A number of bars in Cologne are refusing to broadcast the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in winter. An overview of which locations are boycotting the tournament.
Cologne – Normally, the big football tournaments such as world and European championships are extremely important not only for football fans, but also for restaurateurs. For example, if the German national team is playing, fans usually wait for hours in pubs and other locations to follow the game during public viewing – and in the meantime, of course, let the cash registers ring at the innkeepers with a drink or two. This winter, however, when the football World Cup kicks off in Qatar on November 20, 2022, things will be different in Cologne as well.
Due to significant human rights violations in the host country and thousands of workers who died during the stadium construction work, a number of localities are boycotting the world’s largest football tournament. The city of Cologne has also announced that it will not host any public viewing. A selection of Cologne pubs participating in the Qatar boycott.
Cologne: Bagatelle decides against Qatar World Cup – “long struggled”
According to its own statements, the Cologne pub “Bagatelle” has “been in doubt for a long time as to whether we could show the 2022 World Cup in the Bagatelle Bar” – on Wednesday, October 19, the decision was made: no broadcast of the Qatar games. Instead, from November 19th to December 16th, the bagatelle will show big soccer games from the past, such as the 1990 World Cup final between the Netherlands and Germany or the 2014 World Cup semi-final between Brazil and Germany. Tip: if you like a lot of goals in soccer , should come into its own in this semi-final.
| Bagatelle Cologne | |
|---|---|
| address | Teutoburger Strasse 17, 50678 Cologne |
God’s Green Meadow has made a decision – “We are boycotting this tournament”
“Dear people, the decision has been made: We will not be able to see any World Cup games in Qatar in winter. We are boycotting this tournament because the conditions in the host country are not compatible with our ideas of human coexistence,” says “Gottes Grüne Wiese” not far from Brussels Square in Cologne, explaining his decision. “This World Cup is completely absurd on all levels and we won’t take part in it,” writes the football pub, which is extremely popular with fans of 1. FC Köln.
| God’s Green Meadow | |
|---|---|
| address | Bismarckstrasse 53, 50672 Cologne |
No Qatar World Cup in the pub Zum Goldenen Schuss – Tournament “a project unworthy of football”
The football bar “Zum Goldenen Schuss” in the Brussels district also doesn’t want anything to do with the winter tournament. On Facebook she shared the event “NO WM-Studio Zum Goldenen Schuss” and wrote: “The 2022 World Cup tournament in Qatar is a project unworthy of football! So many rules of sporting and political fairness are violated that it seems irresponsible to us to take part in this event.” No Qatar World Cup in the “shot” so.
| For the golden shot | |
|---|---|
| address | Antwerpener Strasse 38, 50672 Cologne |
“Low budget” is “completely out” at the Qatar World Cup – no public viewing at the Aachener Strasse pub
The “low budget” on Aachener Straße keeps it short: “We’re completely out of the World Cup number there,” writes the locality on its Facebook page. You can imagine the reason given the “#Boycott Qatar 2022” picture that was posted. “Why not stream the Beer Pong World Championship 2022 live from the low budget? I think there’s an audience for that,” one user wrote. Wouldn’t that be something?
| Low budget | |
|---|---|
| address | Aachener Strasse 47, 50674 Cologne |
Reissdorf im Moselstübchen refrains from broadcasting Qatar – and prefers to celebrate carnival
The “Moselstübchen” on Landmannstraße in Cologne-Ehrenfeld also does not broadcast the World Cup games from Qatar. On the other hand, you can watch all 1. FC Köln games in the UEFA Europa Conference League until the start of the World Cup on November 20th. And of course celebrating the opening of the Cologne Carnival session on November 11th, 2022. So it seems that an alternative program is well taken care of.
| Reissdorf in the Moselstübchen | |
|---|---|
| address | Landmannstrasse 3, 50825 Cologne |
Pub Lotta on the Kartäuserwall – reading instead of public viewing for the Qatar World Cup
A “Boycott Qatar” flag is already emblazoned over the entrance to the “Lotta” (Carthusian Wall) – so it should be clear that there will be no televisions and screens from November 20th. “Instead, we will have an alternative program to the World Cup. More on that soon. But hold on Tuesday, 22.11. (7 p.m.) free. On 11/22 there will be an event in the Lotta with Dietrich Schulze-Marmeling, the author of the book “Boycott Qatar! – Why we have to stop FIFA,” said the pub.
| Lotta | |
|---|---|
| address | Kartäuserwall 12, 50678 Cologne |
“Mühlen Kölsch” pubs skip TVs for the Qatar World Cup – “Can’t pretend everything is fine”
The Mühlen Kölsch brewery has also decided not to show the Qatar World Cup on its premises. This includes the popular “Brauhaus zur Malzmühle” on Heumarkt in Cologne. “We can’t just swap the Ukraine flags on our facade for German flags and pretend everything is fine! The human rights violations in the host country and the suffering of the numerous guest workers are not compatible with our values.
| Brewery to the malt mill | |
|---|---|
| address | Heumarkt 6, 50667 Cologne |
Boycott of the Qatar World Cup in Cologne? Some pubs still unsure – “currently checking”
So while some Cologne pubs have already announced the boycott, other localities are still undecided whether they should turn on their televisions and screens. “At the moment we are not dealing with the World Cup in winter. We are currently preparing for the carnival season opening on November 11th. and then we start the Christmas business with the attached Christmas market,” explains, for example, the “Haus Unkelbach” on 24RHEIN demand; the “Gaffel am Dom” explains, also when asked: “The Gaffel am Dom is still in the identification phase.”
The “Haus BöhMer” in Cologne-Kalk, on the other hand, had already announced that it would definitely want to broadcast the games. “We’re looking forward to the tournament,” said owner Dieter Bucklitsch to 24RHEIN. (mo)
