IKOLI VICTOR
Doha
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said everyone will be welcome at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 regardless of their origin, background, gender, sexual orientation, religion or nationality and that the tournament will bring the world together after some difficult times.
Infantino stressed that “the world is excited and Qatar is ready,” while addressing the media to mark the ‘One Month To Go’ mark until ahead of the start of Qatar World Cup, on Monday.
The FIFA chief who was attending the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) executive committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur, said: “This FIFA World Cup is a tournament of peace and unity that will bring the world together after some difficult times,’’ and he reiterated that “everyone will be welcomed to the tournament regardless of origin, background, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality. At a time when the world is experiencing increased tension as we work together to recover from a global pandemic, we must never underestimate the unifying power that something so unique can have.”
With a month to the first World Cup in the region, Infantino said, “Within a month, we will all welcome the world to Qatar, and we have always said Qatar will deliver the best ever edition of the World Cup, and as you look around the country today, everything is ready and everyone is welcome. For years, Qatar has told the world to expect the amazing, and looking at the country now, we can say that Qatar has delivered.”
The FIFA president went on to say that a great World Cup is about more than just stadiums and infrastructure, but also about experience and legacy. It is about making memories that will last a lifetime, with a diverse range of entertainment and festivals available across the country to cater to every single fan.
A great World Cup, according to Infantino, is also “about the groundbreaking reforms in the previous years and in the years to come, and changing the lives of thousands of workers for the better.” It is the first Arab World Cup, hosted by Qatar, the current Asian champions who also won the trophy for the first time.
Furthermore, Infantino noted that this is the first time that fans and journalists will be able to attend multiple matches on the same day. It will also be the first time that the media will stay in a single location for the duration of a World Cup. Fans from thirty-two different countries will gather in one place to interact with one another, to enjoy an extensive entertainment program designed specifically for the tournament, to learn about new cultures, and to create wonderful memories thanks to their common passion, football.
“At so many levels, this tournament will be unique,” he said, “players will be at the peak of their performance free from the fatigue of long journeys between fixtures thanks to matches taking place in the most compact footprint since the inaugural World Cup in 1930.”
We anticipate a spectacle that lives up to the hype. Ticket sales from around the world are approaching three million’’ he said in advance of the tournament, which begins Nov 20th.
