Qatar is successfully heading towards hosting the FIFA World Cup this year with all early signs indicating that the first-ever football showpiece in the Middle East and the Arab World will be one of the best tournaments in history.
While the Gulf state is on track to stage the historic World Cup, FIFA, which opened applications for tickets of the mega event on January 19, has received an overwhelming response with fans from all around the world trying their luck to attend the highly-anticipated tournament.
Most requests are from Qatar and then followed by Argentina, England, Mexico, USA, Spain, Germany, UAE, India and Brazil. According to information provided by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, FIFA received 2.7 million ticket requests for Qatar 2022 from January 19 to 25, and the game’s governing body continues to receive applications.
The huge demand of tickets from all over the globe despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is very encouraging. It also shows fans’ confidence in Qatar’s potential of organising the high-profile events successfully. The Gulf state also known as the World’s Sports Hub has been hosting the global competitions in a blockbuster fashion over the years.
Also, Qatar has gained rich experience in organising such events safely without compromising the health of stakeholders amid the pandemic. The country has also been assisting various federations and sports bodies by hosting their events in the last two years. Qatar became neutral venue for the AFC Asian Qualifiers - Road to Qatar as well as the Asian Champions League in the recent months. Last November, the country also hosted the Ooredoo Qatar Grand Prix to help Formula One complete its calendar.
Qatar is currently busy giving final touches to their preparations for the World Cup. Only one of the eight stadiums – the Lusail Stadium – is yet to be inaugurated while the other infrastructure including Doha Metro is ready and operational. The SC is expected to announce the date of inauguration for the Lusail Stadium soon as the venue for the final is also ready for action.
Last month, Qatar successfully culminated the FIFA Arab Cup – a test event for World Cup – in style as infrastructure was up to the mark, and the competition bringing together 16 top Arabian teams was hailed the best regional tournament ever. As Qatar has entered the 300-day countdown, all signs suggest the same for Qatar 2022.
