PRAISES for Qatar’s organisation of the FIFA World Cup 2022 are still streaming in, one month after the final. Since the first game, and in appreciation of the excellent hosting capabilities of Qatar, the numbers continue to show that Qatar hosted an exceptional edition of the World Cup. Official reports, press reports and testimonies of fans and visitors have not ceased, with many calling it the best FIFA World Cup ever.
Last Wednesday, FIFA announced that around 5 billion people have engaged with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and close to 1.5 billion around the world watched a pulsating Final between Argentina and France. On social media, according to Nielsen, there have been 93.6 million posts across all platforms, with a 262 billion cumulative reach and 5.95 billion engagements.
FIFA stated that one month to the day since Argentineans lifted the trophy, the figures from on and off the pitch, reflect the sheer scale of the biggest single sporting event on the planet. It is important to note that what makes the Qatari edition of the World Cup exceptional is not only the good organisation process alone, nor the qualitative services provided by the country to football fans, but also the record numbers achieved during this game in attendance and viewership inside stadiums and audience viewership outside the country.
The matches of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was attended inside the stadiums by 3.4 million spectators which is higher than the World Cup edition in Russia 2018 which was three million. In terms of goals, the Qatar 2022 recorded 172 goals, becoming the highest scoring FIFA World Cup in history, eclipsing the previous highest total of 171, in both 1998 and 2014. It was a tournament too of notable contributions from some of football’s heavyweights.
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was supported by 20,000 volunteers, selected from 150 nationalities, recorded all of them positions and provide services through their incredible hard work behind the scenes.
According to FIFA a total of 180,000 accredited people worked to make the tournament a success, including more than 10,000 media representatives who shared their impressions and images with the world as football history was being made.
It is an exceptional Qatari experience that set new standards for hosting the World Cup, and it will remain an honorable record in the history of football, as it is the first experience in the Arab and Islamic region. Qatar 2022 will open new horizons for football in changing its future, reach and global engagement with the sport.
