DOHA (Qatar): The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) celebrated 1,000 days countdown to the 2022 FIFA World Cup at the Al Bidda Tower here on Tuesday.
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.
“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 World Cup 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.”
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.
Metro lines launched last year
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.
“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,” said SC Secretary General Hassan Al Thawadi.
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.
“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,” said FIFA’s Chief Tournaments & Events Officer and FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC (Q22) Managing Director, Colin Smith.
“We are determined to host a tournament which is welcoming to all and family-friendly,” said Chief Executive Officer of Q22, Nasser Al Khater. (Source: FIFA/Media)
