After 12 years long waiting in making, the DREAM is almost over turning into a REALITY.
It’s just 11 days more, all eyes will soon be on Qatar when it hosts the FIFA World Cup 2022 on November 20, the first-ever World Cup in the Middle East.
The stage is now set for what promises to not only be an historic event in the region, but potentially a lucrative boost to Qatar’s economy for years to come.
Zurich, Switzerland based the international governing body of soccer– Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), in 2010, awarded Qatar with 14 votes against 8 votes to USA to host World Cup 2022 being kicked off from November 20 and lasted until December 18, 2022.
According to the report, so far, the State of Qatar has spent US $220 billion on building world-class infrastructure, including new roads, public transport, hotels and sporting facilities.
It is also expected that over 1.5 million fans are likely to visit Qatar for the historic football journey of Qatar giving a boost to the tourism and food and beverage industry.
The past 12 years have been very busy preparing for the World Cup with a mega master plan development plan. Now, all stadiums are ready to host the games. Development infrastructures of hotels, roads, metros, other facilities are completed.
So, it can be said, Qatar– the richest country in the world with GNP stand at US $127,600 (World Bank report) has around 2.4 million people living in a relatively tiny 12,000 square kilometer sharing its sole land border with neighbouring Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its territory surrounded by the Persian Gulf is ready, FIFA is ready and lastly the world is ready for the World Cup 2022.
Hosting World Cup 2022 by Qatar would be a historic event for the entire Middle East GCC nations ready to welcome over 1.5 million (as Qatar government report) soccer fans from around the world might boost tourism businesses across the region.
According to the FIFA report, the world sporting body had earned US $5.4 billion of revenue from the 2018 World Cup in Russia which was 16 per cent more revenue than of 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The spending on advertising and marketing around the World Cup is set to hit a record high this year and experts say that its timing in the run-up to Christmas and New Year, gives Qatar 2022 the potential to provide the most unique experience for brands.
Following the FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s words in an interview in the USA sometime before “The World Cup in Qatar will be the best in history,” Qatar is set to make history on November 20, when it becomes the first country to make its debut at the FIFA World Cup by virtue of being the host.
Many will believe Qatar’s hopes rest on winning their first game against South American Ecuador clearing the route to Lusail for the final might be tricky, should they make it through.
Qatar’s team made its first impact at the Gulf Cup in 1984, when it reached the final which it lost to Iraq on penalties. The 1990s saw the rise of Annabi. In 1992, Qatar won its first-ever Gulf Cup and qualified for the Summer Olympics.
Qatar raced for a spot at the 1990 World Cup but finished third in the final round of qualifiers, and dropped out of the reckoning for France in 1998 after losing their last playoff to Saudi Arabia.
Qatar’s progress at the regional and continental level continued in the 2000s, as they won the gold medal at the Asian Games as hosts.
Despite never having qualified for the World Cup before, Qatar came close to making the final cut on a number of occasions.
“The fans’ cheers will help Qatar during the World Cup as it will push the players to give their best.”
No matter what happens, the country is ready to host the international tournament, and there’s a good chance that the players will make their nation proud.
The 32 teams will play 64 games in eight stadiums in and around the cities of Qatar which has been transformed since 2010 by massive construction projects to prepare for the World Cup.
The final day is the National Day of the State of Qatar. So, it reflects the determination of the Qatari people to send the world a message of peace, love and solidarity as Qatar has used sports as means for making different people get closer rather than a way of competition.
Since the National Day celebrations this year will enjoy unprecedented local and international coverage as part of the activities accompanying the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, of course, Qataris would be proud of the great achievements through National Day celebrations utilizing Qatari traditions, customs and heritage and the true image of its hospitality and good ethics.
For the millions of fans of the world, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience Qatar’s unique attractions, proud culture and traditional hospitality, along with enjoying a new culture, a new region, and a new way to experience soccer matches.
Many socializations among Qataris are marked by courtesy, good manners with respecting every individual and being welcomed to share food and drink that defined Qatar’s traditional hospitality culture.
Anyway, the soccer fans around the world who are excitedly waiting to feel warm hospitality, experience traditional cultures, taste middle eastern foods and eye-watch unimaginable infrastructural development including art-de-facets stadiums for World Cup 2022 are to come within a few days. Soccer fans after doing ON YOUR MARK are already on the GET SET and waiting for Whistle to GO.
