The Secretary-General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) H E Hassan Al Thawadi said that hosting the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019 back-to-back is seen as perfect preparation for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
“At the moment we’re proud to be hosting the Arabian Gulf Cup while simultaneously preparing for the 16th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup. Both tournaments will test our readiness for 2022 while giving fans a taste of what to expect in three years’ time. We’re determined to take the lessons learned from these events and apply them to the World Cup,” H E Al Thawadi said in statements published on the SC website.
Al Thawadi went on to say the legacy of Qatar 2022 was already benefitting people’s lives in Qatar and around the world.
“We’ve worked tirelessly to ensure this World Cup leaves a lasting legacy for Qatar and the region. We’re leading the way on workers’ welfare, including various health, safety and wellbeing initiatives. Our football for development programme, Generation Amazing, is changing lives in underprivileged communities around the world. And we’re inspiring young entrepreneurs in Qatar and the region through our Challenge 22 programme. The benefits of our tournament are already being felt years before the big kick-off.”
Meanwhile, for Nasser Al Khater, the SC Chief of Experience and Tournament Readiness, 2 December 2010 holds special memories. Along with Al Thawadi and the Qatari delegation, Al Khater was in Zurich when Qatar was announced as the host country for 2022.
Al Khater expressed pride of the progress made to-date less than three years before the tournament kicks off on 21 November 2022. Al Khater said the stadium launches in 2017 and 2019 were major moments on the road to 2022.
