Qatari comedian, presenter Hamad al-Amari earns global acclaim for FFF performance

Famous Qatari comedian and presenter Hamad al-Amari has received international recognition in appreciation for his stunning performance while enthralling and entertaining fans at the FIFA Fan Festival (FFF) at Al Bidda Park from November 19 to December 18, as part of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.Al-Amari, during a conversation with Gulf Times, said that he has got invitations to visit various countries after his performance struck a chord with international fans. Nearly 2mn fans from across the world enjoyed the FFF."I have been invited to Japan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, India, Costa Rica, Berlin, France, the US and a host of other countries and cities around the world. This is a recognition indeed," he said. Al-Amari was invited by a Japanese family, who he helped find accommodation after they wanted to extend their stay in Qatar. "I met a family from Japan who flew to Qatar for the World Cup. None of the family members spoke English or Arabic. They expressed their love to me using Google translate and I was speaking to them through Google translate. It’s amazing to be able to have these kinds of interactions with people from all around the world. I helped them find the accommodation and they invited me to stay with them in Japan," al-Amari recalled.Attired in the traditional Qatari thobe, ghutra and igal, al-Amari was on the stage of the FIFA Fan Festival, anchoring the programmes every night. Despite the demands of the project, which had him facing incredible audiences daily for about a month, al-Amari feels incredibly grateful for the opportunity to grow and evolve as an entertainer through it. "Anytime a performer is on stage, they have a chance to perfect their craft. Being on stage daily helped me connect with incredible people and continue delivering entertainment," he noted.The stand-up comedian has hosted the fan zones in Qatar in 2014 and 2018. "My goal has always been to deliver great performances continually, so I was happy to be responsible for the FIFA Fan Festival this year and glad to be recognised by an entity like FIFA for my work," he said.Al-Amari loves engaging with people from around the world while interacting with them during the match breaks. "The Fan Festival is a place that is filled with fans who are already excited, so the entertainment part is easy when they are coming with such great energy. Also, I love football and this is the best World Cup ever from a football perspective so I know both the fans and I are having a blast," he said, adding that the festival was the best place to be in Qatar during the World Cup outside of stadiums."I felt like I am living the dream while being at the festival. "I was showered with love daily, and all I could give back was love".