FIFA Diary (Day 10): When allowed to cover a big match at the right time

There are some FIFA matches that you want to cover because they are huge matches. The match between Argentina and Mexico was also to be counted among these big matches.

But here was a problem. Many of the journalists who have come to Qatar have requested to cover this match, but FIFA has dedicated media seats for each match and when requests from journalists exceed these seats, the rest Applications are rejected.

For this, a FIFA formula has been made and that is that the journalists of the 2 teams who are to have a match are allowed first. After that, both of them get permission from the journalists of the confederation. Argentina has the South American confederation called CONMEBOL while Mexico has the North and Central American confederation called CONCACAF.

Next comes the number of teams from non-participating countries. In this it is obvious that we South Asians are very low. For this reason, I was initially not allowed to go to this match. It was a big shock for me because it had never happened to me before in a big match.

Here in Qatar are my friends Siddharth Saxena from The Times of India and Ayun Dasgupta from The Hindu and all three of us have not been allowed even though we think our newspapers are very big and we should have been allowed. We were all rejected.

FIFA also maintains a wait list that if you are not allowed then you can apply for this wait list. Because sometimes FIFA also allocates space in the fan seating for matches, it is possible that people on this waitlist will also be allowed. We also applied for the waitlist and then it was just a long wait.

Yesterday morning there was a match between Poland and Saudi Arabia. It happens that the FIFA bus takes you to another match after one match is over, now since we were not allowed to cover the second match we decided to go to the virtual stadium. This time FIFA has also created a virtual stadium where you can watch the match from 4 different angles. Journalists who do not go to the actual stadium sit there and cover the match.

We got back to the main media center and were on our way to the virtual stadium when my phone rang. I saw that the mail came from FIFA saying that you have been approved for match cover and to collect your ticket. I asked Siddharth to check his phone too because we come from the same region so our FIFA affairs are also at the same time but he checked his phone and there was no mail.

We went to the media ticketing counter and I bought my ticket. But we also inquired from the lady at the counter why Siddharth's ticket did not come but we did not get any reply. Anyway, I started going towards the stadium and towards Siddharth Virtual Stadium, while the lady at the counter called out to me and said, call those who were with you, their tickets have also been approved.

It was a very important match for Messi because either Messi would do something in this match or Messi's team would go home. Only 3 journalists from the subcontinent were present in the stadium to cover this match and I was one of them. I consider myself lucky to have seen this match live, these are the moments that are remembered for a lifetime, how you get to the match.