Why are Arab football fans so devoted to their clubs? A new book might offer the answer

The book also delves into the traditions and rituals that the fans of the game acquire in their childhood. From stepping into a stadium to watch a game for the first time to gathering around the TV to champion their favourite clubs.

Each of the eight chapters focuses on a particular fanbase: Al Ahly and Zamalek in Egypt, Mouloudia in Algeria, Wydad in Morocco, Al-Wehda in Saudi Arabia, Tishreen and Hutteen in Syria, and the UAE national team.

Apart from a few passages penned by co-authors, most of the book directly relays the experiences of fans in their own words, offering the minute details of their memories, be it the heart-pounding thrill of victory or the soul-crushing sorrows of defeat.

Each chapter begins with a historical overview of the club, chronicling its journey from foundation to the present day, and exploring the social and political context surrounding each team.

Unlike conventional sports journalism, the book delves deeply into the socio-cultural facets of football. It follows the emergence and rise of football fan groups and examines how they developed distinctive affiliations and their peculiar sense of pride.

In addition, it explores how the concept of gathering around a shared passion began to take on a new shape in the 20th century.

Inheritance and sacrifice

Fans of each club recount how they first began supporting them, how they felt on their first visit to the stadium, and how they typically behave and react when watching a match.

These accounts show that a "favourite team" often turns into a family tradition that is inherited from one generation to the next.

The book specifically focuses on the early days of football fandom. In those foundational years, one grows up "belonging" to a team and making sacrifices for it, all because they witnessed the euphoria and sadness that their elders felt when that team won or lost.

In one instance, a fan of the Egyptian Al Ahly team felt like he was cursed, as each time his father took him to the stadium the team lost. Eventually, the father decided to exclude him from attending the games for fear of jinxing them.

Some fans recount being admonished by family members if they ever dared break from the generational legacy, for instance, by supporting another team.

The book explores the psychological impact of "inheriting" football affiliations and how this shapes a person's character or even their family dynamics. One example points to a Syrian family who are ardent fans of the Tishreen team – except for one branch of the family, which supports the team's historical rival, Hutteen.

Rituals

Stories of passion and dedication are scattered throughout the book, but a special focus is placed on rituals.

Some fans pray before a match. Others shut their phones off once the referee blows the kick-off whistle. In fact, anything that might take away from the joy of gameday is put on hold.

The book describes how fans obsessively engage in these traditions, believing that this will help secure a win for their team.

Most fans have amassed funny or painful anecdotes that show how their fixations seep into their day-to-day.

In one story, two brothers devised a specific whistle to ensure they didn't lose sight of each other during the matches. 

In another, mothers heard their sons mutter information about matches or their favourite footballers in their sleep, while many devoted fans admitted to (literally) dreaming of celebrating victory over their opponents.

Over the top

The book also discusses how fan devotion sometimes goes above and beyond.

Algerian football club Mouloudia's name, for instance, is derived from "mouloud" (Arabic for "birth") to symbolise the day of its founding coinciding with Mawlid, the birth of Prophet Muhammad.

But the team acquired another nickname, "Chnaoua" (Arabic for "the Chinese"), to symbolise its massive fanbase.

In Egypt, fans of Al Ahly often thank the Almighty God for the blessing of being an Ahly fan, while supporters of Al-Wehda in Saudi Arabia brag that their team represents the Holy Land and is based near the two Holy Shrines.

Moroccan Al Wydad got its name from an old movie starring the late Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum, while in Syria, a boy began supporting Hutteen after fans convinced him that the club's fans have blue blood running through their veins, to match the club's colours.

Through this mix of personal and socio-historical anecdotes, the book provides interesting insights into the Arab collective mind, the social construct of Arab societies, and how individual and communal experiences intertwine throughout football culture.

The book also highlights the similarities and differences between fanbases and countries, whether in terms of fan traditions or the impact that football has had on a particular society.

But the book additionally focuses on the group spirit that underlies each fanbase, as evident in the chants that reverberate across stadiums whenever their team is playing.

Each of the book's eight chapters concludes with a list of the team's chants, highlighting the awe-inspiring creativity of fans who personalise their support. In Saudi Arabia, for instance, the traditional drum and pipe used across several Arab stadiums are supplemented by the lute.

Debunking misconceptions

The Light at the End of the Stadium offers a rare social study of football fandom – an intriguing and influential phenomenon that has been largely overlooked. In fact, we barely see any insights into "the masses' in the Arab literary field.

Football fans are one of the most distinctive groups in the region. They're united by a shared psychosocial thread. This common ground can serve as a foundation for understanding the collective behaviourisms and individual characteristics of groups, both from a social and political standpoint.

However, the stigma surrounding football fans could be a big reason behind the lack of social studies on them. Some see these groups as a passive segment of society that is dissociated from real life or seeking some kind of social relief and escape.

Rarely has someone attempted to get to the heart of the individual stories at the core of these collective fanbases.

As the book proves, many fans seem to be active members of society with fulfilling lives, personal goals and worthy accomplishments.

At the same time, they're able to enjoy these life-lasting memories, experiences, and rituals. Their dedication to their favourite team also colours the most intimate aspects of their lives, paving the way for a shared familial bond.  

With the aim of telling human stories, The Light at the End of the Stadium seeks to dispel the common perception of football fandom as a dramatic outlet for the repressed.

Instead, it paints those fanbases as groups of dedicated individuals who seek out a sense of belonging, engagement and connection in a broader society.