Berlin fan zone unlikely during 2022 Qatar World Cup

Berlin is unlikely to stage its traditional fan location at the city's central Brandenburg Gate during the 2022 Football World Cup in Qatar, a government spokesperson has told dpa, reported dpa.

A spokesperson for Berlin's Senate Department for the Environment, Mobility and Climate Protection said a private organizer had withdrawn its application because of security concerns and uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

The so-called "fan mile" at the Brandenburg Gate usually includes food stalls, a stage and screens for broadcasting the matches. It has attracted hundreds of thousands of fans at previous World Cup tournaments.

In the summer of 2006, when Germany hosted the World Cup, some 9 million fans attended over the course of four weeks.

The opening ceremony for the World Cup in Qatar and the opening match between the hosts and Ecuador is scheduled for November 20. The final is scheduled for December 18.

The fact that the tournament is taking place in Qatar is controversial for a variety of reasons. The emirate has repeatedly come under fire for human rights violations and its treatment of foreign workers.