The footie Nagpals: After witnessing six World Cups, this football-crazy family has now set sight on Qatar


Their love for the beautiful game sees them meticulously plan matches, stadiums and cities every four years.

The FIFA World Cup 2022, which will be held from November 21 to December 18 in Qatar, promises to be a blitzkrieg. The first-round of FIFA draw is over, with over 300,000 tickets released on first-come, first-serve basis, the second ends on 29 March. So the scramble to get tickets before the groups are announced is reaching its crescendo. The first draw alone saw 17 million applications.

The draws are blind, but Anvam feels that Indians, the universal fans, would love the atmosphere at any match.

One such proud holder of the prized tickets is Apurv Nagpal, an IIM professor of innovation and author of Eighteen Plus. He has tickets for eight matches, including two quarter finals – courtesy the draw. The Pune-based Nagpals are football aficionados who have been part of the past six World Cups. Qatar is their seventh. For them, it is a rite of passage. These travelling footie Nagpals went to France, Korea, Germany, Brazil, Russia and South Africa – the entourage included professor Apurv, wife Ritu, son Anvam, daughter Anvika, brother Abhimanyu, his wife Raashi, and sons Sumanyu and Suvir. Quite incredulously, his 82-year-old father Subhash, and 75-year-old mother Rita were also part of this motley squad. These World Cup sojourns are pilgrimage to the meccas of football, and planned painstakingly by Apurv.

Now, as the 32 teams play qualifiers to make it to the most celebrated cup of all – The FIFA World Cup 2022, the three generations of the travelling footie family are licking their lips in anticipation. Their love for the beautiful game, and fervour sees them meticulously plan matches, stadiums and cities every four years. Holidays are chalked out, a chart of fixtures is created, and leave applied for, be it work, school or college, to ensure that the 10-strong family can make it for the FIFA kick-offs, mingle in the festivity, and join the biggest sporting extravaganza of all.

Tickets are also scheduled to open on 1 April, 2022, barring the first and final match.

Now, preparing for the next draw that ends 29 March, each one has faithfully signed up to improve chances of bagging tickets from across the world – Apurv is currently based in London, his brother is on the high seas. These World Cup veterans are zeroing in on hotels, getting their Hayya Cards or fan IDs downloaded from the official website, which “is still not functioning properly” to plan this quarterly footie pilgrimage. “The site is bugey, full of glitches,” says Apurv, who even posted how @Qatar for #FifaWorldCup costs $5,500 a week, “we spent half that for three weeks in South Africa, Russia and Brazil,” he wrote on twitter.

How Qatar is different

The Fan ID or Hayya Card, acts as a passport, visa, free transport, access to fan zones in Qatar. The fan ID, a game changer, was introduced during the Russian World Cup. Qatar has also released a four-match series, which means “instead of applying four times, you apply only once for the pre-selected four matches,” says Apurv.

The collective Nagpal fan squad also customises and designs special football jerseys with numbers (birth dates), year and country of the previous World Cups. These are designed by Apurv’s son Anvam, a product designer. While the Indian flag cannot be represented in entirety by law, the tees will sport an emblem with Indian colours.

“Since Qatar is small, it is fantastic for a footie fan. You don’t have to worry about hotels, as each match is a couple of hours drive away. So, one could end up watching two games on the same day (there are two slots – 6 pm and 10 pm),” he explains.

Qatar has also launched disability cards for disabled or aged persons who can bring along a companion. “It could be as cheap at Rs 500 for such cards,” adds Apurv.

Back home in Pune, the Nagpal home has a World Cup wall of fame that awaits the spoils of FIFA 2022. It is an altar since the first World Cup – France 1998 for the football fanatics.

Of their treasure trove of memorabilia, Anvam says, “The wall has our match tickets, a collection of beer mugs from most games – with the fixture and team names printed on it, and fridge magnets courtesy women.” The 2010 Jabulani (match ball) too. The World Cup is the holy grail for all footie fans, and while the action, skill and energy takes centre stage, exploring a new country and culture from a culturally diverse perspective, for the Nagpals, is unparalleled.

The footie Nagpals After witnessing six World Cups this footballcrazy family has now set sights on Qatar

While most fans want to watch a top team play, the Nagpals prefer early-stage matches and always try for the FIFA draws – when fixtures are still undecided.

The learnings

Football World Cups imbue a carnival-like feel that is electric. The merriment, ebullient mood, fervour, camaraderie and cheer leaders, Apurv, says, it is a once in a lifetime experience. While most fans want to watch a top team play, the Nagpals prefer early-stage matches and always try for the FIFA draws – when fixtures are still undecided. Why? Because they love the beautiful game, are less tense, and joie de vivre is infectious.

The Qatar planning committee consists of the Nagpal brothers, and sons. Each one has applied for leave – schools have been apprised – that’s how important it is. Awaiting this melting pot of football, for Anvam, each game offers something to revel in – like in SA, the Portugal versus Brazil in Durban, the quarterfinal of France and Germany at the Maracena, Rio – the ultimate manna. “This kindled my love for the German team,” adds Anvam.

How to plan for the World Cup

These FIFA draws give fans a chance to get tickets early as often tickets are sold out fast. “My son and my brother’s son are lead planners. My brother, sailing in the Atlantic Ocean, I, in London, my parents in Pune, were all on conference calls to plan. The Qatar disability card prices are ridiculously low so this time, we wanted to get those for our parents, as they found it difficult to get around earlier,” he adds.

The draws are blind, but Anvam feels that Indians, the universal fans, would love the atmosphere at any match. “Who would have thought games with Peru would be such fun? Or South American or African teams – the flair and skill,” adds Anvam.

Apurv advises – apply for the draws – and watch any match, “It doesn’t matter. Go there, be there. Apply before the draw is announced, choose random dates. Your chances are high as most Europeans choose games only once the draw is announced.”

Seeing the top 10 ranked sides in the world or all the 32, the football will be phenomenal. “Seeing Portugal play in the past three World Cups, and Cristiano Ronaldo was a dream for us. A game between Colombia and the Ivory Coast was one of the best games in Brazil,” adds Apurv.

Imagine sitting in the deafening din of 70,000 people, as Colombian’s chant, Africans beat drums, and show off their outlandish haircuts or the vuvuzelas and garish footie gear create a beautiful canvas?

Hotels are expensive so it’s advisable to book early, flights are exorbitant due to COVID-19 too, “so wait a bit and book.”

They cheer for the underdogs, and favourites. “Argentina for sure as they won the Copa America – as this would be Lionel Messi’s last. Hopefully, this time they can conjure up magic. We love Brazil, Spain, Germany too,” adds Anvam.

Booking seats near friends? “Usually after the booking, a code is sent, that is shared with others, so they are near you, though there are no guarantees,” Anvam adds.

The planning is done, the expectation is rising, and the professor of innovation is all set. However, he feels that season tickets for World Cups or a special fast lane or VIP pass for consecutive World Cup watchers could be introduced, “I think an algorithm can be added.”

A little-known truth – teams the Nagpals have seen playing, have either won or been finalists. So, who are you betting on?

The footie Nagpals After witnessing six World Cups this footballcrazy family has now set sights on Qatar

Nagpals have visited France, Korea, Germany, Brazil, Russia and South Africa for the World Cups – the entourage included Apurv, wife Ritu, son Anvam, daughter Anvika, brother Abhimanyu, his wife Raashi, and sons Sumanyu and Suvir. Apurv’s father Subhash and mother Rita were also part of this motley squad.

Here’s quick trail of their World Cup sojourns

France 1998

The Nagpals were greeted by carnival in a quaint French village where they hired a villa. “We saw a match at Marseilles,” says Apurv. As their flight back was a few hours after the match, the family went ahead to the airport while both the brothers ambled to see the game, and drove to reach just half an hour before the flight departed!

“It was Italy versus Norway and Italy won. Marseille had a new stadium then, the Stad Velodrome which was fabulous,” Nagpal adds.

Korea 2002

In 2002, Apurv saw three games in Seoul, at Jeju world stadium – Brazil vs China, Slovenia vs Paraguay and Germany vs Paraguay.

Germany 2006

The Nagpals stayed with close friends near Frankfurt. It was the first World Cup that his son and wife saw. They saw the France versus South Korea at Leipzig.

South Africa 2010

Every World Cup added a family member. This time, it was their aged, but equally passionate parents. They had seen South Africa in 2003 for the cricket World Cup so the planning was much better. A six-member strong Nagpal squad saw five games – which included Durban’s new stadium and a quarter at Cape Town.

How one man made his family a footie loving and travelling entourage is pretty incredible. While the Nagpal men are big footie fans, Apurv’s wife and daughter have slowly embraced it – however, they are experiential travellers – as Apurv says, “would readily go watch an obscure London side play an obscure French side.”

Brazil 2014

The mecca of football, where the irreverent samba comes alive, where football is a religion, was by far the most fabulous World Cup for the Nagpals.

“It was fabulous to be within sighting distance of the talented and skillful Brazilians – they went on to win the cup. Seeing Ronaldo and Ronadinho, it was gorgeous to watch,” he adds. They saw five games – in Brasilia, Rio (quarterfinal), at the famous Maracanã stadium and Sao Paulo – “it was historic.”

“For any football fan, Brazil is the spiritual home of football. The Brazilians are culturally like Indians, and the natural beauty is stunning. Luckily, because of how we look, people assumed we were locals, or Portuguese or Spanish,” laughs Nagpal.

Russia 2018

The Nagpals were already living in Moscow during the World Cup, and saw nine matches. It was the most well-organised tournament – with many firsts – the Fan ID. “The match that sticks out was Russia versus Spain. The game was incredible as Russia were underdogs against World Cup favourites Spain. Watching the host team play in one of the biggest stadiums, and pull off a miraculous win – down to penalties was pretty remarkable. The jubilation was indescribable. The country went mad, the stadium erupted. I admired the way the crowd behaved as contrary to popular opinion Russians are very welcoming. Everybody hugged each other at the end,” recalls Apurv.

Train rides with first class cabins with linen, blankets, etc, the planning, he says was a nightmare, “Imagine, trying to book for 10 people across places, games, etc,” Nagpal says ruefully.

The author is a senior journalist. Views expressed are personal

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