On November 26, 2022, Tala'i' Al-Ansar (The Vanguard of the Supporters), a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media foundation released a poster ridiculing the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, suggesting that the real test of a man's mettle, which shows his true colors, is in joining the ranks of jihad.[1]
Titled, "Battlefields Are The Playing Field Of Men," the poster depicted an African ISIS fighter in fatigues, his foot resting on the severed head of a white man, symbolizing the enemies of ISIS, as if it were a soccer ball.
The Arabic text on the poster suggested that Muslims should support and take part in jihad because it is the only path to glory, arguing the soccer tournaments are a tool used by "infidels" to replace Islamic values with Western ones.
"When the battlefields used to be the playing fields of the ummah, they attained glory, were feared by other nations, and ascended the throne. However, when submissiveness took over, the ummah was impeded; humiliated and diminished. When the infidels who took over, they changed the value of glory. Many [Muslims] started to think that glory is attained when you win a ball game [soccer]" said the poster.
Qatar Is Hosting An Evil Event
The poster is in line with ISIS's official media narrative regarding the tournament. On November 24, 2022, ISIS's weekly Al-Naba' newsletter included an editorial condemning Qatar for hosting an "evil event," describing the tournament as "the Cup of filth, lust, and disgrace."[2]
[1] i3l.co.za, I'lam Foundation, November 26, 2022.
[2] See MEMRI JTTM report, During FIFA Games in Qatar, Islamic State Weekly Urges Muslims To Behead 'Unbelievers,' Rid Arabian Peninsula Of 'Polytheists', November 27, 2022.
