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16—SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 19, 2022 Fans and football teams started arriving in Qatar as early as Monday this week, as the Middle East country is hosting in a historic World Cup 2022, which begins tomorrow. More than 1.2 million fans are expected to visit the Gulf country during the tournament. Qatar, a country of less than three million people, was awarded the right to host the global 3 2 - t e a m competition in 2010. Since then the country has undergone many changes to prepare for the showpiece event. Stadiums The tournament will be played across eight stadiums. Qatar, the first country in the Middle East to host the tournament, directly employed more than 26,000 people to prepare the stadiums for the November and December games. Seven new stadiums have been built for the event. The last of the newly built venues to be inaugurated was Lusail Stadium, which hosted a match between Egyptian club team Zamalek and the Saudi club Al Ahli in September. Lusail Stadium, with a capacity of 80,000 people, is the largest tournament venue for the 2022 World Cup and will host the final on December 18, as well as matches during each stage of the event. The eighth – the 40,000-capacity Khalifa International Stadium – has undergone renovations and upgrades. Accommodation There have been concerns that the country may not have adequate accommodation for the expected influx of football fans during the tournament. Over the past 12 years, the organisers have built hotels, apartments, villas and infrastructure to prepare for the mega event. The organisers have also allowed residents to put their houses and rooms up for rent in an attempt to ease accommodation concerns. Fans will also be staying on cruise ships and at sites in the desert. At least three floating hotels have docked in Doha with a combined capacity of about 10,000 beds. Authorities have also said some fans will be able to stay in 1,000 modern tents erected on a man-made island north of Doha. Organisers are introducing more than 500 shuttle flights a day allowing fans to stay in cities in neighbouring countries like Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Muscat in Oman, and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to alleviate concerns over a potential accommodation shortage in Qatar. Transport In the run-up to the championship, Qatar invested Qatar ready for football’s World Cup 2022 : Qatar dares Ecuador in opening match The tournament will kick off with hosts Qatar entertaining Ecuador in Group A action, with the match scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. local time (11 a.m. ET / 4 p.m. GMT) on November 20 in Al Bayt Stadium. It is tournament tradition that the host nation plays in the tournament’s first match. And when the 2022 FIFA World Cup schedule was set back in April, it raised eyebrows when it did not In 2018, when the World Cup was hosted in Russia, FIFA made more than $4.6bn in revenue. FIFA pays World Cup host countries’ organising committees, prize money, travel and accommodation for teams and support staff, plus a legacy fund to help develop the sport in the host country after the World Cup circus has left town. The winners of the Qatar World Cup will receive $44m out of a total prize pot of $440m, paid by FIFA. FIFA organises its accounts in four-year cycles around each World Cup. For the most recently published 2015-18 cycle, FIFA flagship tournament? heavily in upgrading its transport network. The host country built a metro rail system, which was launched in 2019, constructed major highways and inaugurated a tram system in advance of the games. For holders of a Hayya card – a fan ID that allows ticket-holders entry into Qatar and the stadiums – public transport will be free between November 10 and December 23. The 2022 tournament will be geographically the most compact World Cup in history, with all eight stadiums within a 55km (34 miles) radius of Doha. Fans will be able to attend more than one game a day if they wish to. However, it has also added to the congestion concerns with the World Cup essentially taking place in one city, the capital Doha. Five of the eight FIFA World Cup stadiums are directly connected to the metro railway, with the remainder connected by a combination of metro and shuttle bus services. A fleet of 4,000 buses, including 700 electric vehicles, will be used to shuttle passengers between transport hubs and stadiums. According to organisers, some 50,000 passengers a day are expected to use buses during the World Cup, Security Qatar is deploying tens of thousands of security personnel for the World Cup. It has signed security cooperation deals with several countries. Turkey has provided police officers and Pakistan has sent troops, which will operate under Qatari command. Several participating countries are also sending delegations of police. Last month, Qatar security forces, along with partners, carried out a five-day security exercise across the country. The drills were aimed at testing the readiness and responsiveness of the emergency services, The Peninsula daily reported. According to the tournament’s security committee, the exercises, dubbed Watan (which translates to nation in Arabic), involved 32,000 government security personnel and 17,000 from the private security sector. SOURCE: AL JAZEERA include a traditional inaugural match involving host nation Qatar. Instead, the schedule at the time listed Qatar playing the second of four matches on opening day on Monday, November 21, behind Senegal vs. Netherlands. It was only three months before the tournament kick off that FIFA announced the change in the schedule that ensured Qatar kicked off the tournament a day earlier. brought in $6.4bn. In 2021, a single non- World Cup year, FIFA took in $766m. Most of FIFA’s income comes from selling TV broadcast rights for the World Cup and other international tournaments. Of the $6.4bn Qatar World Cup winners to receive $44m generated in the last cycle, $4.6bn came from TV rights. Global brands pay FIFA for the right to advertise at the organisation’s events. The biggest brands get to partner with FIFA on its development and social responsibility plans, meaning they have a foot in the door with FIFA’s non-profit side, investing in the sport of football at international, national and grassroots levels. Cultural showpiec With the World Cup beginning tom been revealed about the comp ceremony. World Cup opening ceremonie more elaborate from Italia ’90 onwards, w moments, including Diana Ross’ famous Nelson Mandela’s message at South Afri FIFA and World Cup chiefs in Qatar ha opening ceremony at the Al Bayt Stadium The decision to move Qatar’s first game to played first, disrupted initial plans, with FIF •Opening ceremony What make World Cup Amazing things that await fans as W Iwas in India 12 years ago when Christian Fianco, an Italian who spoke many languages reached me for a trip to Qatar. The media consultant worked for Qatar Bid Committee for the 2022 World Cup which hired experts from many areas to make their bid classic. Qatar invited sports journalists from all over the world to see what they would offer the world if they won the right to host the World Cup in 2022. I told Fianco to route my ticket through Delhi as I was in India at the time. The Bid Committee had Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad al Thani as chairman and Hassan al Thawadi as CEO. There was also Nasser Alkhater. At Dare, Qatar we watched them repeat the presentation they made to world football governing body, FIFA. After the presentation on May 15, 2010, we later watched the Amir Cup final between Umm Salah and Al Ryan. Alfonso Alves Martin Junior volleyed home in the 82nd minute to earn Al Ryan a 1-0 victory. The match took place at the Khalifa Stadium, a beautiful sports complex with cooling technology. In the heat of the summer in Qatar, the cooling technology could bring the 45 degrees centigrade atmospheric temperature in the stadium to 25 degrees, making it soothing for football. At the presentation they demonstrated how they would install even a better technology in all the stadiums for the World Cup. They assured that all the venues would be ready at least one year before the World Cup. They would build sports cities with golf, media, education and other facilities within them. Lusail would be transformed to a magnificent city with the stadium that would host the World Cup final. Al Bayt would host the opening match. With statistics showing that Qatar was the 16th safest place in the world they exuded confidence that with first class facilities and technology to tame nature they had a World Cup 2022 open chance to bring the World Cup to the Middle East for the first time. Rail lines would connect all stadiums. With 11,586 km area the world would experience such a compact World Cup that fans can watch two matches in a day. A game ends at 4pm, for example, a fan can easily link another stadium through metro line for another match that starts at 6pm or 7pm. Capacity of some of the magnificent stadiums would be reduced and the parts donated to developing countries. There were other lofty befitting ca “If this w FIFA the W Foussena D journalists presentatio 2010 Qatar World Cup Japan and country ha focused on they were b conditions far reachin soared as th envy in thi President, G
ing ceremony: e awaits fans orrow in Qatar, details have schedule in August. etition’s upcoming opening Despite the alterations, FIFA have revealed the start time for the opening ceremony, which is due to begin two s have become significantly hours before kickoff between Qatar and Ecuador. ith some iconic and unusual With the shift of the tournament’s opening match to penalty miss at USA ’94 and Sunday(tomorrow), the opening ceremony has also moved ca 2010. a day earlier, set to take place in the immediate run-up to ve outlined there will be an the Qatar vs. Ecuador inaugural match. , despite some late changes. The ceremony is expected to feature the tournament’s November 20, to ensure they official anthem, songs from the soundtrack, and the mascot A only confirming the revised of the 2022 World Cup. SATURDAY Vanguard, NOVEMBER 19, 2022—17 The official FIFA World Cup soundtrack released its first single in April 2022, a song titled Hayya Hayya (Better Together) by American recording artist Trinidad Cardona alongside Nigerian singer Davido and Qatari singer AISHA. Lil Baby also has a single on the soundtrack with more expected. Meanwhile, the official World Cup mascot was revealed to be La’eeb at the World Cup Draw in April 2022. “La’eeb” is an Arabic word meaning super-skilled player. South Korea’s BTS confirmed on social media that Jungkook, one of seven members of the boy band, will perform at the ceremony, however speculation in recent days has focused more on famous names who will not be in Qatar. Former Take That star Robbie Williams i s performing at other World •Di Maria Cup events •Messi in Qatar, and could be involved, •Jungkook deas that would make 2022 a rnival. as the presentation they made to orld Cup is coming here,” I said to jagba, the leader of African who sat beside me during the n. It was prophetic. On December 2, was announced hosts of the 2022 , beating the likes of USA, Australia, South Korea. The Middle East s not rested since then. While they delivering the best World Cup ever, eing jabbed over labour laws and of migrant workers. They carried out reforms but the criticisms even e ‘D’ day approached. Many read s and lent their support. Even FIFA ianni Infantino, at a time pleaded •Davido different! orld Cup begins tomorrow that football should be the focus. Before the recent upsurge in attacks was unprecedented energy by the Qatari people to wow the world during the games. “There’s no year you come here you don’t see significant transformation, there’s always an addition, some huge change from your last visit, it’s unbelievable” football legend, Ruud Gullit said of Qatar. And when the World Cup kicks off tomorrow at the Al Bayt Stadium with host country, •Robbie Williams s Qatar 2022 Qatar taking on Ecuador in the opening match, amazing things await the fans and players. If you have flown into Qatar, the only time you’ll board a plane again is when you’re leaving Qatar. For all the matches, you go to the venues by road or metro. You need not fly to different venues as you did in the other World Cups. That’s the first unique thing about Qatar 2022. You need not change hotel throughout the duration of the games. You link all venues from your hotel. That’s another special thing. Your match ticket gives you the authority to bring in another fan who doesn’t have entry permit that the tickets grants you. That’s unique. The fan zones are amazing. There are plans to make them as entertaining as the stadium atmosphere. There will be trips to the deserts for Safari rides, a taste of Arabian hospitality. There will be cultural displays and music shows at fan zones and inside the stadiums on match days. Our own Davido is billed to play in the opening ceremony. Together with Aisha and Trinidad Cardona he composed HAYYA HAYYA (Better Together), the theme song of the 2022 World Cup. It’s a moving soundtrack that would spur everybody into action. It’s so danceable you’re bound to gyrate. The compactness of the 2022 event makes it a unique World Cup. When we arrived Qatar in 2010, their slogan was EXPECT AMAZING. It was everywhere – banners, souvenirs etc. Their message to the World was to expect amazing things if they won the bid. They did and the slogan changed to DELIVER AMAZING. They vowed to deliver amazing World Cup. They have gone on to deliver some of the best facilities the world would ever see at the World Cup venues. The Qatar 2022 World Cup promises to be an amazing spectacle for the players and fans. And when in an interview with visiting journalists I told Hassan Al Thawadi, the head of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy if the slogan could, again, change to EXPEREINCE AMAZING during the World Cup he smiled and said ‘’you can take that to the bank”. And as the 2022 World Cup begins tomorrow, the world is in for amazing spectacle from the stadiums to the fan zones, to the hotels and streets of Qatar. Football takes centre stage ahead of the controversies on labour rights etc. Qatar has spent over $5billion on infrastructure alone. That’s comfortable for a country that earns billions from gas supplies. And the world may be bound to appreciate their capacity and tag 2022 World Cup the BEST EVER. EXPERIENCE AMAZING1 Messi is ‘like an alien’ —Di Maria A ngel Di Maria has praised Lionel Messi saying that playing with him is the ‘best thing’ that has happened in his career - but that the responsibility does not always need to be handed to the Paris Saint Germain star. Messi, likely competing in his fifth and final World Cup, carries the hopes of a nation on his shoulders as him and his Argentine team-mates embark on a journey to win their first crown since the Diego Maradona-led triumph in 1986. Speaking to La Nacion just days out from the start of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Di Maria said Messi was ‘like an alien’ but that others also had to step up to the plate. “For me, being by Leo’s side is everything. He’s the best in the world, an alien, and I won’t get tired of saying it,’ he said. ‘And I’ll say it again: playing with Leo is the best thing that happened to me in my career. ‘We have spent many years together in the national team and I was even able to play in the same team with him, because seeing him every day is much nicer. ‘I always try to connect with him, look for him, but also understanding that, although he can solve the play, you don’t always have to give it to him. Or you have to think about when it should be given.” Di Maria will be competing in his fourth - and like Messi, likely his last - World Cup having been part of every Argentina squad since 2010. The Juventus wide-player has performed admirably at the last two editions, playing a key role in the country’s run to the final in 2014 and briefly dragging them from the mire against France with a wonder-strike in Russia four years ago. The oldest player at World Cup 2022 in Qatar The goalkeeper of the Mexico national team, Alfredo Talavera, is the oldest player who is likely to participate in the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Across all the squads, he was born before the likes of Pepe from Portugal, by a single year and Dani Alves from Brazil. Veteran players at Qatar 2022 There are a number of legends of the Beautiful Game making the trip, in what is (surely) going to be their last FIFA showpiece tournament. Brazilian Thiago Silva, who has 38 years behind him, and there is also Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric (former teammates at Real Madrid), as well as the América goalkeeper, Guillermo Ochoa. Ochoa and Ronaldo will play in their fifth World Cup in Qatar 2022, while Alves will feature for the third time after participating in 2010 and 2014, but being left out of the squad for Russia 2018. Below is a list of the oldest players to have been named in the 831 across the national team squads. Who is most likely to make the headlines? (Spoiler: of course, it’s him!) Alfredo Talavera - Mexico - Juárez - 40 Atiba Hutchinson - Canada - Besiktas - 39 Pepe - Portugal - Porto - 39 Eiji Kashima - Japan - Strasbourg - 39 Dani Alves - Brazil - Pumas - 39 Remko Pasveer - Netherlands - Ajax - 39 Aymen Mathlouthi - Tunisia - Etoile Sahel - 38 Thiago Silva - Brazil - Chelsea - 38 Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal - Man Utd - 37 Danny Vukovic - Australia - Mariners - 37 Steve Mandanda - France - Rennes - 37 Guillermo Ochoa - Mexico - América - 37 Bryan Ruiz - Costa Rica - Alajuelense - 37 Luka Modric - Croatia - Real Madrid – 37
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