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Prior to the start of the 2022 World Cup, there were plenty of signs that suggested the decision to hold it in Qatar had the potential to be a disaster. Some of the fan accommodations radiated major Fyre Festival vibes, and the many, many rules foreigners were expected to abide by seemed like they were just begging to be broken on a large scale.
While there’s technically still potential for things to go off the rails by the time France and Argentina wrap things up in the final on Sunday, it appears most of those concerns were overblown. There have been some minor incidents, but by most accounts, the tournament has gone pretty smoothly (although fans who were planning on getting their drink on in the country during games might disagree with that assessment).
However, it doesn’t seem like too much of a stretch to assume the lack of readily-available alcohol played a role in the fairly impressive feat fans hailing from the United Kingdom were able to achieve during their time in Qatar.
According to The Manchester Evening News, Chief Constable Mark Roberts—the law enforcement figure who serves as the country’s National Lead for Football Policing—says British fans were on their best behavior at the tourney, as Qatari officials didn’t arrest a single supporter hailing from England, Wales, or any other part of the U.K.
Roberts claims that’s the first time in recorded history a World Cup has gone by without a single British national ending up in jail for allegedly breaking the law (while he didn’t do a deep dive into the past while speaking with the outlet, he noted three fans were arrested in Russia in 2018).
Of course, someone could figure out a way to keep the streak going by the time the World Cup comes to a close over the weekend. However, it sounds like there’s a very good chance the only Ls the country will end up taking when everything is said and done are the ones that sent England and Wales home packing.