Goodbye Russia 2018, hello Qatar 2022
Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday handed over the mantle of World Cup host to the emir of Qatar, whose country will stage the 2022 edition of the tournament.
The ceremony marked a handover from the world's largest country by landmass to one of the smallest. Qatar has a population of 2.3 million people and stretches only 180km from one end to the other.
Qatar's size, as well as its broiling temperatures and its lack of ready stadium infrastructure, have prompted some to question the decision by Fifa, football's world governing body, to make it host. Qatar's rulers say they will rise to the challenge.
Just before last night's final between France and Croatia, Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad Al Thani joined Putin and Fifa chief Gianni Infantino at a Kremlin ceremony.
"Russia is handing over the relay baton for hosting the Fifa World Cup to Qatar," Putin said."We are proud of what we did for fans of this wonderful sport. We ourselves, the whole country, got an enormous amount of pleasure from interacting with soccer, with the world of soccer, with the fans who came here from all over the globe.
"I'm sure that our friends from Qatar will be able to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup on the same high level. We are, of course, ready to share the experience we acquired in holding the World Cup this year, along with our friends."
At the climax of the ceremony, Putin handed an official World Cup ball to Infantino, who then handed it on to the emir.
The Qatari emir said his country would apply all its efforts to making a success of the 2022 World Cup. "We hope to overcome all the difficulties," he said.
He said his country would also try to outdo the success on the pitch of the Russian team, who surpassed expectations by reaching the quarter-finals.
"Although it will be hard to repeat that success as we're a small country, but we are very keen on sport," he said.
Qatar 2022 will take place during the winter period of Nov 21 to Dec 18.
Fifa has yet to decide if it will remain a 32-team event or be expanded to 48.
The first Arab country to host the event is planning eight new stadiums for the tournament, with one completed, two more due this year and the rest scheduled to be finished by 2021.
None is more than 35km from the centre of the capital Doha and all serviced by a brand new metro system.
Furious construction has led to allegations of exploitation of migrant workers building the new infrastructure with human-rights organisations condemning labour practises in the country. - REUTERS
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