Spain’s FIFA World Cup victory over Argentina sparked celebrations so massive that scientists detected measurable seismic activity across the country. According to Spain’s National Geographic Institute, ground vibrations were recorded in several cities, including Barcelona, Cádiz, and Granada. Researchers identified major seismic spikes during the winning goal, the trophy ceremony, and the final whistle, highlighting the extraordinary scale of the nationwide celebrations.

Spain’s World Cup Victory over Argentina triggers seismic vibrations across the country

Excitement is reaching fever pitch in Argentina as fans in Lionel Messi's hometown of Rosario unveiled a giant jersey in tribute to the football legend ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 final against Spain. Thousands gathered to celebrate Messi as Argentina prepares for one of the biggest matches in football history.

Argentina Fans Unveil Giant Messi Jersey Before FIFA World Cup Final Against Spain

The national airline of Morocco announced that it was cancelling all of its scheduled flights for Wednesday to fly&nbsp;fans to Doha for the World Cup semifinal, citing what it claimed to be a decision by Qatari officials.

"Following the latest restrictions imposed by the&nbsp;Qatari&nbsp;authorities,&nbsp;Royal Air Maroc regrets to inform customers of the&nbsp;cancellation&nbsp;of their&nbsp;flights&nbsp;operated by Qatar Airways," the&nbsp;airline&nbsp;said&nbsp;in an emailed statement.

Requests for comments were not immediately answered by the international media office of the Qatari government. A source at a RAM travel agency who spoke to Reuters said on Tuesday that only 14 flights had been scheduled, despite Royal Air Maroc having previously stated that it would arrange 30 extra flights to make it easier for supporters to travel to Qatar for Wednesday night's semifinal match against France.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/france-vs-morocco-fifa-world-cup-semifinal-reliving-last-face-off-between-both-sides-in-2007-542957">France vs Morocco, FIFA World Cup semifinal: Reliving last face-off between both sides in 2007</a>

Due to the seven scheduled flights for Wednesday being cancelled, RAM was only able to operate the seven flights on Tuesday, preventing fans who had already reserved match tickets or hotel rooms from travelling.&nbsp;

RAM&nbsp;said&nbsp;it would reimburse flight&nbsp;tickets&nbsp;and apologised to customers.

(With inputs from agencies)

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The national airline of Morocco announced that it was cancelling all of its scheduled flights for Wednesday to fly fans to Doha for the World Cup semifinal, citing what it claimed to be a decision by Qatari officials.

The national airline of Morocco announced that it was cancelling all of its scheduled flights for Wednesday to fly fans to Doha for the World Cup semifinal, citing what it claimed to be a decision by Qatari officials. "Following the latest restrictions imposed by the Qatari authorities, Royal Air Maroc regrets to inform customers of the cancellation of their flights operated by Qatar Airways," the airline said in an emailed statement. Requests for comments were not immediately answered by the international media office of the Qatari government. A source at a RAM travel agency who spoke to Reuters said on Tuesday that only 14 flights had been scheduled, despite Royal Air Maroc having previously stated that it would arrange 30 extra flights to make it easier for supporters to travel to Qatar for Wednesday night's semifinal match against France. Also read | France vs Morocco, FIFA World Cup semifinal: Reliving last face-off between both sides in 2007 Due to the seven scheduled flights for Wednesday being cancelled, RAM was only able to operate the seven flights on Tuesday, preventing fans who had already reserved match tickets or hotel rooms from travelling. RAM said it would reimburse flight tickets and apologised to customers. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

FIFA World Cup 2022: Moroccan airline cancels World Cup fan flights citing Qatar restrictions

Football fans are warming up by having boiling hot beer straight out of the teapot while enjoying the World Cup. Molly Gambhir tells you more.

Gravitas: Chinese football fans enjoy hot

With all major European clubs pulling out after backlash from fans and politicians, the much-touted, controversial European Super League stumbled under the weight of football's rich legacy. What the fuss all about? Watch the video to know more.

How European Super League crumbled within hours

For the first time in 270 days, fans were back inside a Premier League ground as Arsenal welcomed 2,000 supporters into the Emirates for Thursday's routine 4-1 Europa League win over Rapid Vienna.

The sparse crowd in a 60,000 capacity stadium were well distanced between two stands and in high spirits despite the Gunners' poor form of late in the English top-flight.

"I'm delighted to have fans back they make a huge difference," said Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta.

"We had 2,000 but they were loud and they were supportive to the team so thanks to them for coming and making the effort."

Outside the ground before kick-off fans held up a banner reading: "Home at last, Thank you NHS" in tribute to those working on the front line battling coronavirus in the health service.

Arsenal's last home match with a crowd was back in March prior to a three-month stoppage of the sport due to the pandemic.&nbsp;

Since returning in June, English top-flight football has been played behind closed doors with Arsenal fans missing out on seeing their side win the FA Cup and Community Shield at Wembley.

"It's been a long nine months since the last game," said Javed Singh. "I'm excited, it's a bit of a dead rubber game but good to be back in the stadium. Just great to see a game in person."

Despite Arsenal having already booked their place in the Europa League knockout stages, demand from fans to be one of the lucky few back through the gates crashed the club website on Saturday morning.

"It's one of those games you will look back on that we were the first ones in the stadium," said Dan Anderson, who attended the game with his brother as normal.

"It's just getting back to normal. You work hard all week and to have that reward to be able to go to a game at the weekend or at night is what you want."

However, it was not a return to normality for everyone. Pubs that would typically be crammed with fans on matchday around the stadium remained shut with&nbsp;London still under tier two restrictions meaning alcohol cannot be served without food.

Restrictions remain even tighter in other parts of England in Tier three such as Manchester and Birmingham where fans remain shut out.

"Football is all about you, the fans - we have missed you and we are so happy to be welcoming you back," said Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in a video played before kick-off.

<h2>- Gunnersauras saved from extinction -</h2>

Club mascot Gunnersaurus was also back after the controversy that saw the club employee, Jerry Quy, who played the role since 1993, let go amid cost-cutting measures before Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil stepped in to cover his salary.

Playing an entire season without crowds would cost Premier League clubs an estimated £700 million ($941 million) and the need to make the most of the fans' return was evident with Arsenal's "Armoury" club shop reopened.

The atmosphere inspired a much-changed side on the field as Arteta looked ahead of Sunday's North London derby against Premier League leaders Tottenham.

Spurs were the target of the first chants once the action got underway, showing some things never change no matter the circumstances.

There was soon something to cheer as Alexandre Lacazette smashed in a stunning long-range strike top open the scoring on 10 minutes and ran to celebrate in front of the fans.

"It's just great to have that sound back and have our 12th man back," said Arsenal midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

Pablo Mari quickly headed home a second on his first appearance since March.

Eddie Nketiah added a third before half-time before Kohya Kitagawa's consolation for the Austrians drew pantomime boos from the crowd.

Substitute Emile Smith Rowe rounded off the scoring on a night that will be best remembered for what happened off the field.

For the first time in 270 days, fans were back inside a Premier League ground as Arsenal welcomed 2,000 supporters into the Emirates for Thursday's routine 4-1 Europa League win over Rapid Vienna.

For the first time in 270 days, fans were back inside a Premier League ground as Arsenal welcomed 2,000 supporters into the Emirates for Thursday's routine 4-1 Europa League win over Rapid Vienna. The sparse crowd in a 60,000 capacity stadium were well distanced between two stands and in high spirits despite the Gunners' poor form of late in the English top-flight. "I'm delighted to have fans back they make a huge difference," said Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta. "We had 2,000 but they were loud and they were supportive to the team so thanks to them for coming and making the effort." Outside the ground before kick-off fans held up a banner reading: "Home at last, Thank you NHS" in tribute to those working on the front line battling coronavirus in the health service. Arsenal's last home match with a crowd was back in March prior to a three-month stoppage of the sport due to the pandemic. Since returning in June, English top-flight football has been played behind closed doors with Arsenal fans missing out on seeing their side win the FA Cup and Community Shield at Wembley. "It's been a long nine months since the last game," said Javed Singh. "I'm excited, it's a bit of a dead rubber game but good to be back in the stadium. Just great to see a game in person." Despite Arsenal having already booked their place in the Europa League knockout stages, demand from fans to be one of the lucky few back through the gates crashed the club website on Saturday morning. "It's one of those games you will look back on that we were the first ones in the stadium," said Dan Anderson, who attended the game with his brother as normal. "It's just getting back to normal. You work hard all week and to have that reward to be able to go to a game at the weekend or at night is what you want." However, it was not a return to normality for everyone. Pubs that would typically be crammed with fans on matchday around the stadium remained shut with London still under tier two restrictions meaning alcohol cannot be served without food. Restrictions remain even tighter in other parts of England in Tier three such as Manchester and Birmingham where fans remain shut out. "Football is all about you, the fans - we have missed you and we are so happy to be welcoming you back," said Arsenal skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in a video played before kick-off. - Gunnersauras saved from extinction - Club mascot Gunnersaurus was also back after the controversy that saw the club employee, Jerry Quy, who played the role since 1993, let go amid cost-cutting measures before Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil stepped in to cover his salary. Playing an entire season without crowds would cost Premier League clubs an estimated £700 million ($941 million) and the need to make the most of the fans' return was evident with Arsenal's "Armoury" club shop reopened. The atmosphere inspired a much-changed side on the field as Arteta looked ahead of Sunday's North London derby against Premier League leaders Tottenham. Spurs were the target of the first chants once the action got underway, showing some things never change no matter the circumstances. There was soon something to cheer as Alexandre Lacazette smashed in a stunning long-range strike top open the scoring on 10 minutes and ran to celebrate in front of the fans. "It's just great to have that sound back and have our 12th man back," said Arsenal midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Pablo Mari quickly headed home a second on his first appearance since March. Eddie Nketiah added a third before half-time before Kohya Kitagawa's consolation for the Austrians drew pantomime boos from the crowd. Substitute Emile Smith Rowe rounded off the scoring on a night that will be best remembered for what happened off the field.

Arsenal win on fans' return to top level football in England

England manager Gareth Southgate is relishing their European Championship meeting with Scotland next year and said he is hopeful supporters will be allowed to watch the contest at Wembley Stadium.

England manager Gareth Southgate is relishing their European Championship meeting with Scotland next year and said he is hopeful supporters will be allowed to watch the contest at Wembley Stadium. Speaking after England’s 3-0 friendly win over Ireland on Thursday at an empty Wembley because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Southgate said he was delighted Scotland were able to qualify for their first European Championship finals since 1996. Steve Clarke’s side secured a 5-4 penalty shootout playoff win in Serbia with the game ending 1-1 after extra time to book their spot in the 24-nation tournament’s Group D, which includes England, Czech Republic and 2018 World Cup runners-up Croatia. “What a game. That makes our lives more complicated for sure. It will hopefully be a fantastic occasion with fans, but that’s the one thing that none of us can control,” Southgate told the BBC. “I’m particularly pleased for Steve. He’s a great guy and has done a great job. That will be a humdinger of a game. “They’ve got a team that’s improving quickly with a lot of players who have emerged in the last two or three years - the likes of John McGinn, Scott McTominay, Kieran Tierney, Andrew Robertson.” Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish, who started for England against Ireland and impressed, said he was “over the moon” that England would face Scotland in June. “It’s brilliant for everyone involved, especially if we can get Wembley full by the time that comes around. Fingers crossed for that because it’ll be an unbelievable day,” Grealish added. “One of my good friends (Aston Villa team-mate) John McGinn gets to play at the Euros, so I’m delighted for him as well.” England next play Nations League A Group 2 games against Belgium on Sunday and Iceland three day later.

Southgate hopes fans can return when England host Scotland at Euro finals

The chief of &nbsp;Italy's football federation (FIGC) is hopeful that the stadiums could host some fans from July if the country continues to witness a drop in coronavirus infections.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ronaldo-misses-penalty-as-juve-squeeze-into-final-with-milan-draw-305512" hreflang="en">Ronaldo misses penalty as Juve squeeze into final with Milan draw</a>

Italy's football season resumed after three months of a halt after a Coppa Italia semi-final second leg between Juventus and AC Milan was played on Friday. The Serie A will restart on June 20.&nbsp;

Currently, all matches are being played behind closed doors, without spectators.

"Yesterday, we took the last step towards dispelling any doubts about the completion of the championships," FIGC President Gabriele Gravina said in an interview with Radio Deejay on Saturday.

"I'm happy but there is still one piece missing, which is the participation of the fans and I hope they can return very quickly. I hope it will be the beginning of July -- the first week or mid-July at the latest,"

"This will mean that our country has thrown off those final restrictions and that we've come out of this particularly dark moment for our country."

Serbia has allowed their fans into the stadiums whereas Poland will allow 25 per cent capacity of stadiums for the fans from June 19. &nbsp;

The chief of Italy's football federation (FIGC) is hopeful that the stadiums could host some fans from July if the country continues to witness a drop in coronavirus infections.

The chief of Italy's football federation (FIGC) is hopeful that the stadiums could host some fans from July if the country continues to witness a drop in coronavirus infections. Also read: Ronaldo misses penalty as Juve squeeze into final with Milan draw Italy's football season resumed after three months of a halt after a Coppa Italia semi-final second leg between Juventus and AC Milan was played on Friday. The Serie A will restart on June 20. Currently, all matches are being played behind closed doors, without spectators. "Yesterday, we took the last step towards dispelling any doubts about the completion of the championships," FIGC President Gabriele Gravina said in an interview with Radio Deejay on Saturday. "I'm happy but there is still one piece missing, which is the participation of the fans and I hope they can return very quickly. I hope it will be the beginning of July -- the first week or mid-July at the latest," "This will mean that our country has thrown off those final restrictions and that we've come out of this particularly dark moment for our country." Serbia has allowed their fans into the stadiums whereas Poland will allow 25 per cent capacity of stadiums for the fans from June 19.

'I hope they can return very quickly', Italian football federation chief on allowing fans in stadiums

English Football Association chairman Greg Clarke does not believe fans will be allowed into stadiums "any time soon" and has warned that the coronavirus crisis could cost the governing body £300 million ($373 million).

Football across England has been indefinitely suspended, with the 2019/20 season in all leagues below the top four divisions already declared over.

However, there are growing fears that the 2020/21 campaign also faces huge disruption due to social-distancing guidelines.

"With social distancing in place for some time to come we do face substantial changes to the whole football ecosystem," Clarke wrote in a letter to the FA Council.

"For example, it's hard to foresee crowds of fans, who are the lifeblood of the game, returning to matches any time soon."

The Premier League is still hoping to finish the season behind closed doors, with "Project Restart" aimed at minimising a predicted £1 billion loss if the campaign cannot be completed.

It is understood top-flight clubs were told on Friday that the remaining matches of the season must be played at neutral venues.

Further down the pyramid, where gate receipts make up a much higher percentage of clubs' income without lucrative TV deals, there are doubts over whether a new season can even start without fans being allowed to attend.&nbsp;

The FA has also been affected by the cancellation of at least four England fixtures and the suspension of the FA Cup.

Clarke said a "sensible" £75 million budget cut had been agreed.

"In a worst-case scenario, this would be necessary for the next four years to offset a £300 million deficit," he added.

"Clearly that will impact many of our plans as every area of the game will be touched and projects that we all value will be affected."

English Football Association chairman Greg Clarke does not believe fans will be allowed into stadiums "any time soon" and has warned that the coronavirus crisis could cost the governing body £300 million ($373 million).

English Football Association chairman Greg Clarke does not believe fans will be allowed into stadiums "any time soon" and has warned that the coronavirus crisis could cost the governing body £300 million ($373 million). Football across England has been indefinitely suspended, with the 2019/20 season in all leagues below the top four divisions already declared over. However, there are growing fears that the 2020/21 campaign also faces huge disruption due to social-distancing guidelines. "With social distancing in place for some time to come we do face substantial changes to the whole football ecosystem," Clarke wrote in a letter to the FA Council. "For example, it's hard to foresee crowds of fans, who are the lifeblood of the game, returning to matches any time soon." The Premier League is still hoping to finish the season behind closed doors, with "Project Restart" aimed at minimising a predicted £1 billion loss if the campaign cannot be completed. It is understood top-flight clubs were told on Friday that the remaining matches of the season must be played at neutral venues. Further down the pyramid, where gate receipts make up a much higher percentage of clubs' income without lucrative TV deals, there are doubts over whether a new season can even start without fans being allowed to attend. The FA has also been affected by the cancellation of at least four England fixtures and the suspension of the FA Cup. Clarke said a "sensible" £75 million budget cut had been agreed. "In a worst-case scenario, this would be necessary for the next four years to offset a £300 million deficit," he added. "Clearly that will impact many of our plans as every area of the game will be touched and projects that we all value will be affected."

English FA bracing for long spell without fans

World Cup 2022 host Qatar has given the clearest indication yet that LGBT fans will be welcome, engaging with gay supporters as it hosts the Club World Cup -- despite criminalising homosexuality.

Organisers of the 2022 soccer spectacle travelled to Britain in recent months to meet Liverpool fan clubs including the side's gay supporters' group, individuals briefed on the meeting have said.

Paul Amann, the founder of Liverpool's LGBT supporters' club Kop Outs, then undertook a fact-finding mission to Doha along with his husband in November at the invitation of the World Cup organisers.

"I'm very satisfied that their approach is to provide an 'everyone is welcome' ethos that does include respect, albeit through privacy," he told AFP. "I'm not sure if rainbow flags generally will ever be accepted 'in-country', but maybe in stadia."

Amman said he felt "paranoia is not needed as people will not pry into your personal business".

"There was clearly some apprehension, indeed my husband said on the eve of flying that he wished he had not agreed to go," the 50-year-old council worker wrote in a report for Kop Outs that he shared with AFP.

'Being gay is haram'

The Kop Outs boast 150 full members and thousands of followers on social media. It is unclear how many LGBT fans from Liverpool and the other six teams participating in the Club Cup will make the journey to the Gulf for the tournament.

Club chief executive Peter Moore said in November that Liverpool had "received a number of assurances" on the issue from Qatari authorities.

There are no openly gay or bisexual players in the English men's Premier League, but major clubs have implemented zero-tolerance policies for homophobia and embraced the "rainbow laces" campaign against discrimination.

Openly LGBT players are well represented in the English women's game however, with former Lionesses captain, the defender Casey Stoney, the best known.

The chief executive of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Nasser al-Khater said in September that "any fan, of any gender, (sexual) orientation, religion, race (should) rest assured that Qatar is one of the safest countries in the world — and they'll all be welcome here".

However he stressed that "public displays of affection are frowned upon, it's not part of our culture -- but that goes across the board to everybody".

Amann said that "if people basically observe the no PDA advice, then I can't see them being necessarily identifiable".

Though there are no openly gay venues in Doha, a handful of bars are known to be more gay-friendly and attract a loyal clientele of airline staff, hospitality workers and other expatriates.

Web users do not face restrictions accessing gay dating apps like Grindr in Qatar, unlike other Gulf countries, although users rarely display identifiable pictures.

"We are living in a society where gay people are not recognised yet. Being gay is haram to their religion," said a gay barman from the Philippines living in the conservative Muslim country who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"I think Qatar is not ready for it yet."

He shared a commonly held fear that police monitor gay apps and periodically deport homosexuals -- although there is limited evidence for this.

During a recent visit by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, three independent experts did, however, warn that at least one transgender person had been detained "until they changed their behaviour".

The experts, who are independent of the UN, also reported the detention of individuals because of crimes linked to their sexuality.

"No one should be detained because of who they love," said group member Elina Steinerte, a Latvian human rights expert.

'Police yourself'

A gay choreographer visiting Qatar from South Africa described the country as "challenging".

"The hardest thing is not being able to show any public displays of affection," said the man who also declined to be named.

"You don't quite realise how difficult it is to police yourself until you have to."

During the last World Cup in Russia, international anti-discrimination network FARE opened a match-screening area for gay and ethnic minority football fans in Moscow.

The LGBT-friendly venue opened despite queer activism being severely restricted in Russia under a 2013 "gay propaganda" law forbidding the promotion of "non-traditional sexual relationships" to minors.

Neither FIFA nor the Qatari Supreme Committee organisers have so far publicised any special measures for gay fans ahead of the World Cup.

Pavel Klymenko of FARE said, "we do have in mind something similar (for 2022) but need to see what is possible".

"Qataris are good at engaging with people, assuring them all is fine — like with the Liverpool LGBT group. But in reality, the level of tolerance for these issues might be way lower than in Russia." 
&nbsp;

World Cup 2022 host Qatar has given the clearest indication yet that LGBT fans will be welcome, engaging with gay supporters as it hosts the Club World Cup -- despite criminalising homosexuality.

World Cup 2022 host Qatar has given the clearest indication yet that LGBT fans will be welcome, engaging with gay supporters as it hosts the Club World Cup -- despite criminalising homosexuality. Organisers of the 2022 soccer spectacle travelled to Britain in recent months to meet Liverpool fan clubs including the side's gay supporters' group, individuals briefed on the meeting have said. Paul Amann, the founder of Liverpool's LGBT supporters' club Kop Outs, then undertook a fact-finding mission to Doha along with his husband in November at the invitation of the World Cup organisers. "I'm very satisfied that their approach is to provide an 'everyone is welcome' ethos that does include respect, albeit through privacy," he told AFP. "I'm not sure if rainbow flags generally will ever be accepted 'in-country', but maybe in stadia." Amman said he felt "paranoia is not needed as people will not pry into your personal business". "There was clearly some apprehension, indeed my husband said on the eve of flying that he wished he had not agreed to go," the 50-year-old council worker wrote in a report for Kop Outs that he shared with AFP. 'Being gay is haram' The Kop Outs boast 150 full members and thousands of followers on social media. It is unclear how many LGBT fans from Liverpool and the other six teams participating in the Club Cup will make the journey to the Gulf for the tournament. Club chief executive Peter Moore said in November that Liverpool had "received a number of assurances" on the issue from Qatari authorities. There are no openly gay or bisexual players in the English men's Premier League, but major clubs have implemented zero-tolerance policies for homophobia and embraced the "rainbow laces" campaign against discrimination. Openly LGBT players are well represented in the English women's game however, with former Lionesses captain, the defender Casey Stoney, the best known. The chief executive of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Nasser al-Khater said in September that "any fan, of any gender, (sexual) orientation, religion, race (should) rest assured that Qatar is one of the safest countries in the world — and they'll all be welcome here". However he stressed that "public displays of affection are frowned upon, it's not part of our culture -- but that goes across the board to everybody". Amann said that "if people basically observe the no PDA advice, then I can't see them being necessarily identifiable". Though there are no openly gay venues in Doha, a handful of bars are known to be more gay-friendly and attract a loyal clientele of airline staff, hospitality workers and other expatriates. Web users do not face restrictions accessing gay dating apps like Grindr in Qatar, unlike other Gulf countries, although users rarely display identifiable pictures. "We are living in a society where gay people are not recognised yet. Being gay is haram to their religion," said a gay barman from the Philippines living in the conservative Muslim country who spoke on condition of anonymity. "I think Qatar is not ready for it yet." He shared a commonly held fear that police monitor gay apps and periodically deport homosexuals -- although there is limited evidence for this. During a recent visit by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, three independent experts did, however, warn that at least one transgender person had been detained "until they changed their behaviour". The experts, who are independent of the UN, also reported the detention of individuals because of crimes linked to their sexuality. "No one should be detained because of who they love," said group member Elina Steinerte, a Latvian human rights expert. 'Police yourself' A gay choreographer visiting Qatar from South Africa described the country as "challenging". "The hardest thing is not being able to show any public displays of affection," said the man who also declined to be named. "You don't quite realise how difficult it is to police yourself until you have to." During the last World Cup in Russia, international anti-discrimination network FARE opened a match-screening area for gay and ethnic minority football fans in Moscow. The LGBT-friendly venue opened despite queer activism being severely restricted in Russia under a 2013 "gay propaganda" law forbidding the promotion of "non-traditional sexual relationships" to minors. Neither FIFA nor the Qatari Supreme Committee organisers have so far publicised any special measures for gay fans ahead of the World Cup. Pavel Klymenko of FARE said, "we do have in mind something similar (for 2022) but need to see what is possible". "Qataris are good at engaging with people, assuring them all is fine — like with the Liverpool LGBT group. But in reality, the level of tolerance for these issues might be way lower than in Russia."

World Cup 2022: Qatar opens its doors to gay football fans

Fans of Liverpool and Manchester City are set to watch this season's Premier League title race from "inside the game", even through the eyes of Sergio Aguero or Mohamed Salah, thanks to the latest in broadcasting innovation.

Technology giant Intel has partnered with champions City, Liverpool and Arsenal to introduce its state-of-the-art True View system to the Etihad, Anfield and Emirates stadiums.

True View, used in TV coverage of Sunday's Super Bowl and also to bring fans courtside in NBA, will allow 360-degree replays of all the key moments.

The cutting-edge technology will also allow viewers to experience winning goals, flying saves or last-ditch tackles from the perspective of the players on the pitch.

Using 38 5K ultra-high-definition cameras to capture vast quantities of "volumetric data" -- or three dimensional pixels -- Intel's servers then crunch it all down to provide incredible 3D replays from every conceivable angle.

In 2018 technology investments into sports reached nearly $1 billion -- much of it to satisfy a seemingly insatiable demand for content across traditional TV platforms and social media.

True View, according to James Carwana, vice president and general manager of Intel Sports, is a step further than anything Premier League fans will have experienced before, whether watching host broadcaster coverage or through club websites.

"Immersive media experiences continue to create more opportunities for sports teams and leagues to put the fan experience first," Carwana said at the London launch.

Billy Hogan, Liverpool's chief commercial officer, said True View would offer fans a completely new experience.

"We have seen some similar types of examples where they use more of a video-game looking feel, but this is the real match in a way where fans can see what the player is seeing on the ball," Hogan told Reuters.

"The ability to feel like you are actually on the pitch is something really exciting for the broadcast experience.

"It's deeply engaging from a fans perspective and from our perspective it's 24-7, 365-day interaction with our supporters whether they are nearby or on the other side of the world."

Only three Premier League clubs have so far joined with Intel with True View set to be rolled out "later this year".

Six La Liga clubs already have it installed.

Manchester City's senior vice president of Partnerships Damian Willoughby said True View fits into the club's ethos for innovation which saw it offer free stadium wifi on matchdays and "tunnel cam" which offers fans a peek "behind the scenes".

"It's about how we enhance the fans' experience and give our global audience a deeper experience of the content around the game," he said. "For us this is a natural extension of us being the cutting edge of fan engagement.

"We're possibly just scratching the surface of what's possible."

Fans of Liverpool and Manchester City are set to watch this season's Premier League title race from "inside the game", even through the eyes of Sergio Aguero or Mohamed Salah, thanks to the latest in broadcasting innovation.

Fans of Liverpool and Manchester City are set to watch this season's Premier League title race from "inside the game", even through the eyes of Sergio Aguero or Mohamed Salah, thanks to the latest in broadcasting innovation. Technology giant Intel has partnered with champions City, Liverpool and Arsenal to introduce its state-of-the-art True View system to the Etihad, Anfield and Emirates stadiums. True View, used in TV coverage of Sunday's Super Bowl and also to bring fans courtside in NBA, will allow 360-degree replays of all the key moments. The cutting-edge technology will also allow viewers to experience winning goals, flying saves or last-ditch tackles from the perspective of the players on the pitch. Using 38 5K ultra-high-definition cameras to capture vast quantities of "volumetric data" -- or three dimensional pixels -- Intel's servers then crunch it all down to provide incredible 3D replays from every conceivable angle. In 2018 technology investments into sports reached nearly $1 billion -- much of it to satisfy a seemingly insatiable demand for content across traditional TV platforms and social media. True View, according to James Carwana, vice president and general manager of Intel Sports, is a step further than anything Premier League fans will have experienced before, whether watching host broadcaster coverage or through club websites. "Immersive media experiences continue to create more opportunities for sports teams and leagues to put the fan experience first," Carwana said at the London launch. Billy Hogan, Liverpool's chief commercial officer, said True View would offer fans a completely new experience. "We have seen some similar types of examples where they use more of a video-game looking feel, but this is the real match in a way where fans can see what the player is seeing on the ball," Hogan told Reuters. "The ability to feel like you are actually on the pitch is something really exciting for the broadcast experience. "It's deeply engaging from a fans perspective and from our perspective it's 24-7, 365-day interaction with our supporters whether they are nearby or on the other side of the world." Only three Premier League clubs have so far joined with Intel with True View set to be rolled out "later this year". Six La Liga clubs already have it installed. Manchester City's senior vice president of Partnerships Damian Willoughby said True View fits into the club's ethos for innovation which saw it offer free stadium wifi on matchdays and "tunnel cam" which offers fans a peek "behind the scenes". "It's about how we enhance the fans' experience and give our global audience a deeper experience of the content around the game," he said. "For us this is a natural extension of us being the cutting edge of fan engagement. "We're possibly just scratching the surface of what's possible."

New TV technology to take football fans 'inside the game'

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