November 20, 2022
The brief from today:
FFF change family travel policy
The France Football Federation (FFF) has modified their travel policy regarding the selected players’ family members. In the 2018 World Cup, the FFF covered the travel expenses of relatives beginning with the final group stage match, and continued to do so all the way through the final. In 2021, things changed following the emergence of COVID, and the federation notified the players that they couldn’t continue to accommodate the traveling families. For the World Cup in Qatar, however, the FFF made it clear that the concession wouldn’t be taking place, but this time the reasoning was budgetary. In an effort to manage spending, one area that was earmarked as being burdensome was the free travel being arranged for those with a familial connection to squad members. As a result, the days of private jets being organized by the FFF have ceased, at least for the time being.
The FFF base will allow family member visits, but travel will no longer be arranged for them like in the past
Qatar on the wrong side of history
The 2022 World Cup officially kicked off today with host nation, Qatar, taking on Ecuador. The match itself wasn’t the greatest of spectacles—specifically the second half—but there were also some key statistics that Qatar won’t enjoy being associated with. Ecuador’s scored two goals in the first half, and that 2-0 scoreline would hold until the final whistle. Qatar’s loss to their South American opponents today made history as it was the first time a host nation lost their opening match of a World Cup. In addition to that stat, there was another that pointed out the number of Qatar’s offside calls—three—which were more than the two touches they managed in the Ecuador penalty area. Meanwhile the last stat was one they collaborated with Ecuador for, which was the total number of shots by both teams: 11. That figure was the lowest return in a match since the 1966 World Cup. The match was far from scintillating, and in the end the mass exodus of Qatar fans before the game concluded left one third of the stadium empty prior to the final whistle. These figures are certainly not what the home fans, or organizers, were hoping for before today, and they will be hoping for a marked improvement by the second group match.
Qatar and Ecuador played out a subdued match, with the host nation recording some unwanted stats