Qatar has the economy and the infrastructural capability to host the FIFA World Cup, but needs to address the issue of the weather and impose its individuality to create an outstanding event in 2022, according to three of the biggest names in Italian football.
“The first feeling that Qatar gives is that this is a set of people who have everything. They have great potential to host an event of such high calibre,” Gianluigi Buffon, captain of Juventus said at a press conference before the Supercoppa match between Napoli and Juventus in Doha on Saturday.
“Considering the economic potential and facilities here, the World Cup will be a positive event for this country. They have all the ingredients to make it a successful event.”
Christian Maggio, the Napoli right back added “Since the first day of our arrival in Qatar we have been amazed by the infrastructure. It is beautiful. It is an indicator that this city wants to provide something extraordinary.
“Qatar will be ready for the World Cup. There is care taken about even the smallest of details. And definitely Qatar will be ready to host an international event of such a huge stature.”
This is not the first time a major international footballer has backed Qatar to host a world class event in 2022. In May 2014, Yaya Toure of Ivory Coast was impressed by a presentation by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy.
Napoli coach Rafael Benitez, who has reportedly been offered a role coaching Qatar’s national team, said “Working with football people here in Qatar is a great pleasure. They have the best of facilities. And utilizing these facilities is something that Napoli and other teams should think about.”
Buffon, who was for many years regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world, also spoke positively about the developing football culture in Qatar. “We were warmly received here. Many people, including myself, didn’t know that Juventus will have such a huge following in Qatar.”
Speaking at a time when Qatar’s right to host the World Cup is being called into question, he hinted that a non-judgemental attitude helps to build understanding. “If you don’t go about your life in a particular way then you don’t get the love of the people.”
Nonetheless, the host nation still needs to work on its footballing identity and communicate its vision to the world.
“In the years ahead of the event, Qatar should find ways to make the event more romantic,” said Buffon. “And I hope that it can be done and that will make the Qatar edition stand out from the rest of the world.”
The biggest issue Qatar faces in hosting the World Cup is the hardest to control. “Of course I think that we need to play in the right weather so that the players can have the best conditions to display their skills. And also for the fans. They tend to move from one place to another. So we expect there will be the question of weather.”
Tag: Qatar 2022
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Italian stars back Qatar to succeed in 2022
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FIFA ethics report to be published
In a dramatic U-turn, the members of FIFA’s executive committee have voted unanimously in favour of making public its report into alleged corruption surrounding the bidding process for the Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 World Cups.
The full report was written by US lawyer Michael Garcia, but only a controversial summary by his counterpart on the Ethics Committee, Hans-Joachim Eckert, has yet been published.
Garcia dismissed Eckert’s summary as “erroneous and incomplete” and resigned from the Ethics Committee on Wednesday after his appeal was dismissed.
While many contributors to the report have spoken out in favour of publishing it in full, all were promised confidentially and the published report will be redacted for legal reasons – and it will not be published until the conclusion of ongoing investigations into five people connected to the affair.
FIFA vice president Jim Boyce of Great Britain is one of the executives who has spoken in favour of publishing the report, saying “If people have nothing to hide, why are they afraid of something being issued?”
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Genset demand surges as Qatar 2022 approaches
The power rental market in Qatar is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 23.3 per cent until 2020, according to research by 6Wresearch.
“Upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022, rising public and private infrastructure, construction of hotels and stadiums and increasing flow of investments in the country are exhibited to fuel the growth of Qatar’s power rental market,” the researchers said.
The majority of this growth will be accounted for by diesel gensets, but environmental concerns and the local abundance of natural gas will also drive growth in non-diesel gensets. Gas generators are expected to rise in prominence.
International suppliers such as Aggreko, RSS, JTC, Byrne Investments, Hertz are cited as key players in the Qatar power rental market, alongside domestic players such as Qatar Building Co., Al Reyami and Qatar Industrial Equipment.
American multinational Cat Entertainment Services is another big player in major event power generation with the potential to tap into the growing market in Qatar.
More than US$200bn is being invested in infrastructure developments in the run up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The temporary power supply industry is in huge demand on projects such as Lusail City, the Doha Metro Rail, construction of expressways, hotels and other facilities, as well as nine new stadiums and major renovations to three existing stadiums.
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Qatar 2022: We can host World Cup any time of year
The uncertainty surrounding the timings of the 2022 World Cup is set to continue until 24th February and the country is able to host at any time of year, according to the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC).
The World Cup traditionally takes place during the northern hemisphere’s summer months, during which the European football leagues take a break.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Abraham Al Khalifa of Bahrain’s earlier this week asserted that the World Cup would take place in the winter, preferably November and December 2022, and that “the matter is resolved.”
But Nasser Al-Khater, the executive director of communications and marketing at the Qatar 2022 SC is reported to have said a press conference at the Doha’s Aspire Zone: “Look, first and foremost we are confident of hosting the World Cup anytime of the year.
“It is also no secret that the peak tourism timing is November and December.”
According to Inside World Football, Al Khater said “There is a meeting of the task force on the 24th of February. What we understand is that a final decision will be recommended during that meeting. It’s the last meeting of the task force to discuss a winter or a summer World Cup.”
Qatar’s summer months reach blistering heats of over 50 degrees centigrade and many observers have commented on the risks of hosting football matches in these conditions.
The SC says it has the cooling technology to overcome these challenges.
“We believe the methods and principles [of cooling] are a solution for many countries that will host the World Cup and other events in the future,” Al Khater said.
“Utilising this technology on such a large scale and having to think outside the box, we are really providing optimal climate conditions.”
The SC also told press that Qatar’s venue infrastructure projects are on schedule, with five stadiums under construction and two more set for an imminent design launch.
Al Khater also faced questions about FIFA’s investigations into the manner in which Qatar was elected as World Cup host.
“It’s important to highlight it’s an investigation into the bidding process of 2018/2022, but also into individuals,” he said.
“Everyone coins it as an investigation into Qatar, which is absolutely false and incorrect. We are happy with judge Eckert’s conclusion. At times it was a bit harsh, but, you know this is a World Cup and you will always have criticism and negativity.”
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FIFA requests Qatar 2022 venue and dates plan by end of 2015
FIFA secretary general Jérôme Valcke has requested that the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the Qatar 2022 World Cup propose the number of venues to be used as a “next important step” to be confirmed by the end of 2015, along with the timings of the tournament.
He also commended progress on infrastructure works and evident progress on improving the welfare of construction workers.
Speaking at the end of the LOC’s first board meeting in Doha on Tuesday, FIFA’s secretary general Jérôme Valcke said “We had a very constructive first LOC Board meeting and are pleased with the work accomplished to date by the LOC, especially in delivering a first customised operational plan to the specifications of the host country.
“As we have done with previous hosting partners, we will help find solutions that work best locally including considerations for beyond the event itself.
“Next important step will be for the LOC to provide FIFA with feasibility studies to identify the best number of venues to ensure perfect playing conditions for the teams. We aim to have a confirmation of dates, length of tournament and final number of stadia to be used by end of this year.”
On Monday, a FIFA task force recommended that the 2022 World Cup should take place in late November until late December , with a slightly shortened timeframe than the usual four weeks.
The CEO of the LOC, Hassan Al Thawadi said “We are ready to host anytime depending on the wishes of the global football community.”
Valcke was shown around the building site of the first stadium being built for the World Cup. “It was very encouraging to see yesterday the Al-Wakrah stadium construction site as well as the respective workers living facilities,” he said.
“I am no expert on these issues but I can see that progress is being made, particularly with the standards introduced by the Supreme Committee related to 2022 infrastructure. At the same time, recognising this is a complex issue that is vital for the Qatari authorities to continue to work on with labour experts to ensure that the initiated measures on welfare standards are sustainably implemented for all workers in Qatar and not limited to 2022 projects.”
The main focus of the meeting was for the LOC to present to FIFA its Tournament Operation Master Plan (TOMP), which it describes as a “unique hosting concept based on the compact World Cup”.
The Qatar 2022 LOC will focus on operational planning, tournament preparedness and coordinating with FIFA on all competition related matters.
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) – the organisation tasked with delivering infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup and its aftermath – also gave a presentation on the development of stadiums and extensive transportation network links which will connect these and other venues across the country.
“Today’s meeting was a significant milestone as we continue to make progress towards hosting an outstanding FIFA World Cup which will leave a lasting legacy for future generations in the Middle East,” said Thawadi. “This was an opportunity to demonstrate our operational preparations and ensure we are ready to deliver the tournament as early as possible.
“The first LOC board meeting is a symbol that this World Cup is not simply a concept for a tournament that will be held in the distant future. It is evidence that we are working every single day to deliver a unique tournament that will bring people in the Middle East together and build bridges between East and West.”
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Qatar 2022 to keep it cool as winter World Cup confirmed
FIFA’s executive committee today approved a task force recommendation to host the 2022 World Cup in November and December.
The final is due to take place on 18th December 2022, which is Qatar’s National Day. The length of the tournament will be finalised by a working group, but FIFA stated there is “the objective, in principle, of staging the tournament in 28 days”.
The decision was welcomed by the organisers of the tournament, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy.
“We welcome the decision of FIFA’s Executive Committee in relation to the timing of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. We are satisfied the process has reached its conclusion,” it said in a statement.
“Regardless of the change in dates, we will continue to develop the cooling technology promised during the bid, ensuring our commitment to deliver a true legacy as a result of the first World Cup in the Middle East remains.”
The daily average maximum temperature in November is around 30 degrees Celsius.
The timings of the event mean that British teams will be able to play their traditional boxing day fixtures.
The prospect of a winter world cup has been fiercely challenged by the European football clubs and administrators.
However, Luis Figo of Portugal, who is running for the presidency of FIFA, stated his support for the decision.
“A decision on the hosts and dates of the World Cup has to be as consensual as possible, after consulting all the interested persons and organizations and having in mind above all the health of the players, officials and, of course, the supporters,” he said.
“I also think that people of Qatar deserve respect and now that there is a decision I hope they will have the time to concentrate in delivering a good World Cup.” -
Main contractor named for Al Thumama 2022 FIFA World Cup stadium in Doha
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), the organisation responsible for delivering the stadiums and infrastructure required for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, has announced the main contractor for the stadium being built in Doha’s Al Thumama district.
Qatari construction giant AlJaber Engineer LLC and leading Turkish construction firm, Tekfen Construction, were confirmed as joint-venture partners.
Arab Engineering Bureau, the oldest architectural and engineering consulting firm in Qatar, was confirmed in 2015 as the Design & Construction Supervision Consultant for the 40,000-seater stadium.
Al Thumama – a proposed venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar – is the seventh stadium for which the main construction contract has been awarded. The venue, located just minutes from Hamad International Airport and in the centre of the urban development of Qatar’s capital Doha, is scheduled for completion by 2020 and will host FIFA World Cup matches up to the quarter-final stage.
SC Secretary General, Hassan Al Thawadi, said: “We are delighted to award the main contract to AlJaber Engineering and Tekfen as a joint-venture. The stadium in Al Thumama is located in one of the most rapidly developing areas of Doha. Once ready, the stadium and its surrounding precinct will not only become one of the capital’s central sporting arenas, but will also serve the local community as a central community destination.
“I am confident that the signing of Al Jaber Engineering and Tekfen Construction, one of the leading construction companies in Turkey, will deliver an outstanding, legacy-oriented stadium for a historic tournament.”
The stadium is located in an area of 515,400 square metres that already comprises four outdoor training pitches and office facilities currently used by the Qatar Football Association Technical Committee. The stadium will have a reduced capacity of 20,000 seats in its post tournament legacy mode as part of the SC’s modular stadium legacy plans.
Eng. Hilal Al-Kuwari, technical delivery office chairman at the SC, said: “We’re pleased to bring together two firms as reputable as AlJaber and Tekfen to deliver such an important project for the SC and Qatar. The awarding of this contract represents another important project milestone, coming at a significant time as Qatar and the SC move beyond the half-way point in its World Cup journey. The appointment of a local company in this joint venture also demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the economic legacy for Qatar, post 2022.”
Construction began in Al Thumama in mid-2016, with TiME Qatar as the project managers. Most recently levelling and grading works were completed by Boom Construction. The stadium design will be launched in 2017.
In 2016, main works were awarded to Al Rayyan Stadium and Qatar Foundation Stadium and Lusail Stadium, which joined Khalifa International Stadium, Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor City and Al Wakrah Stadium in construction main works stage. Ras Abu Aboud Stadium will award the main contract in the second quarter of 2017.
All contracts on the stadium in Al Thumama incorporate the SC’s Workers’ Welfare Standards. Contractual enforcement of these standards and a rigorous four-tier auditing system guarantees international best practice on the stadium.
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Qatar 2022 aims to showcase “common humanity” in face of “divisiveness and nationalism”
[Source: Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy] H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), described hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022 as ‘transformational’ for Qatar and the entire Middle East during the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting Davos 2020.
Al Thawadi held a number of bilateral meetings, took part in a panel discussion where he explored the economic prosperity in the Middle East with a number of notable figures, and conducted interviews with global broadcasters such as CNBC, CNN and Astro Awani on the sidelines of this year’s forum.
During an interview with CNBC presenter Hadley Gamble, Al Thawadi said the tournament had the power the unite people from across the world.
“Major sporting events – particularly football and the FIFA World Cup – provide incredible opportunities for bringing people together,” said Al Thawadi. “If you look at the recent FIFA Club World Cup, we had people in Qatar from five continents engaging with each other and celebrating football. It was a true festivity.”
Al Thawadi continued: “We also appreciate the value and power of sport in building bridges between people from every walk of life. The recent Gulf Cup, held in Qatar, was a fantastic example. It was the first time Bahrain won the tournament and the emotion of the fans was incredible.
“Sporting events can be truly transformational and something that leaves a legacy – not only for us but for generations to come. We’re working hard to ensure that everyone appreciates the powerful tool we have in bringing people together and the unique opportunity we have been granted. In an age where divisiveness and nationalism are on the rise, we must work to use these platforms to showcase our common humanity and celebrate our shared values and harness this once in a lifetime opportunity.”
In line with this year’s sustainability theme at WEF, Al Thawadi also discussed the tournament’s sustainability credentials during the interview, noting the launch of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Sustainability Strategy this week – the first to be planned and delivered jointly by FIFA, the host country and the local organisers. Al Thawadi also reiterated Qatar’s commitment to hosting the world’s first truly carbon neutral tournament in 2022.
Speaking about tournament preparations, Al Thawadi said 2020 would be a busy year for the SC. Qatar will host the CAF Super Cup in February and the FIFA Club World Cup™ in December 2020, welcoming thousands of fans from around the world to the region once again. Al Thawadi noted that two stadiums will be unveiled during the first half of the year, Education City and Al Bayt, and that all tournament infrastructure will be delivered by 2021.
Al Thawadi also took part in a panel discussion at a Qatar Investment Authority event on the sidelines of this year’s WEF Annual Meeting. Titled ‘Perspectives from Qatar: The Reality of Economic Prosperity in the Middle East’, Al Thawadi joined fellow panelists H.E. Ali Bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Qatar’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mirek Dusek, Deputy Head of the Centre for Geopolitical and Regional Affairs and Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum, and Henry Lawrence Culp Jr., CEO, General Electric.
Bilateral meetings were also held throughout the week with figures including Klaus Schwab, Founder and Chairman, World Economic Forum, Will.i.am, entertainer and tech entrepreneur, David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee, Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the ITUC, Ian Bremmer, CEO of Eurasia Group, and Mirek Dusek, Deputy Head of the Centre for Geopolitical and Regional Affairs and Member of the Executive Committee, World Economic Forum.
The WEF Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, is the foremost creative force for engaging the world’s top leaders in collaborative activities to shape the global, regional and industry agendas at the beginning of each year. 2020, which marked the forum’s 50th year, attracted 3,000 participants from around the world and aimed to give concrete meaning to “stakeholder capitalism”, assist governments and international institutions in tracking progress towards the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals, and facilitate discussions on technology and trade governance.
See the full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXI1nTqxmzY&feature=emb_logo
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Sixth Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup stadium inaugurated
[Source: Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy] Qatar reached yet another FIFA World Cup™ milestone on Friday night when Al Thumama Stadium became the sixth tournament-ready venue to be inaugurated.
The stadium follows Khalifa International, Al Janoub, Education City, Ahmad Bin Ali and Al Bayt in being declared ready to host matches during the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup™, which will kick off on 21 November 2022. Al Thumama’s inauguration ceremony took place prior to the Amir Cup Final, which was won by Al Sadd, who defeated Al Rayyan 5-4 on penalties after the match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes. The match was held in the presence of His Highness, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar.
H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, President of the Qatar Football Association, congratulated the Al Sadd board of directors, technical and administrative staff, players and fans for winning the 49th Amir Cup.
Sheikh Hamad said: “Qatar has been a pioneer in hosting major football matches during the pandemic. The inauguration of Al Thumama marks yet another milestone on the road to 2022 and the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world, while providing another opportunity to welcome fans back to the stands as we continue to overcome COVID-19.
“I would like to express sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone in the medical sector for their outstanding efforts over the past two seasons. With their support, we have been able to host a capacity crowd for this evening’s final and send a strong message to the world that we are overcoming this pandemic.”
H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, said: “We are incredibly proud to have inaugurated the sixth tournament-ready stadium ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup. Al Thumama is a very special venue for everyone in Qatar. It pays tribute to an important piece of clothing that is proudly worn by men and boys across the Arab world and its unique design showcases the talent and innovation of our people.”
Al Thawadi continued: “We are now within touching distance of the World Cup. Soon we will pass the one year to go milestone and host the FIFA Arab Cup – which will give us a major opportunity to test all our plans for Qatar 2022. We stand ready and prepared to host a memorable World Cup for the benefit of Qatar, the region and the world.”
Nasser Al Khater, CEO, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC, described Al Thumama’s inauguration as another important step on the road to 2022.
“The milestones are coming thick and fast as we get ever closer to the World Cup,” said Al Khater. “The inauguration of Al Thumama is another important step as we ramp up preparations for the biggest sporting event ever to be held in our country and region. We look forward to inaugurating Al Bayt and Ras Abu Aboud before the end of the year, with our eighth and final stadium, Lusail, set to be launched in 2022.”
The 40,000-capacity Al Thumama will host matches during the upcoming FIFA Arab Cup™, which will take place in Qatar from 30 November to 18 December. It will then host eight matches during the FIFA World Cup™ up to the quarter-finals stage. Designed to resemble the ‘gahfiya’ head cap worn by men and boys across the Arab world, Al Thumama was designed by Ibrahim M. Jaidah, who is the first Qatari architect to design a FIFA World Cup™ stadium.
Al Khater said many important lessons were learned during the lead-up to Al Thumama’s inauguration.
“Every major match we organise helps us to fine-tune our plans for 2022,” said Al Khater. “The FIFA Arab Cup – involving 16 national teams from across the region – is yet another golden opportunity to test all our functional areas. In relation to the Amir Cup specifically, we will compile a vast number of lessons learned in the coming days and weeks, particularly in relation to ticketing, Fan ID, travel, health and safety, and others. Every event we organise between now and the World Cup is an opportunity to test our readiness and confirm our plans for the tournament.”