CATHERINE W GICHUKI
DOHA
The United States is excited about Qatar hosting the FIFA World Cup 2022, US Ambassador to Qatar HE Timmy T Davis has said, commending Qatar for the marvelous job of ensuring there is a path for people from different parts of the world to come and watch the games.
Speaking at a media roundtable on Monday, Ambassador Davis said that the US, as part of North American countries which to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, will gain from Qatar’s experience in hosting this year’s tournament.
"We hope to learn from Qatar’s experience in organising a successful World Cup. I am convinced that Qatar will host a model for major international sports events this year. I am doing all I can to reassure Americans that coming to Qatar for the World Cup will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” he said. He said that Qatar is doing an impressive job in hosting the World Cup.
According to the ambassador, there was a great cooperation going on with the FIFA World Cup 2022 and with Qatar.
"As the government of Qatar thinks about how to make sure there is a safe and secure World Cup, we are continuing our work on security and making sure that the World Cup is part of that cooperation,” he added.
Davis said that the Qatar government deserves commendation for asking questions to ensure that they are hearing from people who have done this before and then for implementing the advice.
He said, "It is about the drive to have a technologically advanced World Cup.Every day I am impressed by what the government and people of Qatar have done.”
The ambassador, who loves football and played soccer in college and also as a semi-professional soccer after college, said Americans love big events and estimated that about 100,000 American fans will be coming to Qatar.
He urged the fans who will be coming from the US to experience Qatari culture, such as visiting the museums, learning the history of Qatar and going to see what other countries are doing since the World Cup will bring the world together.
"We want the American citizens to come here and enjoy Qatar and experience the country well beyond the World Cup,” he said.
He added that the embassy is also doing weekly videos telling the American citizens about what is going on in Qatar as well giving them updates as soon as the Qatar government releases them.
"We are in constant conversation about the World Cup and visiting Qatar,” he said.
The ambassador further said that there will be official and unofficial guests coming from the US who everyone in Qatar will be happy to see, expressing hope that the US team would get to the knockout stage.