This World Cup certainly hasn't been short of speculation and debate online. From the get-go, allegations that "fake" fans had been paid by Qatar to support England and other popular teams went viral.
I identified and tracked down several of the people in those videos. Those "fake" England fans I was able to speak to were people from India and Sri Lanka who live and work in Qatar. They told me they were committed fans and were delighted to be able to watch their favourite teams play. Their social media profiles, which have posted about these football teams for years, support this.
There's no evidence otherwise to support the allegation they were paid to pretend to support specific teams - and it's a claim World Cup organisers reject. Nonetheless, confusion still remains.
That's because it's a fertile time for online disinformation to go viral. This World Cup has been surrounded with controversies and it's just such a hot topic on social media, especially on TikTok.
The combination of hype and controversy means we all have to be careful we don't fall for evidence-free rumours. Interrogate who has shared videos and why. Look for clues about whether footage is old and, when it sparks a strong reaction, just pause before you share.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-63917104
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Are Indians and Sri Lankans supporting England considered fake fans as they aren't English?
BBC - No fake fans in Qatar
posted on 10/12/22
Are Indians and Sri Lankans supporting England considered fake fans as they aren't English?
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In a word yes!
This isn’t club football, it’s international football and you support the nation of you’re birth if any. None of this my nans cat went to wales once bollox.
All them fackers were paid, end of!
posted on 10/12/22
Their teams aren't in the world cup, so supporting a second team.
posted on 10/12/22
England paid a clickfarm to cheer them on? that is disgraceful
posted on 10/12/22
Lots of countries support other countries when theirs dont qualify or never qualify.
People want in on the action.
posted on 10/12/22
When they hosted the World Handball Championships, Qatar took a large contingent of Spanish (Ademar León) handball fans to attend Qatar games and cheer their team on, because there was barely any interest in the country itself.
If the country has previous, the suspicion is fairly logical.
posted on 10/12/22
England has many fans around the world because of the premier league.
posted on 10/12/22
comment by Meet her at the love parade (U6468)
posted 26 minutes ago
Lots of countries support other countries when theirs dont qualify or never qualify.
People want in on the action.
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Fat Galv, there is more chance of Irish people supporting England than Indians or Sri Lankans... There maybe few Argentina fans because of Messi but not England.
It's a bleeding obvious that they are "paid" fans.
posted on 10/12/22
Qatar did it to whind up the English media and it worked
posted on 10/12/22
comment by Snail munching garlic bulb necklace wearing fr... (U21935)
posted 4 hours, 5 minutes ago
The same people were identified in multiple shirts in different fan groups
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Can you show me where?
BBC seemed to have checked up and found that not to be the case.
posted on 11/12/22
BBC