Football arrived in Kuwait in the mid-20th century and quickly became woven into everyday life. Children grow up kicking a ball almost as soon as they can walk. Most schools have football as part of their physical education programme, and many children play in community leagues at weekends. The sport is played year-round, though in the summer months games are often scheduled in the evening when the heat of the day has eased.
Kuwait has several big football clubs that have been competing since the 1960s. The most famous include Al-Qadsia SC, Al-Kuwait SC and Al-Arabi SC. These clubs have passionate fan bases and their matches in the Kuwait Premier League draw large crowds. When two rival clubs meet, the atmosphere in the stadium is electric, with fans singing, waving scarves and making as much noise as possible.
The Kuwait national football team has had notable successes in Asian football competitions over the decades. Kuwaiti children follow the national team closely and know the names of their favourite players by heart. International match days are watched by huge numbers of people, either in stadiums or gathered around television screens with family and friends.
Football pitches in Kuwait are often equipped with floodlights so that games can be played after dark when the temperature drops. Many pitches are also covered with artificial grass that copes better with the intense heat than natural grass would. Even in the hottest country, the love of football finds a way.