All eyes are turning to Qatar which is gearing up to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Under the wise leadership of the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar is preparing to host a tournament that will drive real change in the region.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, on a visit to Qatar, hailed the remarkable progress of the infrastructure works implemented by Qatar, and underlined that the World Cup in 2022 will be a unique opportunity that will offer football fans a distinguished cultural experience during their stay in Qatar.
Infantino visited sites of the tournament venues and was very impressed with the progress of work at the 40,000-seat Al Wakrah Stadium which will host the World Cup matches until the quarter-finals. He said the 2022 FIFA World Cup will provide Qatar with a great opportunity to introduce the international community to the potential of the Arab world, its enormous capabilities and what it can offer on the ground in support of the development of football. Infantino was also briefed on the latest developments of Doha Metro, which features state-of-the-art environment-friendly transport technologies, during a 20-minute journey from the heart of Doha to the city of Al Wakrah.
Qatar has embarked on a series of developmental projects including hotels, airports, ports, stadiums, hospitals, highways, transportation and railways to accommodate hundreds of thousands of fans expected to arrive in Doha during the World Cup. In May 2017, Qatar inaugurated Khalifa International Stadium, five years ahead of schedule. In August 2017, Doha inaugurated Al Thumama Stadium. In November 2017, Qatar inaugurated Ras Abu Aboud Stadium. Al Wakrah and Al Bayt stadiums will be completed before the end of 2019, while other stadiums — Al Thumama, Al Rayyan, Qatar Foundation, Ras Abu Aboud and Lusail — will be finished in 2020.
The designs of 2022 stadiums represent a combination of the charm of the East and the West. Visitors to the country will enjoy more than football matches as they will see stunning playgrounds such as Lusail Stadium which will host the opening and closing ceremonies, and can accommodate more than 86,000 people. The proximity of stadium sites is one of the most important factors that distinguishes Qatar 2022. It will make easier for the fans to attend more than one game a day, something that has never happened before.
Qatar has repeatedly affirmed that it will present creative innovations aimed at driving football to further growth in the Arab countries. Eight years ago, the Qatar won the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Over the years, Qatar has worked hard to prove to the whole world that it has the capacity and drive to organise top sports events and tournaments. The 2022 FIFA World Cup will leave a lasting environmental and social legacy to benefit generations to come.
