AlKass Digital
Doha, Qatar- In exactly four years from today, football history will be made when the first kick-off at the 2022 FIFA World Cup takes place in Qatar.
At the World Cup in Russia last summer, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said football’s showpiece spectacle in 2022 will begin on November 21 and wrap up on December 18.
When the first kick-off takes place at one of the eight state-of-the-art stadiums, Qatar’s amazing journey to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be complete.
Almost eight years ago, Qatar won the rights to host the 2022 World Cup at a historic FIFA vote in Zurich. The moment the then FIFA President Sepp Blatter took out the card that had Qatar’s name on it, the entire country erupted in absolute jubilation.
Once the announcement was made on December 2, 2010, and the deed officially signed by FIFA President in Doha a couple of weeks later in the presence of H E Sheilkh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani, Chairman of the 2022 Bid Team, Qatar has gone about fulfilling its promises at a rapid pace and without a pause.
One of the biggest examples of its preparatory projects has been the large-scale renovation of the country’s iconic sports venue the Khalifa International Stadium. The 50,000-seater, which was renovated at a remarkably quick pace, got inaugurated in May 2017 when the Amir Cup final was played between Al Sadd and Al Rayyan.
With the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani cutting the inauguration ribbon in the company of FIFA President Infantino and scores of other dignitaries, the world watched in awe at the spectacular redevelopment of the stadium. More surprising for the fans was that the country’s historic sports venue was inaugurated more than five years ahead of schedule!
Qatar’s new World Cup venues - Al Rayyan Stadium, Al Wakrah Stadium, Education City Stadium, Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, Al Bayt Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium and Lusail Stadium - are in various stages of completion. Some of the stadiums are in the process of installing the roofs. Every bit of construction work will be complete by 2020, two years before the World Cup.
Along with that, Qatar has also spent billions of dollars to link up the country’s football stadiums with the most modern metro network in recent times. According to recent estimates, more than 70 percent of the rail network has been completed with some of the lines already running trial rides.
Ever since its inauguration in April 2014, the Hamad International Airport has expanded its work area significantly and successfully increased capacity to handle the rising numbers of passengers. Meanwhile, Ashghal is expanding and improving Qatar’s road networks, spending billions to rev up Qatar’s preparations for the World Cup.
Last year in February, Qatar announced that it was spending close to ‘$500m a week on World Cup infrastructure projects’ to meet its deadlines ahead of the 2022 edition. Work continues at full speed to lay new road networks, build new hospitals and construct underground rail tunnels and bridges. How Qatar looked some 5-6 years is a far cry from how futuristic it looks now.
With government completing their side of the promises with relative ease, the Qatar Football Association (QFA) is busy assembling a strong outfit that will be seen on the pitch at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Last week Qatar stunned hosts Switzerland - ranked number 8 in the world - in an international friendly played in Lugano and on Monday, Al Anabi produced a fighting 2-2 draw against Iceland in Eupen, Belgium.
With heavy investments being made to develop senior and junior football sides, Qatar’s football teams are indeed showing signs of rapid improvement. In October 2014, Qatar juniors won the AFC Asian U-19 Cup in Myanmar with a gutsy win over North Korea in the title clash. The title win helped the Qatar boys to qualify for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in New Zealand.
A few weeks later, Qatar seniors stunned hosts Saudi Arabia in the 2014 Gulf Cup final at Riyadh.
Earlier this month, Qatar juniors finished fourth at the AFC Asian U-19 Championship to qualify for the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup to be played in Poland next year. In January this year, Qatar finished the AFC Asian U-23 Championship in third spot in China where their young striker Almoez Ali won the Golden Boot for his six goals in the high profile event.
The 10-month professional circuit in Qatar - QNB Stars League - is a battleground for exciting clashes every week. With players like Barcelona legend Xavi appearing for Al Sadd as skipper and Dutch star Wesley Sneijder taking the captain’s armband for Al Gharafa, the club game is an intense affair.
The QNB Stars League, one of the top leagues in the region, has roped in players like Nam Tae-hee from South Korea, Samuel Eto’o from Cameroon, Vladimir Weiss from Slovakia, Youssef Msakni from Algeria and Valentin Lazar from Romania to appear for different clubs.
The next few months will be important for Qatar teams as well and not just the organizations preparing to host the big event.
Qatar’s senior team - coached by Felix Sanchez - will battle for top honours at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the UAE (Jan 5-Feb 1). In May, Qatar juniors will head to Poland to appear in the FIFA U-20 World Cup. In June, Qatar’s senior outfit will take part in the Copa America to be held in Brazil. Qatar is also expected to play the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches to gain match practice.
All these events and series of matches will help the Qatar outfits get the much-needed international exposure to improve its overall game on the pitch.
In July this year, the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani officially received the hosts mantle of the FIFA World Cup from Russian President Vladimir Putin. In his speech, the Amir said Qatar would love to repeat what hosts Russia did at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The Russian team delivered a stunning performance to reach the quarter-finals. Hosts of the next FIFA World Cup, Qatar would clearly love to go as far as possible in the home event.
Apart from producing encouraging team results, Qatar is pretty much moving smoothly as they prepare to stage the FIFA World Cup. With world-class infrastructure developments take shape at a fast pace and the most serene weather to be enjoyed in the country in November and December, Qatar clearly looks set to leave a lasting legacy with the hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
With amazing tourists spots around the country of 2.67 million people and a transport system second to none in the world, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will be hard to beat. Since fans will cover short distances to reach from one venue to their hotel or to another stadium, the World Cup in Qatar could actually make it possible for visitors to watch more than one match a day! What’s more Qatar’s easily accessible geographical location more or less guarantees a record fan turnout for the 2022 spectacle.