Qatar became the first nation in the Middle East and North Africa region to host the globally anticipated FIFA World Cup after winning the bid on December 2, 2010. As the smallest country to ever host the World Championships, it made it relatively simple for guests to get about and even plan to see several matches in one day. The World Cup in Qatar is promised to be one to remember, especially when you consider the typical Arab hospitality and perfect winter temperatures for both watching and participating in the awesome tournament. Since winning the bid, the nation has started a number of massive projects to expand its infrastructural capacity, raising significant concerns about the rights of migrant workers as well as the short-term and long-term impact hosting the event would have on the country’s economy.
The process of winning the right to host the World Cup might take up to 10 years. A nation must submit a bid proposal describing both the financial justification for the international soccer governing body and how it would help advance the sport's aim of expanding its worldwide presence. In terms of tourism, international trade, employment opportunities, and the potential for economic development, hosting the World Cup brings a country significant exposure and recognition. However, it can be extremely expensive.
Qatar spent a total of $229 billion, which is almost five times the combined amount spent on organizing and hosting international soccer tournaments from 1990 to 2018. The nation has spent well over ten years getting ready for the competition, spending up to $500 million every week to speed up development and production. For the event, seven new stadiums have been constructed. Lusail Stadium was the final of the recently constructed arenas to be officially opened. With a capacity of 80,000 audience, Lusail Stadium is the biggest venue for the 2022 World Cup and has been planned to host both the final on December 18 and games throughout each round of the competition.
There were worries that the nation would not be able to offer sufficient accommodation for the anticipated flood of football fans throughout the event. The organizers relieved the worries about a potential housing scarcity by constructing hotels, apartments, villas, and infrastructure over the previous 12 years. They have added more than 500 shuttle flights every day that allowed spectators to stay in towns in neighboring nations including Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Muscat in Oman, and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, accommodations for fans on cruise ships and housing in the desert have been provided by the organizers of the event. At least three floating hotels with a total bed capacity of approximately 10,000 have arrived in Doha. One thousand contemporary tents have also been built on a man-made island north of Doha according to the authorities, where fans are allowed to stay.
A large number of security personnel was deployed by Qatar for the World Cup. With several nations, it has agreements in place for security cooperation. The drills, called Watan (which translates to “country” in Arabic), were carried out by 32,000 government security officials and 17,000 members of the private security industry, according to the security committee for the event. Police from Türkiye and troops from Pakistan have also been dispatched, and both groups are working under Qatari authority. Additionally, police teams have been sent from a number of participating nations.
Being on the international stage has also revealed claims of corruption in Qatar, casting doubt on the FIFA selection procedure. Amnesty International also noted a number of human rights breaches in 2016 as a result of the strain the government was under to fulfill the 2022 goal. 90% of Qatar's workforce is made up of 1.7 million migrant laborers, most of whom were underpaid and had poor living and working circumstances. The Guardian reported in February 2021 that 6,500 migrant laborers from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka have perished in Qatar since it was awarded the World Cup bid. The amount is based on data given by the embassies of the nations in Qatar. The Qatari authorities claimed that the total was inaccurate since not all of the fatalities were due to World Cup-related projects. Many of them who died, according to Qatari authorities, had worked in Qatar for a number of years and may have passed away from old age or another natural reason.
Hosting the FIFA World Cup is seen as a privilege since soccer is the most popular sport in the world and has a huge audience. Unfavorable FIFA stories have turned some people off the event, and it might be a risky decision for some nations to host these events. But history shows that viewers will continue to check in with the expectation of seeing their nation win the prestigious World Cup.
Works Cited
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“World Cup 2022: How Has Qatar Treated Foreign Workers?” BBC News , www.bbc.com/news/world-60867042. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
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Mohamed, Hamza. “Is Qatar Ready to Host the World Cup?” Is Qatar Ready to Host the World Cup 2022? | Qatar World Cup 2022 News | Al Jazeera , 16 Nov. 202216, www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/16/is-qatar-is-ready-to-host-the-world-cup.
“Home | Qatar 2022TM .” Qatar 2022TM , www.qatar2022.qa. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.
Mohamed, Hamza. “Is Qatar Ready to Host the World Cup?” Is Qatar Ready to Host the World Cup 2022? | Qatar World Cup 2022 News | Al Jazeera , 16 Nov. 202216, www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/16/is-qatar-is-ready-to-host-the-world-cup.