Belgium have scrapped plans for two World Cup fan zones due to a lack of public interest in the upcoming tournament in Qatar.
Roberto Martinez's side are ranked second in the world and among the favourites to win the prestigious international competition for the first time. They came close to lifting the World Cup in Russia four years ago, when they suffered a semi-final defeat to France.
Despite this, Belgians are struggling to get excited about the winter World Cup. The tournament is proving to be hugely controversial for a variety of reasons, including Qatar's dire human rights record and the European football calendar being brought to a halt.
As reported by the Associated Press, the Belgian FA will no longer set up a fan zone in the town of Vilvoorde. Fewer than 1,000 tickets priced at $10 (£8.41) had been sold for the fan zone across Belgium's three group games, with those tickets set to be reimbursed.
An indoor fan zone has also been cancelled in the Belgian town of Weelde after just 886 tickets were sold. The Belgian FA believe the reason for the lack of interest is the cold weather, Qatar's human rights issues and the prices.
"Since it was not possible for most fans to travel to Qatar, we wanted to bring the World Cup to them," said the Belgian FA's head of marketing and communications Manu Leroy. "But we sold far fewer tickets than we had planned, and it’s clear that at the moment, events with big screens are less popular than in other years."
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Football is one of Belgium's most popular sports. The country have not won the World Cup before, with their best result being their third-placed finish in Russia. They did reach the final of Euro 1980 in Rome, where they suffered a 2-1 defeat to West Germany.
Belgium went 14 years without qualifying for a major tournament after the 2002 World Cup. But they now boast a so-called "Golden Generation" of players - including Thorgan and Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Thibaut Courtois, Romelu Lukaku and Youri Tielemans.
Yet the lack of interest in this year's World Cup is hardly surprising considering the list of controversies surrounding it. Many critics believe Qatar is not a suitable host for various reasons, such as the country's lack of LGBT+ rights and boiling temperatures.
Some reports suggest more than 6,500 migrant workers have died building the infrastructure for the tournament - although organisers dispute this - and alcohol is only available to buy in high-end establishments. Hotels and food are also expensive in Qatar.
There have been several controversies in the days leading up to the tournament. An ambassador for the World Cup claimed homosexuality is a "damage in the mind" - while Qatari security threatened a Danish TV crew during an accredited live broadcast.
More headlines were created on Friday, when FIFA confirmed alcohol would not be served in select areas within the parameters of stadiums as previously promised. As it stands, alcohol will still be available in fan zones for around £12 a pint.
