‘Successful hosting of AFC CL boosts our confidence for 2022 FIFA World Cup’

The AFC Champions League – West Zone matches, which were recently held in Qatar from September 14 to October 3, marked the successful return of football in Asia following its suspension in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Local Organising Committee (LOC) worked closely with local medical authorities, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the Qatar Football Association (QFA) to put in place a robust bubble-to-bubble bio framework that enabled the safe participation of teams, officials and LOC staff. "The AFC Champions League was a sizeable tournament, with the number of teams participating being almost half the number that will partake in the FIFA World Cup 2022. While we hope that the pandemic resolves in the coming months, the success we achieved with hosting the AFC Champions League has given us a further boost of confidence that we will be able to welcome both fans and players in any mega sporting events in the lead up to 2022, and the World Cup itself, in two years’ time,” Dr Abdul Wahab Al Musleh, Advisor to the Minister of Public Health of Qatar on Sports Affairs, which led the safety initiative, said. (TNN) page 11