Nawaz Ahmed has spent years serving karak and snacks to customers at Taxi Cafe in Garhoud. Over that time, he has listened to countless conversations about work, rising temperatures, traffic, family matters and weekend plans. But over the last few days, he has noticed something different.
Almost every conversation these days at his tea junction, located within a neighbourhood park, revolves around football. Nawaz said that customers discuss which country has the best chance of winning the FIFA World Cup 2026, debate whether Argentina can defend its title, and share plans on where they intend to watch the matches when the tournament kicks off in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
“The topic these days is football. Customers ask each other which team they support. Some ask me who I am supporting. They talk about players, predictions and where they will watch the games,” said Nawaz.
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Many commuters including taxi drivers, office goers, residents and children come to the spot to spend their evening and according to Nawaz, the excitement is not limited to adults. “Many children come here to play football in the park. After their games, they sit here and start discussing which team will win the World Cup. Sometimes they talk like big football analysts.”
The football chatter is not limited to the cafes and parks. Fitsun, a taxi driver in Dubai and an Ethiopian national said that the discussions about the FIFA World Cup have become a regular part of his working day. He said that the passengers often bring up football during their journeys, whether they know him or not.
“Many passengers are talking about the World Cup now. Some ask me which team I support. Others start discussing which country has the strongest squad. Even other drivers tell me they are hearing similar conversations from passengers in their taxis,” said Fitsun.
He also mentioned that football has become one of the easiest conversation starters among residents from different nationalities. “People support different teams, but everyone enjoys talking about football,” he said.
Youssef Al Katib, an Egyptian marketing professional working in Business Bay, said that football discussions have slowly started taking over lunch breaks and coffee conversations among colleagues. “Normally we talk about work, projects or weekend plans. Now people are discussing fixtures, predicting winners and planning how they will watch the matches. Some colleagues have even started talking about staying up for certain games.”
He added that the tournament’s appeal means almost everyone in the office has an opinion. “One person supports Argentina, another supports Portugal, somebody else is backing England. Every discussion turns into a debate.”
Similar scenes are playing out in residential neighbourhoods across the country. In Sharjah, residents who regularly meet friends after Isha prayers said that football has increasingly become part of their evening conversations.
“We usually talk about family, weekend plans, work and what is happening around us. But now, football keeps coming up. Somebody talks about Messi, somebody mentions Ronaldo, and before you know it, everyone is discussing the World Cup,” said Mohammed Abu Nael, a sales manager at a gifting firm in Dubai and a resident of Al Nahda in Sharjah.
What is surprising the residents is how football brings people together. “We might be discussing the World Cup over a cup of karak after Isha prayers, and someone passing by or coming out of the mosque overhears us and joins the conversation. Within minutes, there are five or six people discussing football, even if they have never met before,” said Abu Nael.
Source: Khaleej Times