Doha: With the resumption of 2018 World Cup qualifiers on September 1 and a possible La Liga debut for the country’s brightest young star, it’s a big few weeks for Qatar.
But just as important for the Gulf state’s football development is what happens at tiny Belgian Pro League club, KAS Eupen.
It is the first time ‘The Pandas’ have been in Belgium’s top tier -- pitting themselves against heavyweight clubs such as champions FC Bruges and Anderlecht -- since being taken over by Qatar’s Aspire Academy in June 2012.
Today, Eupen, from Belgium’s small German-speaking community, play their first home game of the season at the 8,363-capacity Kehrwegstadion against a grand old name of Belgian football and former winners of the old European Cup Winners’ Cup, Mechelen.
The season began badly with a 3-0 defeat at Zulte Waregem, compounded by the sending-off of Ghanaian winger, Eric Ocansey.
But Belgian football watchers believe Eupen have a good chance of survival.
“Only one team goes down this year and the sporting director said they will be taking things step-by-step,” says Mark Rodden, who commentates television coverage of the Belgian Pro League.
“They would be happy to stay up this season, giving them the platform to consolidate their place in the top flight on a more long-term basis.”
Club officials, though, claim that staying up is just one aim for the season. Asked what the target is for the campaign, Aspire Academy’s Andreas Bleicher responded: “Further individual development of the young talents... besides the team consolidating in the Belgian top flight.”
Despite the high-profile ownership of Paris Saint-Germain by Qatar Sports Investments, Qatar Airways’ shirt sponsorship deal with Barcelona and the purchase of Malaga, Eupen is arguably the most interesting footballing acquisition by Qatar which will host the 2022 World Cup finals.
The renowned Aspire Academy, based in Doha, has spent millions trying to develop young Qatari and international sports stars over the past 12 years.
Several of Qatar’s Olympic team about to compete in Rio, including the country’s best hope for its first ever gold, high jumper Mutaz Barshim, are Aspire graduates. But it has been most prominent in football. And Eupen has been the showcase for a significant number of those who have passed through Aspire.
“So far, in total, 13 Qatar Aspire talents and 25 scholarships from the Aspire Football Dreams project are and have been with KAS Eupen since 2012,” says Bleicher, Aspire’s Chief Advisor of International Football Affairs.
