The ongoing Football fever will take its time to subside.  India has not ever been in a FIFA tournament and it will be some time before we get there.  However, while the fever is still on, lets shift focus to the FIFA World Cup 2022 that will be hosted by Qatar.

Qatar, in the news for some time for all the wrong reasons – embargo by its sister Middle East countries, especially, is set to become the first Middle East nation to host the FIFA World Cup.  This country of around 23 lakh inhabitants, has never been in the reckoning for the FIFA tournament, but has embarked upon a mission that will get it on the global football map – hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022.

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Russia, having been a wonderful host to the 2018 version, and ending with a final that was one of the most exciting in recent years, has handed over the mantle to Qatar.  Though the World Cup is held in the middle of a year, the tournament in 2022 will be held in the later part of 2022, since the temperature in that part of the world is hot and for those not accustomed to this heat, it can prove troublesome.

“I am sure that our friends from Qatar will be able to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup on the same high level.  We are, of course, ready to share the experience we acquired in holding the World Cup this year, with our friends”

– Vladimir Putin

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On 15th July, Sunday, during the grand finale of the Russian FIFA World Cup, the President Vladimir Putin handed over the mantle to the Emir of Qatar – the challenge moving from the world’s largest country to one of the smallest – in size but not in passion.

Putin handed over the official ball to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and he passed it on to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar.  Sheikh Tamim assured that that his country would ensure that it applies all its effort to make the event a success.

The trio gathered in the Georgievsky Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace and, in place of a baton to symbolise the changing of the Host Nation, they used the official match ball for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia knockout rounds, the Adidas Telstar Mechta. Putin himself took it down from the podium and handed it to the Emir of Qatar.

“We hope to overcome the difficulties.  Although it will be hard to replicate the success on field as we are a small country, but we are very keen on sport.”

– Sheikh Tamim

Tamim-el-Abed, Lusail Project Manager, in his conversation with Al Jazeera said that the Qatar’s determination in the face of the embargo and air land sea blockade with a few of its neighbors will not affect its enthusiasm in preparing the country for the best.  Though the initial blockade affected some construction material from getting into the country, it has not affected the schedule.  He said that the stadiums are on schedule with some of them even getting constructed by 2020.

“It (the blockade) hasn’t affected construction on the site. There were materials originally sourced from the blockading countries. However, they are not the only sources of material in the world.”

– Tamim el-Abed

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As part of it’s winning bid in 2010, Qatar promised to take apart many of the stadiums at the end of the World Cup and send sections to developing countries to help them grow the game.

“We are ready based on the path we have set,” said Hassan al-Thawadi, the secretary-general of the Qatar 2022 organising committee, in Moscow with a delegation of 180 officials shadowing their Russian counterparts in 11 cities.

FIFA confirmed that the tournament will be hosted from November 21 with the final taking place on December 18, Qatar’s national day.

The Umm Salal Stadium | Umm Salal

Group Matches, Round of 16, Quarter Finals

Al Gharafa Stadium | Al – Rayyan

Group Matches

Al Khor Stadium | Al Khor

Group Matches, Round of 16

Al Shamal Stadium | Al Shamal

Group Matches

Al Wakrah Stadium | Al Wakrah

Group Matches, Round of 16

Doha Port Stadium | Doha

Group Matches, Round of 16, Quarter Finals

Lusail Iconic Stadium | Al Daayen

Opening & Group Matches, Round of 16, Quarter Finals, Semi Finals Finals

Qatar University Stadium | Doha

Group Matches, Round of 16