Camels, fireworks and Morgan Freeman.
The 2022 World Cup kicked off on Sunday with a spectacular opening ceremony at Al Bayt Stadium ahead of the first match of the tournament between hosts Qatar and Ecuador.
American actor Freeman joined the festivities along with Qatari YouTuber Ghanim al-Muftah.
South Korean pop star Jungkook sang the tournament song Dreamers with Qatari singer Fahad Al-Qubaisi at Al Khor Stadium.
With just 90 minutes left in the tournament’s opening match, Oscar-winning actor Freeman opened the ceremony by narrating a video about football’s unifying power.
Preparations for the first World Cup to be held in a Muslim Middle Eastern country have been marred by several controversies, including the deaths of migrant workers and the treatment of LGBT people in Qatar.
During the first dance routine, Freeman received a standing ovation when he appeared in the stadium with Muftah, who was born with a rare caudal regression syndrome.
“All are welcome,” Freeman told the crowd.
One of the dance routines featured giant walking kits of the 32 teams competing in the tournament and previous World Cup mascots along with 2022 mascot Laib.
Jungkook and Fahad Al-Qubeisi performed together before Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani delivered the opening speech in Arabic.
“People of different races, nationalities, beliefs and orientations will gather here in Qatar and around the screens of all continents to share the same exciting moments,” Emir told the crowd.
The crown prince of Saudi Arabia and the presidents of Egypt, Turkey and Algeria, as well as the secretary-general of the United Nations, were among the world leaders in the tent-shaped stadium before the opening match.
The 30-minute ceremony ended with fireworks and another dance routine before the teams from Qatar and Ecuador took to the field to begin their warm-ups.
