- Two out of eight stadiums have been delivered; three more scheduled to open this year
- Infrastructure being developed also includes roads, new metro lines and airport expansion
- FIFA Club World Cup 2019 and 2020 as key operational tests
In exactly 1,000 days, the world will gather again for
the biggest football show on Earth – in the most unique setting yet. The compact
nature of the first FIFA World Cup™ in the Middle East and Arab world will
ensure that fans of all 32 teams are always within reach of the eight stunning
stadiums, the FIFA Fan Fest™, some world-class museums, Qatar’s desert dunes
and, most importantly, each other.
While the eagerly awaited tournament might still feel a
long way off for fans, 136 out of 900 qualifying matches have already been
played, and the tournament infrastructure can be seen rapidly evolving in and
around Doha. Two stadiums are fully operational: Khalifa International and Al
Janoub. Three more venues – Education City, Al Rayyan and Al Bayt – will be
inaugurated this year, with the remaining three set to be launched well in
advance of the tournament.
Brand-new metro lines have also been delivered and
successfully transported over 50,000 fans across three games during the FIFA
Club World Cup™. New roads and training sites are being completed, the airport
expanded and permanent and temporary accommodation will be delivered with the
aim of coping with demand while also considering post-event use.
“With 1,000 days to go, Qatar stands where no other host
did before. Qatar wants to amaze the world and is on track to achieve it,” said
FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “The FIFA World Cup 2022 will be a breakthrough
from a social and cultural perspective. It will open the doors of this
football-mad region, offering a new perspective to locals and foreigners,
bringing people together and serving as a tool for common understanding.”
H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of Qatar’s
Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), added: “Ten years of our
lives, day in, day out, have been dedicated to this tournament. Personally, I
can only look forward with excitement, as well as some nerves, but more
importantly, conviction that this will be – without a doubt – the best
tournament. We are determined to ensure that the first World Cup in the Middle
East and Arab world will set a benchmark in the history of hosting major
sporting events.”
When it comes to tournament preparations, Qatar and FIFA
have been scrutinising the lessons learned from the FIFA Club World Cup, held in
December last year, and which will return to the country later in 2020.
According to the local authorities, the tournament brought over 50,000
international fans into the country. The event’s official fan zone welcomed
43,000 visitors over the course of the tournament.
“Test events give us a great opportunity to assess new
stadiums, work with authorities, integrate and train the teams. That all
provides us with an important insight into planning for the World Cup. And as we
move closer, planning becomes more operational. The joint venture team we have
in Qatar is increasing in size, several teams have already visited Qatar to
inspect training facilities, and we are bringing stakeholders closer – our
Commercial Affiliates were in Doha last year, and the main broadcasters earlier
this year,” said FIFA’s Chief Tournaments & Events Officer and FIFA World
Cup Qatar 2022 LLC (Q22) Managing Director, Colin Smith.
“With all our infrastructure projects on track, one of
our key priorities now is to shape the fan experience in 2022. We are determined
to host a tournament which is welcoming to all and family-friendly, and one that
shows our country and region in the most positive light. We learned a lot from
the Club World Cup across every functional area and will apply the lessons
learned in the 2020 edition and in our 2022 planning,” assured the Chief
Executive Officer of the Q22, Nasser Al Khater.
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