An old video of people throwing smoke bombs inside a stadium is going viral on social media with a claim that a massive fire broke out in Qatar during the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022.
If not Qatar, where is the video from?: The video is actually from Germany's Hamburg and dates back to 2018.
Why did the fans protest in Germany?: The fans threw smoke-producing lighting flares on the ground as a sign of protest, following the relegation of the former European champions Hamburg SV from a German football tournament, Bundesliga.
How did we find out the truth?: On conducting a simple reverse image search, we came across a YouTube video from 13 May 2018.
The video shared by '4S-TV' was titled, "Hamburger SV – Borussia Mönchengladbach | Pyro-Riot & Game Interruption | 12.05.2018."
The description of the video states that fans from Hamburg started rioting inside the stadium after the match.
The frames from 0:52 seconds match the viral video. However, the viral video is flipped.
Several similarities could be spotted on comparing the two videos.
(Note: Swipe to check comparisons)
Comparison between the viral video and the YouTube video.
(Source: Altered by The Quint)
Are there any news reports?: A keyword search on Google led us to news reports about this incident from Germany.
A report from The Guardian, a British daily newspaper, published on 12 May 2018 carried a picture similar to a frame in the viral video.
The caption read, "Police officers and security staff stand on the pitch after supporters light fireworks as Hamburg’s proud Bundesliga record comes to an end."
Another report from 12 May 2018 by The Telegraph, a British daily newspaper, mentioned that Hamburg, a German football team, was relegated from Bundesliga, which sparked angry demonstrations.
It also stated that this happened during a Bundesliga match between Hamburger SV and Borussia Moenchengladbach at Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany.
But was there any fire reported in Qatar?: According to a reports, a massive fire reported in Qatar's Lusail city on 26 November. However, the fire reportedly broke out in an under-construction building and not inside a stadium, as claimed.
Conclusion: Clearly, an old video from Germany is being shared as a video of a fire in Qatar.
(Not convinced of a post or information you came across online and want it verified? Send us the details on WhatsApp at 9643651818, or e-mail it to us at webqoof@thequint.com and we'll fact-check it for you. You can also read all our fact-checked stories here.)
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)