Qatar 2022 Series, Part I: A World Destination

By: Muhammed Shamma

Summer or winter, cold or hot, it doesn’t matter. Qatar has delivered serious plans to host the soccer World Cup in 2022. Summer temperatures could arise to 50 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit), yet international fans will be able to enjoy the cool breezes thanks to the stadiums air-conditioning technology.

December 2nd, 2010 was a day history will remember. In a brave move by the governing body of soccer, FIFA, Qatar was voted to be the host country of the internationally viewed soccer event, the World Cup; this single step will change the perception of soccer, forever. The same love, passion and skill set the Arab players show year after year has been acknowledged.

After preparing and delivering a professional campaign that included high profile football celebrities, such as Zinedine Zidane, Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola to name a few, and the dedication of top Qatari personalities to the issue; Qatar beat the United States by 14 votes to 8. According to The Telegraph, millions of dollars were spent for the communication campaign in order to win the votes of the members of the FIFA Executive Committee.

For the first time, the World Cup will be held in a Middle Eastern country thanks to a forward-looking FIFA governing body. There will be comprehensive plans to host the international event in the most efficient and professional way, especially with the available capital needed for such a grand occasion.

Indeed, there are no shortages of resources for the tiny Gulf country.

According to Arabian Business, Qatar has plans to spend roughly around $100 billion on drastic infrastructure projects prior to the soccer event. These projects will include a new international airport, new state-of-the-art stadiums, and an integrated road system. During the new decade, the country will witness unprecedented economic growth figures and will definitely become an attractive destination to companies that want to have a share of the big cake.

The important question here is: will the tiny country be able to avoid an unexpected bursting of the potential economic bubble? The real-estate bubble in Dubai has been a well-known example. It has affected all economic sectors on a wide scale. The case though is different with Qatar, keeping in mind that the country enjoys one of the largest gas reserves in the world and a continuously booming economy. Qatar should by now have learned the lesson from the crisis pretty well.

Another important challenge that may arise is compromising Islamic values. For a Muslim majority country like Qatar, hosting the World Cup is a double-edged sword. The pouring of international fans will be a serious challenge for conservative residents who view habits such as excessive alcohol-drinking and the troubles brought about by extremely enthusiastic fans as frowned upon. Conservative Muslim citizens and residents alike might have some serious issues with such habits going on a large scale as often seen every four years. On the other hand, the country and its people are hospitable, vivacious, and soccer-addicted. For them, hosting the World Cup has been a dream that came true.

The greatest task is to keep the entire crowd safe! During the World Cup held in South Africa, the country mobilized all its powers to give an image of safety and normalcy in an environment known to be a potential hazardous zone. Although the case is different with Qatar, in which safety and security is currently a given, it will be interesting to see how security will be viewed twelve years from now.

A small country with large ambitions, Qatar will witness great economic growth and it will be a global destination in the coming years. With astronomical spending figures expected and the increasing power of media coverage the success of the Football World Cup 2022 seems to be an excited one. Only in the coming years will we actually see how Qatar will pull it off to the game’s enthusiasts.