DOHA: Qatar Indian Association for Sports and Games (QIA) will host a football tournament tomorrow at Doha Stadium to express Indian community’s solidarity with Qatar for the FIFA World Cup 2022.
“Our objective is to popularise the game of football among the Indian community and express our support for and solidarity with Qatar as the host of the Football World Cup in 2022,” Mohammed Abdul Rahman E P, President, QIA, told a press conference yesterday.
QIA, a forum of Indian expatriates has been organising an expatriate football tournament under the auspicious patronage of the Ministry of Culture and Sports and Qatar Football Association (QFA) since 2013. It also has approval and support from the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC).
M S Bukhari, Patron, QIA, said: “I would like to express appreciation to QIA for organising a tournament of such high standard. “My support to the tournament is part of our group’s commitment to support the expatriate communities. We are also committed to encouraging the communities to participate in football tournaments that allow them to adopt a healthy lifestyle through football.”
K M I Mather, Vice- President, Indian Football Federation, will inaugurate the event and Mansour Al Ansari, General-Secretary, QFA, wiII be the Chief Guest.
Ten teams are participating — from Goa, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The teams will be split into two groups of five teams each. Following group matches in a league format, two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals. The final match will be played on May 6.
The Peninsula
