FIFA 2022 in Qatar
On December 2, 2010, FIFA announced that Qatar would be awarded the honor of hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup; Thus, the most popular competition in the world will be organized in the Middle East for the first time in the tournament’s 92-year history. Qatar won the honor of hosting the World Cup in the fourth ballot, beating Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United States of America.
The Qatari file, which won the honor of organizing, was distinguished by presenting the “best organization” for the World Cup ever, as all the stadiums proposed to organize the tournament are located only 60 kilometers from each other except for one stadium. The organizing committee, in turn, pledged to build nine new stadiums and renovate three others; This impressed the FIFA Executive Committee with a unique architectural vision, as well as an ambitious plan to harness the energy of sunlight and use it to revive players and fans in an environmentally friendly manner.
During the tournament, the State of Qatar will host 31 other countries; You compete in 64 matches that open and close at the iconic Lusail Stadium which has been specially designed to host the World Cup and has a carbon footprint (zero carbon footprint).
It is expected that this tournament will leave a lasting heritage not only in Qatar but in all countries of the world after the organizers pledged to reconfigure 9 stadiums after the matches and provide 170,000 seats for developing countries with the aim of developing their sports infrastructure.
Upgrading the infrastructure
Qatar’s strategy for hosting the World Cup includes continuous infrastructure development; which will not only enable visitors and residents to enjoy the tournament, but also lay the foundation for future growth and national development.
Qatar has pledged to spend up to $70 billion to create and expand a world-class infrastructure network; although most of the road network in Qatar was built in the last ten years, the government pledged to spend $20 billion to expand that network until 2016. These pledges include the construction of new main roads linking the new Hamad International Airport to all Qatari cities, as well as a highway It connects it with its neighbor Bahrain.
Not only that; In fact, Qatar is developing a world-class railway network for the first time, after the Qatar Railways Company signed an agreement with Deutsche Bahn, estimated at $26 billion in 2009. The agreement stipulated the establishment of a joint venture to establish an attractive and environmentally friendly metro network in Doha. Four lines connect 98 stations across a distance of up to 300 kilometers. As required, the lines will run in ground-level tunnels as public railways, and will connect key sites such as Hamad International Airport, the Lusail City urban development district, Education City and West Bay.
The agreement also provides for plans to establish a long-distance network that provides passenger and freight transportation through lines that connect it to neighboring countries such as Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Its long-distance network also includes an express line that reaches Bahrain with a length of 180 kilometers with a maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour, in addition to another line to transport passengers with a length of 100 kilometers that reaches Saudi Arabia at a maximum speed of 200 kilometers per hour. Overall, the plans entail the construction of a 325-kilometre cargo transportation network, 270 kilometers of which are used as passenger services.
Finally, Qatar’s strategy for organizing the World Cup clarifies its vision for the construction of more than 55,000 hotels to provide additional rooms in order to be able to accommodate the increased influx of World Cup guests. There are already plans in place to double the number of hotel rooms and apartments for guests by 2022 to cover daily economic requirements. The government, as part of the Qatar National Vision 2030 for economic diversification policies, intends to contribute significant investments in excess of $17 billion alone in the coming years in order to increase the number of hotel rooms that currently exist in Qatar. The government also pledged to build 64 team camp facilities, which include 32 hotels and 32 training sites to accommodate all teams.