With four Arab teams making it to the World Cup in Russia this year, football mania looks set to take the Middle East by storm.
However, it’s not only footballers that need to perform well during the World Cup!
Translation experts from around the globe have converged in Russia, where 32 nations are competing for the coveted title.
While football may not be a game of many words, there are a multitude of instances where translators are needed – even during the matches. Referees and lines-men often require translators in-game, and likewise, news conferences, press releases, memos, and so on all require translating for each of the 32 nations represented at the World Cup.
Localisation will come into play during the event too; there are 32 nations but only 15 languages that are competing. The most widely spoken language is Spanish with Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Honduras, Chile, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Colombia and Ecuador all using varying dialects of Spanish. English isn’t far behind with five nations having English as their main language.
The Middle East is represented by Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Morocco in this year’s World Cup. Over 10,000 Egyptian fans are expected to travel to Russia to see the first three matches that Egypt play. The number of Egyptian attendees is greater than usual as this is the first World Cup that the Egyptian team have played in since 1990.
The Egyptian fans have more than just football to look forward to though; Amr Diab, the Egyptian singer, staged a concert in St Petersburg yesterday, June 18th, ahead of Egypt’s game against Russia later today (June 19th).
The singer, who recorded a special song titled “El Farha El Leila,” when the Egyptian team qualified for the World Cup with their 2 – 1 win against Congo, sang other well-known hits at the concert.
Mohamed Hamaki, an Egyptian singer who won the award “Best Arabian Act” in the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2006 for “Ahla Haga Fiki” (The Most Beautiful Thing About You) also performed in Russia yesterday. His concert was held at one of the most prestigious venues in St Petersburg, which will also be the site of many of the Egyptian team’s matches throughout the World Cup.
Hamaki’s famous hits include “Bahebak Kol Youm Aktr” (I Love You More Everyday), “Kheles El-Kalam” (Nothing Left to Say) and “Wahda Wahda” (Take it Slow), and he is currently a coach on the hit talent show “The Voice Arabia.”
Whatever your views about the game of football, the World Cup certainly brings together an eclectic mix of industries, skills, people, and nations.
