Can they kick it?

A year from now, the tiny, super-rich Gulf nation plans to send a message to the world by hosting world football’s showpiece event. But the jury is still out over whether the message is one of real change, or just image projection

- Pete Pattisson DOHA

When asked if he’s looking forward to the World Cup, Mohamed, an Indian sales-man, grins as he casts his fishing line off the promenade in the heart of Qatar’s capital, Doha. “Very much,” he says. “I love cricket!”

With a year to go to until the football World Cup kicks off, Mohamed’s response may have the event’s organisers worried. After all, about 70% of Qatar’s population are from the cricketloving subcontinent.

But on a Friday evening in Aspire Park , filled with families enjoying picnics and children playing football, another Mohamed has a different take. “We’re all excited and supporting the World Cup. The stadiums are amazing,” says the Egyptian chemistry teacher. “All Arabs are proud. It’s already a triumph!”

The two Mohameds reflect the diversity and divisions – of nationality, culture and sport – in this tiny Gulf state of 2.6 million people, where 95% of the working population are foreigners.

For Qataris and Arabic-speakers , the overwhelming emotions appear to be pride and excitement to be hosting the first World Cup in the region. But for the low-wage workers the Guardian has interviewed, mostly from south Asia, the response is ambivalent; a mixture of a lack of interest, a focus on earning money and the knowledge that even if they wanted to watch a match, they could never afford a ticket.