FIFA WORLD CUP QATAR 2022

The FIFA (Federation International de Football Association) World Cup Qatar 2022 began on November 20, 2022, with the round of 16 kicking off on Dec 2, with the final scheduled for Dec 18. 32 of the best international teams in the World will battle it out for a win. This is the first time a mega sports tournament is being hosted by an Arab Country. FIFA aims to organize and promote football globally. Qatar is one of the countries which happily welcomes visitors. The countries with a 2.6 million population, are expected to host around 1.5 million visitors during the FIFA World Cup 2022. Hosting the tournament presents tremendous expertise in infrastructure, innovation, and application of world-class standards and support of Qatar’s transition to a knowledge-based economy. 

HISTORY OF THE FIFA WORLD CUP

The FIFA world cup was first held in 1930, when the world’s football governing body, decided to stage an international men’s football tournament under the era of FIFA president Jules Rimet who put the idea into place. The first FIFA world cup tournament occurred in 1930 in Montevideo, Uruguay between thirteen total teams. This cup was permanently awarded in 1970 to then-three-time winner Brazil (1958, 1962, and 1970) and a new trophy called the FIFA world cup was put up for competition. The championship has been awarded every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the second world war. Thirteen teams participated in the first world cup in 1930 up until 1978 the tournament was between 16 teams then it was increased to 24 in 1982, then to the current level 32 teams in 1998. In 2017, it was decided to expand the world cup to 48 teams from 2026 onwards. The format will consist of 16 groups of three teams. The now-retired Miroslav kiosk holds the legendary status of the most goals scored ever in a world cup finals match. His five goals against Cameroon at the 1994 world cup in the USA continue to be a record. The 1954 world cup proved an awesome source of goals and Hungary sits on the list with a 9-0 victory against South Korea. Egyptian veteran goalie Essam-el-Hadary surpassed Colombian goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon as the oldest player in the world cup. 

CRITICISM OF FIFA WORLD CUP- 22

The Qatar World Cup is filled with controversies, from corruption allegations to the situation surrounding migrant workers. However, this is not the first World Cup with controversies, as the selection process and the tournament have always been filled with corruption allegations. There has been an allegation that was exchanged in favor of Qatar hosting the competition. At that time in 2010, the country lacked proper football infrastructure and it was a concern how they won the bid. Both Qatar and FIFA have denied any claims. It has also been noted that more than 6500 migrant workers from Nepal, India, Srilanka, and Bangladesh have died in Qatar since 2012. Thirty-seven of those who worked died while working on the stadium. However, the Qatari government refuted the claims. The mortality rate among these communities is within the expected range for the size and demographics of the population. However, every lost life is a tragedy, and no effort was spread into trying to prevent every death in our country. Critics focused on the multiple violations of human rights in Qatar especially their treatment of migrant workers, and women and their position on LGBT rights, leading to allegations of sports washing. 

In a country where homosexuality is illegal, alcohol is banned and women cannot show skin, many footballers and football associations have raised concerns. Homosexual acts are illegal in Qatar because they are considered immoral under Islamic Sharia law. Its punishment includes fines, prison sentences of up to seven years, and even death by stoning.

FIFA WORLD CUP- 22 IMPACT ON THE ECONOMY

Qatar’s GDP is to rise by 4.1% by the end of this year thanks to the world cup. And between 2022 and 2030 the GDP of the region will be at an average of 3.2%. The 2022 FIFA World Cup will contribute over $20 billion to Qatar’s economy. The 2022 FIFA world cup is also estimated to have created 1.5 million new jobs in sectors such as construction, real estate, and hospitality. Qatar has introduced a modern metro system, expanded its airport, and constructed new districts within the capital city Doha. While estimates vary, Qatar will spend roughly $200 billion on these projects. Qatar has reportedly invested approximately $220 billion, debatably much more, to stage this mega-event. But there can be significant downsides for the host country. Overspending on stadiums has led to some hosts being in massive debt and left with construction that serves little use after the FIFA World Cup comes to a close. Protesters criticized both FIFA and the local government officials, saying that funding would be better spent on social services for people rather than on soccer stadiums.

• The problem with these claims of growing “soft power” and long-term economic benefits is that the historical evidence is not favorable. Being on the world stage is a two-way street. Qatar is getting a lot of publicity, but most of it is not positive. It bribed its way into getting hosting rights. It imported tens of thousands of foreign workers and subjected them to its oppressive kafala labor system, reportedly leading to several thousand deaths. Its torrid temperatures froze the movement of the games from the summer to November/December. Its uncompleted investment projects will be widely visible. Its eviction of the foreign workers from their housing to accommodate soccer fans and eventually from the country, among other embarrassments, are unlikely to build positive soft power for Qatar.