Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Thursday marks exactly four years to the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar kick-off. Preparations continue as Qatar takes every step possible to make the FIFA World Cup in West Asia the best ever.
Join the AFC.com as we learn everything there is to know about the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.
Qatar
Population: 2.7 million
Capital city: Doha
Official language: Arabic (English is widely used)
Currency: Qatari riyal
-Before the discovery of oil in 1940, Qatar’s economy focused on fishing and pearl hunting
-Qatar has the third highest natural gas reserves in the world
-Home of Al Jazeera Media Network, Qatar Airways and Aspire Academy
-Qatar Sports Investments owns Paris Saint-Germain Football Club
www.the-afc.com/en/national/fifa_world_cup/photo/qatar_2022_stadiums.html
Qatar 2022 Stadiums
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/qatar_sites.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/doha_metro.html
www.the-afc.com/en/more/photo/hamad_international_airport.html
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: FIFA President Gianni Infantino has praised Qatar’s infrastructure progress and described the 2022 FIFA World Cup as a unique opportunity for football fans to experience a new culture and region during a whistle-stop tour of the country.
Infantino visited Al Wakrah Stadium before taking a helicopter ride to view the other seven proposed tournament venues, along with several training sites on Tuesday.
He arrived in Al Wakrah after becoming one of the first people to travel on the new Doha Metro, which will open to the public by the end of the year, and then traveled from Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC), in West Bay, to Al Wakrah, a journey south which took approximately 20 minutes.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Doha: Scottish football legend Graeme Souness is no stranger to Qatar. The combative midfielder, who played in three editions of the FIFA World Cup, is a regular visitor to the country through his work as a pundit.
The Liverpool icon, who won three European Cups, recently visited the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy’s Legacy Pavilion, where he spoke exclusively to www.sc.qa.
What are your thoughts on the FIFA World Cup™ heading to Qatar in 2022?
For football, Qatar 2022 is great news. It’s only the second World Cup to be hosted in Asia, which doesn’t sound right when you consider the enormous interest in football across the region. The big clubs in England have been reaching out to Asia for a number of years, so it’s fitting the tournament is returning to this part of the world.
Personally, I’m looking forward to Qatar. Many people were concerned about this year’s tournament in Russia, but it has turned out to be an outstanding success. I’m sure it will be a similar story in Qatar.
Qatar is going to host a compact tournament. How important will this be in terms of overall event experience?
The world will see something totally unprecedented in Qatar. It’s amazing that the two farthest stadiums are within an hour of each other. Fans can stay in the same hotel throughout and really enjoy the football – potentially watching two matches a day. It’s fantastic.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Moscow: As soon as referee Nestor Pitana blew the final whistle and the FIFA World Cup Trophy was lifted by France’s Hugo Lloris on Sunday, the fireworks lighting up the Luzhniki Stadium announced an epic end to the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, as well as the beginning of a unique journey to Qatar.
Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, FIFA president Gianni Infantino and President of Russia Valdimir Putin participated in a handover ceremony ahead of the final on Sunday.
The hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, who have been actively working on preparations for the event since 2011, are getting ready to take the World Cup centre stage.
Over the past six weeks, 180 professionals appointed by Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) shadowed and observed the 2018 FIFA World Cup operation in the 11 Host Cities.
On top of that, more than 30,000 football fans visited the exhibits managed by the SC in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, a taste of the atmosphere they can expect in 2022.
The next four years were also discussed in a meeting held on July 13 between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and the managing director of the SC, H.E. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Thani.
“We already work very closely with Qatar 2022, and the experience here in Russia made the bonds even stronger. The shadowing programme provided a fantastic opportunity to share knowledge and exchange experience,” said Infantino.
“Qatar’s public interactions in Moscow and Saint Petersburg ignited excitement among the global football community and the reaction was fantastic, with fans and the general public very keen to engage with Qatari culture and heritage.
"The activities showcase the fact that Qatar will host a unique tournament – one that is compact, welcoming to all and family-friendly.”
Source: FIFA.com, FIFA via Getty Images