Qatar 2022 World Cup Mascot Highlights Muslim Garb Known As ‘Keffiyeh’ And ‘Thawb’
Soccer’s World Cup, which will be played this winter in the small Gulf state of Qatar, marks the first time the planet’s biggest sporting event will be played in an Arab nation.
As a result, Qatar will need to overcome some issues, especially when it comes to reconciling their conservative Islam with more progressive Western values around LGBTQ rights and public drinking of alcohol. It is also a chance for Qatar to show and educate the world about Arab culture.
Although 1.5 million fans are expected to visit Qatar during the month-long tournament, Qatar remains a traditional country in the midst of rapid social changes. That’s where the tournament’s official mascot, unveiled this past Friday at the World Cup Final Draw in Doha, comes in.
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Named La’eeb, which FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, said is “an Arabic word meaning super-skilled player,” the mascot triggered plenty of confusion and scorn on social media.
But the mascot was primarily an homage to Arab garments known as the “keffiyeh” and “thawb.”
The keffiyeh is a head covering worn by Arab men that’s fashioned from a square scarf and usually made of cotton. It provides protection from the sun.
Like the keffiyeh, the thawb is a robe also commonly worn by men in the Arabian Peninsula and also typically made of cotton. It can be made from heavier materials such as wool for those living in colder climates. The style of the thawb varies among Arab countries, but it is donned because Muslims have been encouraged to dress modestly and in garments that do not reveal body parts.
Men in Doha dressed in traditional Arab garments, known as the keffiyeh and thawb, that is typical of Muslim men across the Arab world. Photo via Wikipedia Commons
Qatari women, meanwhile, cover their head with a black headdress called a “shayla” and their body with a long black dress known as an “abayha.” Some women even cover their faces altogether like what is often seen across the Arab world.
Many in the West have mistaken the mascot for a ghost — some users on Twitter even using it as a chance to take a shot at the country’s poor working conditions for imported workers who build the stadiums that will be used during the 32-team competition.
It isn’t unusual for World Cup and Olympic mascots to reflect something about the host country’s heritage, customs or symbols.
Qatar 2022 officials said the mascot is a chance to “engage fans,” since La’eeb will be featured on everything from billboards to t-shirts to keychains.
“We are sure fans everywhere will love this fun and playful character,” said Khalid Ali Al Mawlawi, who serves as the deputy director of marketing, communications and tournament experience for Qatar 2022. “La’eeb will play a vital role as we engage fans young and old in Qatar’s FIFA World Cup experience.”
Those fans, especially foreign ones, will be expected to dress in a style that is sensitive to Islamic culture. Exceptions are made, like hotel pools, and in the case of the World Cup around and within stadiums.
In a news release, FIFA added, “La’eeb will be everywhere — welcoming the world, inspiring young fans and cheering the action during the tournament” from Nov. 21 to Dec. 18.
Meanwhile, the country is working on creating “tourist zones” to clamp down on the inevitable culture clash. For example, homosexuality is illegal in Qatar and is punishable by imprisonment of up to three years.
Qatar 2022 chief executive Nasser al-Khater has said that “any fan, of any gender, sexual orientation, religion, race” is welcome and that “Qatar is one of the most safe countries in the world.”
The World Cup will start on Nov. 21. The tournament will feature some of the best men’s soccer teams in the world, including defending champions France and five-time winners Brazil, along with Portugal, Belgium and the United States. The tournament will conclude with the final on Dec. 18.
Clemente Lisi is a senior editor and regular contributor to Religion Unplugged. He is the former deputy head of news at the New York Daily News and teaches journalism at The King’s College in New York City. Follow him on Twitter @ClementeLisi.