‘Every few hours, it’s another story’: logistical controversies cast shadow on what should have been a joyous World Cup start

CAIRO: As an Egyptian sports journalist who has spent the past 16 years dedicated to covering Arab athletes at the pinnacle of their respective disciplines, this FIFA World Cup was supposed to be one of the most exciting events I have ever covered. With an unprecedented eight Arab teams qualified for the expanded showpiece in North America, normally I would be chomping at the bit to dive deep into the different story lines surrounding each one of those squads, and would be teeming with anticipation over how they will fare when the competition kicks off.

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