Doha eerily empty day after World Cup final

The teams have all left and with them, the fans and commotion, even the bunting around the city was being stripped along with the temporary fencing that corralled the throngs in town for the soccer tournament.
 

In the Corniche area, a picturesque boardwalk that served as the backdrop for countless social media posts, workers pulled down branding and World Cup installations and swept away the dust.

Charming wooden boats that had lined the bay had mostly lifted anchor and left the scenic area.

Argentina fans Tomas Capa and Jesica Inamorato, in town for the Cup, said it was a stark contrast to the night before when they celebrated their side’s title well into the early morning hours.

“It’s crazy. It’s a ghost town here after such a big party, one day to the next in just a few hours,” Capa said.

“But yeah, who cares. Yesterday was amazing. We watched the sunrise dancing with our compatriots. You can tell by my voice what a good time we had,” added Inamorato.

A handful of tourists and diners still milled about the souq market area, but it was a far cry from the raucous crowds that packed the winding alley ways to celebrate World Cup victories throughout the tournament.

The shift leader at a souq restaurant, Amad Rammal, said he was surprised at how quickly the city had emptied out.

“When I woke up this morning, I thought it would also be busy, but it’s very quiet today. Not like before,” he said.