Thousands of fans from Morocco are rushing to Qatar to watch their team write World Cup history as airlines work to provide more tickets.
— On board the seven planes that made their way to the World Cup from Morocco in a 24-hour span, each passenger received a backpack splashed with that country’s national colors and stuffed with a T-shirt and a flag.
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Each plane was brimming with Moroccan fans flying to Qatar for the sole purpose of witnessing what would be a historic quarterfinal upset of Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal. With Morocco headed to the semifinals as the first African nation to advance that far in a World Cup, Doha could continue to serve as a de facto Moroccan capital.
The flights are a result of an agreement between Morocco’s soccer federation, its government and a regional airline. Between those flying to support the team and those already living in Qatar, the host country was expected to accommodate approximately 15,000 Moroccans within its boundaries during the World Cup.
