American football writer Grant Wahl was honored to receive a gift from FIFA on the table where he will work on Saturday at the World Cup quarter-final between France and England.
A bouquet of white lilies and a framed photo of Wahl taken in Qatar were placed in the media chair assigned to the 49-year-old journalist. early death saturday.
“Tonight we pay tribute to Grant Wahl at his assigned seat at Al Bayt Stadium. He should have been here,” FIFA said in a statement. “Our thoughts remain with his wife Céline, his family and friends at this most difficult time.”
About 20 minutes before the game started, a picture of Wahl was displayed on large screens in two corners of the stadium. An announcement of his death has been made for fans who have applauded him.
Wahl fell ill while working in stoppage time of Friday’s Argentina-Netherlands match at Lusail Stadium. He was treated by medical staff at the media court and then taken by ambulance to the hospital.
He is reporting at his eighth World Cup. He wrote earlier in the week on his website about visiting a medical clinic in Qatar after feeling ill before saying on Thursday on his podcast he had bronchitis.
Wahl gained international attention after saying he was briefly suspended from the USA’s game against Wales on November 21 for wearing a rainbow t-shirt in support of the people who identify as LGBTQIA+, because their rights are criminalized in Qatar, an ethnically conservative Muslim country.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
