Qatar World Cup: ‘fake fans’ claim to accentuate surreal atmosphere, TikTok footage emerges from flimsy shelters

Things take a surreal turn just days before the start of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Over the past 24 hours, tournament organizers have denied claims of fake fans marching through the streets of Doha, while a social media video of simple shelters has garnered millions of views.

Videos posted on TikTok channel Qatari Living appear to show local fans cheering in a coordinated fashion while dressed in merchandise from England, Argentina and Brazil. This drew skepticism from online football fans who were paid to promote the tournament, but reporters from The Guardian and The Times spoke to several fans and reported that their enthusiasm and knowledge of the sport appeared to be genuine.

An England supporter from Kerala told The Guardian that claims he and others were paid were “fake news”.

The World Cup executive committee called the claims “disappointing and not surprising”.

“Fans from around the world – many of whom have made Qatar their home – have recently added to the local atmosphere by organizing fan walks and parades around the country and welcoming the various national teams to their hotels. Numerous journalists and commentators on social media have done so, asking if they are ‘real’ fans. We strongly deny these allegations,” the statement continued.

The accommodation video, from another TikTok account, appears to show strips of white tents lining a dirt road. Each tent has a flag of a competing country and inside, simple single beds are divided by a small bedside table in an otherwise empty space.

With more than 5 million views, many on social media compared the facility to accommodations at Billy McFarland’s Fyre Festival in 2017, where guests were provided with FEMA tents and basic supplies despite being billed for the failed event ‘s luxurious status.

Controversy continues ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which begins on Sunday with a match between the host nation and Ecuador.

Qatari officials apologized today after the secretary threatened to destroy Danish TV channel TV2’s camera during a live broadcast. Elsewhere, British comedian and presenter Joe Lycett is threatening to drop £10,000 ($11,870) via a live stream on Sunday if superstar ex-footballer David Beckham does not give up his lucrative role as World Cup ambassador in Qatar. Lycett is furious that Beckham, who he calls “a gay icon”, is sponsoring a tournament in a country where homosexuality is still illegal.