For one Yemeni, World Cup serves as a marker of war and peace

Mukalla, Yemen – Weeks before this year’s World Cup started, Adel Mohsen’s backup battery broke down, and he couldn’t afford to replace it, meaning he wouldn’t have power at home when the electricity regularly goes out. A fuel shortage also struck his home city of Mukalla, in eastern Yemen, leaving him struggling to secure enough for his motorbike, and restricting his ability to get around and watch games outside. Recommended Stories list of 3 items end of list Adel is frustrated. The 56-year-old football enthusiast has watched every World Cup since 1982, defying wars, economic collapse, and political turmoil. But this year, he can’t escape the reality that more than a decade of war and economic hardship has brought to Yemen. “I think this is the worst World Cup,” Adel told Al Jazeera, settling into a wooden bench as his eyes fixed on a giant public screen at a local stadium. “I might miss a lot of matches because of the power cuts.” Despite paying for a subscription to a local television service airing the games, Adel could not secure the $200 needed for a backup battery at home, nor could he afford the internet vouchers needed to stream matches on his mobile phone. The local stadium was, therefore, the best option for World Cup 2026. Shortly before the opening match between South Africa and Mexico, the sound of generators echoed through the area, and the projector flickered to life only minutes before kickoff. The courtyard was dark, its floor paved with worn stone slabs. …