Qatar prepares for FIFA World Cup 2022

By
Ayesha Babar
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687
Qatar
Qatar to host FIFA Word Cup 2022

Doha, 5 July 2022 (TDI): The State of Qatar has been awarded the right to host the FIFA World Cup 2022 in November and December. prepares

The Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 will take place from 21 November to 18 December. The hosting of this year’s World Cup in the State of Qatar marks the First World Cup in the Middle East.

In the build-up to the year 2022, the State of Qatar has embarked upon various ambitious projects for the World Cup. These projects include the building of nine eco-friendly stadiums, architecturally advanced sports facilities, and a world-class metro rail.

The metro rail will connect nationwide locations and a construction boom. These projects are expected to fulfill the requirements and expectations outlined in the bid document.

FIFA requires a minimum of eight playing stadiums for the matches, however, the State of Qatar has provided nine stadiums. The infrastructural developments for the World Cup are nearly in their completion stages.

FIFA World Cup 2022 bid

The State of Qatar created its bidding team in 2009 as the first step toward hosting FIFA 2022. It was headed by the then Emir of Qatar, Mohammad bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani.

The State of Qatar drew support from Arab countries by presenting the desire for Arab representation in the hosting of the tournament.

The bidding team of Qatar also announced Generation Amazing Development Program. The program was announced as the team’s mission to positively impact and represent the country.

Five countries submitted their bid for the rights of hosting the FIFA tournament. These included Qatar, the USA, Australia, Japan, and South Korea. The FIFA Executive Committee on 2 December 2010 announced that Qatar will host the FIFA World Cup 2022.

Qualified countries for World Cup 2022

The Qatar FIFA World Cup has announced that thirty-two countries have qualified for the competition in November.

These include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Belgium, Croatia, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Canada, Denmark, England, Ecuador, Korean Republic, France, Japan, and Iran.

Moreover, Morroco, Portugal, Poland, Germany, Ghana, the Netherlands, Mexico, the United States, Uruguay, Senegal, Switzerland, Serbia, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Wales are also on the list. The opening of the match will be led by the host state.

Preparations for the World Cup 2022

Qatar has been preparing to make history by hosting the first-ever FIFA tournament in the Middle East. Through the tournament, it aims to showcase its culture, history, identity, and hospitality.

The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), established in 2011 for the responsible delivery of required infrastructure for matches, is overseeing the preparations.

It has ensured rapid reconstruction and building of stadiums to contribute to sustainable development. The Qatar FIFA World Cup will be hosted across eight stadiums, as required by FIFA.

The first five stadiums were revealed at the beginning of March 2010. Following are the names of the eight stadiums and their construction status.

  • Doha–Khalifa International Stadium which was redesigned for the World Cup and was reopened in 2017
  • Al Wakhrah–Al Janoub Stadium which was inaugurated in 2019.
  • The three stadiums inaugurated in 2020 include Education City Stadium, Al Khor–Al Bayt Stadium, and Al Rayyan Stadium.
  • The most recently inaugurated stadium includes Al Thumama Stadium inaugurated in 2021.

Two stadiums for the Qatar FIFA World Cup are still under construction. These include Lusail Stadium and Ras Abu Aboud Stadium. These two stadiums are expected to accommodate 80,000 seats and 40,000 respectively.

Semi-automated Offside Technology

This year’s World Cup will also have a new system in the match known as semi-automated offside technology. The system uses a limb-tracking camera to track players’ movement in the match.

It offers match officials to make a more accurate and faster decision. It also shows 3D images of the match on the screen to help viewers understand the referee’s call.

FIFA President Giovanni Vincenzo Infantino said, “The technology is the culmination of three years of dedicated research and testing to provide the very best for team players”.

Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 tickets

World Football Governing Body; FIFA said that the organizers have sold nearly 1.8 million tickets in the first round of ticket sales. The second round of ticket sales opened on 5 July, Tuesday.

Qatar FIFA World Cup offers a total of 3 million match tickets. A special category is designed to offer tickets only to the host state residents.