The Intercontinental Hotel in Doha is like a who’s who of footballing royalty.
It is a great place to go star spotting with its restaurants and famous names staying there for the duration of the World Cup. It has also become a recruiting ground as a former Real Madrid president has been trying to sign up a Barcelona legend.
Ramon Calderon, the ex-president of Real Madrid, is a wonderful, charming man who works the room brilliantly and is currently trying to create a Padel Tennis league. Former Spain captain Carles Puyol has been in his sights and the sport is growing fast in Spain and around the world.
Doha hosted the World Padel Championship last November and the International Padel Federation has joined in a strategic partnership with Qatar Sports Investments – led by PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi - to set up a new Tour.
In recent times, Doha has hosted the Formula 1 Grand Prix, the World Athletic Championships, annual ATP and WTA tennis tournaments and now the football World Cup.
Doha is trying to make itself a new, spectacular destination for sports events and the success of the World Cup - or otherwise - will probably go a long way to determine whether that can happen.
So far, it has been dogged with controversy with FIFA, the rows over armbands, rights for migrant workers and the LGBTQ community.
There have been whispers here that Qatar even regret hosting the World Cup because the negativity it has brought and spotlight on the country.
But they are clearly looking to make it a global sporting capital and, looking at the infrastructure of transport, hotels and stadiums, they are set up for it in a sporting sense.
Now, can they ride out the storm? The football has started, it has already delivered a major shock with Saudi Arabia beating Argentina and the fans are now out in force.
There was a specially organised and beautiful-sounding Welsh choir singing at the Intercontinental the other night. They were absolutely magnificent.
England fans are enjoying the moored cruise ships in the harbour and flocking to the souk during the day. Finally, this tournament has a World Cup feel.
