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Minister 'plans' to attend Germany's World Cup opening game

21 November 2022, MVT 21:17
Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser attends a press conference during the G7 Interior and Security Ministers Meeting in Eltville am Rhein, western Germany on November 18, 2022. -- Photo: Andre Pain / AFP
21 November 2022, MVT 21:17

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser intends to be in attendance when Germany kick off their football World Cup campaign against Japan, a spokesman said Monday.

Faeser "plans to travel on to Qatar" following a working visit to Turkey, the spokesman said.

The presence of officials at the tournament has been surrounded by controversy amid criticism of the organisers' record on human rights and the treatment of migrant workers.

Faeser wanted to "support" the German men's team in their opening game at the Khalifa International Stadium on Wednesday, the spokesman said.

"At the same time she has stressed that she wants to continue her dialogue with the Qatari government on domestic reforms, in particular the improvement of the human rights situation," he said.

Faeser had previously described the award of the World Cup to Qatar as "very tricky", and said "it would be better that tournaments are not awarded to such states".

She already signalled her intention to be at the game against Japan following a trip to the Gulf state at the end of October, where she received assurances over the safety for LGBTQ fans.

Ahead of the tournament, the Danish government announced that no ministers nor Copenhagen's ambassador would attend the opening ceremony or any matches.

Officially, the Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was busy building a new cabinet following her election victory earlier in November.

Olaf Scholz's spokesman Steffen Hebestreit last week could not confirm that the chancellor would be in attendance were the German team to progress to the final.

© Agence France-Presse

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