When Friday Comes: Football revolution in the Middle East and the road to the Qatar World Cup

by James Montague

'Passionate and moving and provides further evidence of the universality of football' Jonathan Wilson, FourFourTwo

The definitive story of the Middle East's unstoppable rise to football superpower, and the road to the Qatar World Cup

When James Montague first began covering football in the Middle East two decades ago, people asked him what future there could possibly be for the beautiful game in one of the most volatile regions in the world. In the years that followed, it would become one of the biggest stories in global sport, from the from revolutionary ultras of the Arab Spring and the takeover of some of the world's biggest clubs by the Emirati super rich, to Qatar's controversial journey towards hosting the 2022 World Cup finals.

The only Western journalist covering the story on the ground from the very beginning, James Montague tells the definitive tale of the region's rise to ultimate power player in the global game in a fully revised and updated edition. Travelling to every country in the Middle East and meeting fans, players, workers and campaigners, he paints an unforgettable picture of football in a controversial, vibrant and surprising new world.

Genres: Football, Sports, Soccer, Sociology, Nonfiction, Middle East, Politics

416 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2008

About the author

James Montague is an author and journalist from Chelmsford, Essex.

He has reported for the New York Times, BBC World Service, Delayed Gratification and The Blizzard, amongst others, and has reported from over 100 different countries and unrecognised territories.

He is the author of four highly-praised football books - When Friday Comes, Thirty One Nil, The Billionaires Club and 1312: Among the Ultras - and is a two time winner of Football Book of the Year at the British Sports Book of the Year awards.

His fifth book, Engulfed: How Saudi Arabia Bought Sport, and the World, will be published in the spring of 2025.

Reviews

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this more than I expected, generally feeling uninterested in football that is so obviously shoddy compared to the top professional leagues but this was about half and half between politics and football. It was obvious that this was a collection of short pieces (indeed some are still on the Guardian website almost word for word) but each one was generally interesting.

Since most Arab countries are covered it would be difficult to do this in long sittings, as there were too many political figures to recall or quirks that meant Jordan was very different from Yemen despite being similar on a global scale. Often the football is incidental and rarely does a match report take up more than a couple of paragraphs. Each chapter is very much a taste of football in that country and not a guide to it, with individual clubs or teams taking prominence or Montague's own experiences on the cultural side. Generally though, he kept himself out of the story and let the footballers tell it, even if it revealed a fairly sexist culture and an awful lot of xenophobia or religious hate - prejudice is universal.

There are times where this passivity goes too far though, with an almost sympathetic telling of Egyptian ultras calling for the death penalty, and this particular tragedy could have done with more coverage as it was not clear who was at fault and why - if he had replaced the section tangentially related to football about a sectioned Israel club sponsor it would not even have made the book any longer. There were also quite a lot of spelling and grammar errors, which given this is a second printing makes me wonder whether anyone bothered to sub-edit it. He also describes Cairo's station as 'new' when it was only given a facelift, so the reader has to take his history and political mapping at face value, so I can only hope the rest of his testimony was more reliable.

I heard Montague promoting his Ultras book and rolled my eyes when he said in another life 'he could be one of them', but he was less of a wannabe than that interview made him sound. He does like the ultras here a bit too much but as in his coverage of other figures he shows both their positive and negative sides to give an idea of the culture in the Arab world through the medium of football. Luyendijk's book was a bit more entertaining and this had to be read in small chunks, but it was still a good insight into the Middle East.

[Bob Dabson · Rating 3 out of 5]

some fascinating stories but desperately needed proof reading

[Rob Kemp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again a fascinating read from an inspiring reportage author. My review for When Saturday Comes... James Montague’s foray into Middle Eastern football has expanded somewhat after its first publication in 2008, reflecting the impact the region has had upon the global game. Since his first edition, a wild travelogue through some of the world’s scariest home grounds, much has changed. From the Arab Spring, rise of ISIS and civil wars in Syria and Yemen, to the “oil money” acquisitions in Manchester, Paris, Newcastle and others, revolutions have taken place. All of this to a backing track of World Cup stadiums being hammered into shape by migrant labour.

With impeccable timing and an impressive contacts book, Montague, a now-seasoned journalist and author, returns to interview fans, players, campaigners and damning witnesses. The result is a compelling read. Landmark moments in Arab world politics, many of which had catastrophic consequences, are recalled by football-loving men and women whose lives have been torn apart by them. Adding to the highlights of his first edition, which featured Israeli ultras and pistol-waving Lebanese club owners, Montague examines the impact uprisings have had on Middle East football and vice versa. Some stories are familiar: Egyptian fans forging alliances to topple a government, or the brutality that a dictator’s sons inflicted upon national team players. But other testimonies offer new, chilling, insight into what happens when fan culture clashes with regime rule. Evading his minders in Tehran one evening Montague meets with “Sara”, one of 35 Iranian women charged with offences against morality. Her crime? Trying to gain entry to a local derby dressed as a man. Sara praises the male players who’d publicly called for women to be allowed to attend matches, but then reveals how Iran’s rulers only relented when a 29-year-old fan, arrested for trying to watch her beloved Esteghlal team, set herself on fire outside the court.

While lamenting destroyed stadiums and disbanded teams from his previous visits, Montague also tracks down Hakeem al-Araibi, once a talented defender with a bright future in the game. Al-Araibi was accused of joining an attack on a Bahrain police station. Imprisoned, tortured and forced to flee his homeland he explains that he’d actually been playing in a league game – shown live on national TV – at the time of the incident. Despite oppression and exploitation encountered in almost every nation the author visits, it’s clear that football continues to unite many more people than it divides in this part of the world. It provides hope, community and an escape from the horrors of everyday life, and one is left feeling that these fans truly deserve a unifying, legacy creating World Cup.

Sadly, the $200 billion corporate spectacle taking place in Qatar isn’t likely to provide that. Montague closes this account with an evening on Doha’s streets among the emirate’s working class: Bangladeshi builders, taxi drivers and delivery men. Together they watch and play Qatar’s most popular participant sport… cricket.

[Raughley Nuzzi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not much for sports, but i have to admit that this book shone a fascinating light on an oft-covered region. The book acts as a sort of travelogue through the Middle East, hi-lighting germane features of each country, from the violence facing Iraqi players to the right wing factionalism of Israeli clubs to the drug use in Yemen and the fight for women to have the right to attend football matches in Iran. Each country gets a moment in the spotlight as the author visits nearly all of them in times of peace and conflict. While he pinpoints local friction, he doesn’t oversimplify or caricaturize the countries, rather letting each stand out from the others.

In the updated edition, he returns for Qatar’s path to hosting the 2022 World Cup and provides myriad updates on how the region has evolved since the Arab Spring. It was a great book, sportsy, if you like that, and fascinating in any event.

[Omar · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant read about the politics of football in the Middle East. The author traveled often around the region to meet officials, coaches, players, fans and ultras groups, and shared his blunt views on the state of the game.

The book talks about football’s impact on the local communities and how football fan groups, directly and indirectly, influenced political affairs and changes in several countries around the region (and also how politicians tried to take advantage of football to look better).

I am actually a bit surprised how the book was sold in the region in the first place as it has some rather controversial opinions which I will not share here :) (or anywhere online or offline for that matter :D).

Rating: 9/10

[Jonny Keen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the subject matter and the prose style, but I think the nature of the book (each chapter covers a different Middle Eastern country) left me with the feeling it was all a little too brief. In a way, it felt like more of a collection of articles than a book, and we never stayed in one place for long enough to get properly connected with any of the people involved.

Still, a good read with plenty of interesting stuff and funny moments.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly excellent book, this is an updated version to original version first published in 2008. The author covers a vast amount of clubs and countries across the Middle East. There is some fascinating individuals met and interviewed who provide really interesting insight to the love of football across the whole of Middle East. The book provides lots of historical stories, facts and political events along with the football stories. Highly recommended.

[Shatterlings · Rating 3 out of 5]

At points it was hard to keep track of exactly what order events happened in because of the slightly jumpy brief nature of these essays. But it was educational in that I learnt about the Middle East but the football isn’t really central to the narrative, it’s the gateway to show what a mess the area is.

[wadha · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolutely awful book. It just kept getting worse which is wild considering how horrible it started.

This was supposed to be about Football in the Middle East, yet it felt more like a bigoted narrative on Middle Eastern politics with football as an afterthought. And don’t get me started on all the sardonic remarks he makes. God I hate the English.

[Аркула · Rating 3 out of 5]

Something about this book just didn't sit right with me, and I can't even tell what. These are the books I usually enjoy the most and I really had great expectations, but I found myself struggling to complete WFC and repeatedly postponing reading. It's very extensive and informative on the topic, but I can't really say that I recommend it.

[Ricardo Walinski · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ik hoopte op een boek dat zich écht verdiepte in de onderlinge cultuurverschillen in de besproken landen, maar Montague wil net iets te graag ultraatje spelen. Daardoor ploeterde ik er wat doorheen. Als je dat niet erg vindt, is dit wel een geschikt boek, maar ik vond het net te repetitief en het miste wat diepgang.

[Connor James · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Of the 24 FIFA Executive Committee members who voted on Qatar's World Cup in 2010, 21 were now either banned from football, indicted by the FBI or credibly accused of corruption. Several died before justice could be served.'

[Ben Doyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive and informative yet engaging and entertaining guide to politics, conflict, and society across the Middle East through the lense of football in the region. Regardless of your interest in sport, this book is worth it.

[Limme]

I thing the writer brought some interesting prospectives as non-Middle East citizen views and experiences.

[Mark Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

If this book doesn't leave you with a deep interest in Middle Eastern football, and a desire to see every Middle Eastern AFC nation do well in football, then you didn't read it.

[Faisal Jamal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Football in the middle east through politics and social issues

[Alex Keen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comfortably one of the best football books that I've read.

[M.i. · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the first 15 or so pages, I knew I was in for a treat as I had already gleaned more about the Arab world and it's love of football than at any other point in my life. Some of such tidbits was Osama Bin Laden being an Arsenal fan and how little know Qatar was able to lure some of the world's best players to come play in the oil rich desert country.

This is an exceptional book in breaking down what might as well be an alien frontier to the rest of the world. The Arab quadrant is much of a mystery, but our author not only shows us what living in the Middle East is like, but also how passionate it's fans are about football and how a sport created by an Englishman has stayed relevant in a religion that has not been openly accepting of most things from the West.

[Thomas Stevenson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book but found the information was often incorrect. No doubt this is the result of hurried trips to different locations and inadequate preparation before hand.