The Nation Newspaper

Tag: 2022 World Cup

  • FIFA confirms dates for 2022 World Cup in Qatar

    The FIFA World Cup in Russia is still not over and the football’s governing body has revealed the dates of the next FIFA World Cup that will take place in Qatar, four years from now.

    FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed the dates for the FIFA 2022 World Cup and will be played in less than a month time in 2022 between November 21 and December 18 of the same year.

    “The World Cup in 2022 will be played from November 21 to December 18: the idea is to involve 48 teams,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said at a Press conference.

    32 teams or more. “We have agreements and a contract with Qatar.

    “For now, anything is possible. With 48 teams, many ‘regional’ tensions would be solved, “FIFA president Gianni Infantino added.

  • Qatar Builds Air Conditioned Stadium for 2022 World Cup

    Qatar Builds Air Conditioned Stadium for 2022 World Cup

    Qatar’s first stadium completed ahead of World Cup 2022 five years before tournament… and it is air conditioned

    The 40,000 Khalifa International Stadium has been open since 1976 but has been extensively renovated for the major competition

    QATAR’s first stadium has been completed ahead of the World Cup 2022, five years before the tournament begins – and it is air conditioned.

    The 40,000 Khalifa International Stadium has been open since 1976 but has been extensively renovated for the major competition in the middle eastern country.

    The Khalifa International Stadium has been renovated to the tune of £70million

    One of the key features is the cooling system at the Doha ground, which was the linchpin of the bid from the country to host football’s biggest tournament, as temperatures soar to 50 degrees.

    The ground has been totally re-built to the tune of £70million, with the pitch at a temperature of 26 degrees Celsius and the stands at 24-28 degrees year-round.

    ‘The Khalifa International’ is the first completed 2022 World Cup stadium in Qatar

    Able to hold 40,000 spectators, the stadium is done five years ahead of schedule

    Able to hold 40,000 spectators, the stadium is done five years ahead of schedule

    The secretary general of Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, Hassan Al Thawadi, said: “The completion of our first stadium more than five years before the Qatar World Cup begins is an important milestone.

    “It reflects our determination to deliver a tournament the entire Arab world is proud to be a part of.

    It is an air conditioned stadium with a special cooling mechanism

    FIFA World Cup
    It is an air conditioned stadium with a special cooling mechanism

    The stadium will hold the Emir Cup final as soon as this Friday

    The stadium will hold the Emir Cup final as soon as this Friday

    “As we promised in our bid, our innovative stadiums offer an unrivalled experience to fans and players alike.

    “I’m proud we can show these off to the world and welcome fans with the hospitality this World Cup will be remembered for.

    The cooling system was at the heart of the Arabian country's bid for the tournament

    The cooling system was at the heart of the Arabian country’s bid for the tournament
  • Qatar ‘wants Pep Guardiola for 2022 World Cup’

    Qatar ‘wants Pep Guardiola for 2022 World Cup’

    Qatar want Bayern Munich head coach Pep Guardiola to lead the country at the 2022 World Cup, according to reports in Germany.

    Guardiola’s face adorns the front of Sport Bild on Wednesday morning, with the paper claiming that he could be the subject of a lucrative approach from the Gulf nation.

    Guardiola, who won 14 major honours in just four seasons as Barcelona boss, spent a spell in Qatar towards the end of his playing career, representing Al-Ahli in the Qatar Stars League between 2003 and 2005.

    He was also an ambassador for the country’s controversial bid for the 2022 World Cup and only recently endorsed the 2022 tournament as he took Bayern to Qatar for a warm-weather training camp.

    “The people in Qatar have to help the country to make the event the best that is possible,” he said. “The world will be watching and I hope the people here can help out to show the world that they are capable of hosting the biggest event in football.

    “FIFA has always tried to look for new areas to promote the sport. They went to South Africa in 2010 and in 2022 they have decided to come here. It’s a good step to come to this part of the world. It will help the rest of the world to know this part. Football at the end is a great opportunity to meet different cultures.”

    Guardiola won the domestic double in his first season at Bayern and the Bavarian giants top the Bundesliga table at present as well as remaining in contention in the Champions League and German Cup.

    Euro Papers: Barcelona & Real Madrid in all-out war for world’s most wanted player – Eurosport

    However, his future is often subject to debate, with his current deal running until 2016 and reports in January suggesting that Guardiola could even walk away from Bayern at the end of the current season.

    It has long been thought that Guardiola’s next port of call will be the Premier League, having spoken openly of his admiration for clubs like Manchester United.

    But Qatar have huge financial resources at their disposal and are keen to vastly improve the standard of the national team’s play ahead of the tournament they will host in 2022.

  • 2022 World Cup: Corruption allegation unfounded – Hayatou

    2022 World Cup: Corruption allegation unfounded – Hayatou

    The President of the Confederation of African Football, Issa Hayatou, has denied allegations of corruption published in the Sunday Times of United Kingdom on June 1.

    CAF in a statement on Monday said the bribery claims linking Hayatou to former Asian Football Confederation President, Bin Hammam, in exchange for votes in Qatar’s 2022 World Cup bid were unfounded.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Qatar’s World Cup bid win had been marred by allegations of corruption, with Hammam said to have made five million dollars payment in total for votes.

    The statement said the Sunday Times’ publication claimed Hayatou might have received valuable gifts from Hammam and had been “greatly pampered” during a tour of Doha in December 2009.

    The publication also alleged that Hammam during his time in the committee of the FIFA Goal Project favoured the Cameroonian federation with a project worth 400,000 dollars in exchange for votes.

    “The CAF president never attended events from invitations of Hammam either in Doha or Kuala Lumpur.

    “Yet the allegation `demonstrated cruel ignorance’ of the functions of FIFA bodies.

    “In FIFA committees, decisions are not taken by presidents of the committees unilaterally but are collective decisions.

    “As current president of the FIFA Development Committee, Hayatou understands how any such committee programmes are planned and decided,” CAF said.

    According to the statement, the Sunday Times claimed Hayatou received 60 World Cup match tickets from Hammam but there is no mention of which World Cup is being referred to.