beat Portugal to become the first African and first Arab in the semi-finals in the history of the tournament.

Once Morocco started accumulating points in the group stage, demand for the team’s jersey and merchandise skyrocketed. Demand rose even after the Atlas Lions beat Spain and Portugal in the knockout stages.

“Every time Morocco wins, we ask for hundreds more [shirts] And they sell out by mid-afternoon on the day of the next game,” Sadik said.

The Moroccan flag hangs next to the flags of Qatar and Palestine in the Souq Waqif in Doha [Hafsa Adil/Al Jazeera]

Since the team qualified for the semi-finals, thousands of fans have traveled to Doha from different parts of the world. When they arrive in Doha, their first stop is Souq Waqif, and the first item on their shopping list is either a T-shirt or the flag of Morocco, and in some cases, both.

Anas Al-Karim came from Berlin the day after Morocco’s victory over Portugal.

“I was told I would be able to find my team’s jersey here,” he said with a look of disappointment. “It looks like it’s gone.”

Sadiq, digging through a pile of team jerseys as his new customer looks on, pulls one out to Karim’s delight.

There are also many Doha-based fans who are starting to support Morocco after their giant killing spree in the latter stages of the tournament.

“I wasn’t a fan of Morocco until I saw them defeat the big European teams,” said Youssef Ahmed, a football fan from India, while looking for a Moroccan shirt in Sadek’s shop. “I’ve been looking for their jersey for days now but every time I come here it’s sold out, so now I’ll just flag it down.”

The bright red flag with a green star in its center dominated the host country. Fans from all over the Arab world carry it and wave it proudly in stadiums and fan areas. It’s draped over skyscrapers, hanging from apartment balconies and waving from cars blaring their horns after every Moroccan win.

It is safe to say that the Moroccan flag is now second in popularity after the Palestinian flag across Qatar.

“Even Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Indians come to ask for the Moroccan flag,” said Sharafeddine, a Nepalese shopkeeper who has added World Cup paraphernalia to his clothing store.

When local shopkeepers realized they wouldn’t be able to purchase enough flags to meet the growing demand in time, they came up with a quick fix: flag making in Qatar.

“A group of Bengali and Pakistani men got red fabrics from a local market and made these flags at home,” Dean said, pointing to the handmade flag of Morocco next to the flags of Qatar and Palestine.

“They did a real flop with the green pentagram, but the buyers don’t care,” he said with a chuckle.

Sadek, who started selling a Morocco shirt at 30 riyals ($8) a piece, said he now sells lower-quality shirts for as little as 50 riyals ($14).

“Our suppliers told us they didn’t have any shirts left in Bangladesh or China, so we’re going to make the most of the dozens we have left,” he said matter-of-factly.

The stores have enjoyed great business over the past few weeks and are now out to make the most of the last remaining days before the football frenzy gives way to normal business.

If Morocco ends up beating France in the semi-finals, Sadek will have to come up with a solution that meets the demands of more Moroccan fans who will be out to paint the country red.

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