Tuesday 21 / July / 2026
MUSCAT: Football fans across Oman chose passion over punctuality on Monday morning after staying up late to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina.
With the title clash ending around 1.45am on Monday, many offices reported late attendance as football enthusiasts arrived behind schedule or worked remotely after spending the night at malls, restaurants, cafés, hotels, sports clubs, and other fan zones.
The final transformed venues across Muscat into lively gathering spots, with giant screens, packed seating areas, and an electric atmosphere as supporters cheered every pass, tackle, and goal.
Friends and families stayed out well past midnight, celebrating the conclusion of a month-long football festival.
Several hotels that organised special viewing events remained busy until the early hours of Monday, with fans lingering to discuss the match long after the final whistle.
Sheraton Oman reported a full house, while other venues said turnout exceeded expectations. “We were completely sold out on Sunday night,” said Rejin Thomas, Hotel Manager at Sheraton Oman.
Social media platforms were flooded with photos and videos of jubilant fans, victory celebrations, and friendly banter between supporters of the two finalists.
Employers across different sectors acknowledged that the World Cup final had an impact on attendance, with some companies allowing flexible reporting times or remote work arrangements for employees who had stayed up to watch football’s biggest match.
For football lovers in Oman, however, the lack of sleep was a small price to pay for witnessing history unfold.
As conversations in offices, cafés, and schools shifted from work to football on Monday morning, it became clear that the beautiful game had once again united fans across nationalities and turned the start of the working week into an extension of the World Cup celebration.
“I was very sleepy at work on Monday because I only got to bed around 3am, but there was no way I was going to miss the World Cup final,” said Ahmed Al Balushi, an Omani football enthusiast who watched the match with friends at a café in Al Khuwair.
“The atmosphere was unbelievable. Every tackle and every chance had the entire place reacting together. Even people supporting different teams congratulated each other after the match.”
Indian expatriate Rahul Sharma, who watched the final at a restaurant in Muscat, said he had informed his office in advance that he might report late.
“We planned this weeks ago. We gathered with friends from India, Spain, Argentina, Egypt, and Oman. Some wore Argentina jerseys while others wore Spain colours, but it didn’t matter which team we supported because everyone simply wanted to enjoy a great football final.”
He added that football has a unique ability to unite people. “By the end of the game, complete strangers were taking photos together. That’s what the World Cup is all about.”
Corporate offices also felt the impact of the late-night final, with several employees admitting they struggled to wake up after getting only a few hours of sleep. “I survived on coffee today,” laughed Priya, an accountant in Muscat.
“The match finished late as it went to the extra time, and everyone in our office was talking about football instead of work during the morning.”
For many citizens and residents, the World Cup final marked the perfect conclusion to a month-long football festival that captivated fans across Oman.
Although normal routines gradually returned by Monday afternoon, conversations about Spain’s triumph, memorable goals, and standout performances continued in offices, cafés, and schools, proving once again that football remains the world’s most powerful sporting language.
