The festival-like atmosphere brought football supporters together, showing the tournament’s cultural side.
Matchday Two of the Arab Cup kicked off on Thursday, with fans gathering early at Lusail Boulevard, one of the tournament’s busiest fan zones, ahead of the Group A meeting between Tunisia and Palestine.
Supporters arrived hours before kick-off to move between cultural activations, food stalls and live performances, creating a lively build-up along the boulevard.
Most of the fans, many of whom are expats living in Qatar, said the atmosphere felt relaxed and friendly, with Tunisian and Palestinian supporters mixing comfortably as families joined in the pre-match activities.
Games, workshops and large screens added to the experience for those choosing to follow the match from the fan zone rather than inside the stadium.
Qatar and Syria complete Thursday’s Group A fixtures
Later in the evening, Qatar faced Syria at Khalifa International Stadium, which also hosted its own fan events.
With both Group A fixtures played on the same night, fan zones across Doha drew steady crowds as Matchday Two continued to take shape.