May 8 – Vinci Construction Grand Projets (VCGP) will be put on trial for labour abuses in Qatar, the French Court of Cassation has decided.
December 2 – In a new low for FIFA and president Gianni Infantino’s administration, FIFA have ignored a key recommendation by its own subcommittee on human rights and social responsibility to compensate migrant workers in Qatar.
July 24 – The United Nations has determined that the detention of Abdullah Ibhais (pictured), a former employee of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee for Legacy and Delivery, is ‘arbitrary’ and has called for his immediate release.
May 10 – With the FIFA Congress taking place next week, Amnesty International has pressed the world governing body to publish the long-awaited Qatar labour report into the treatment and rights of migrant workers who built World Cup infrastructure.
January 18 – The Norwegian football executive who rose to global acclaim when she got to her feet at the 2022 FIFA Congress to highlight the plight of migrant workers in Qatar, says she is still waiting for FIFA’s promised report into their treatment.
November 20 – Injury severity among players in Europe’s top leagues increased radically following the first ever winter World Cup in Qatar last year, new research has revealed.
March 15 – The winners of the four editions of the Concacaf Champions League – from 2021 to 2024 – will be the confederation’s four qualifiers for the first of the expanded versions of the Club World Cup in 2025.
March 14 – On the eve of the FIFA Congress and president Gianni Infantino’s retaking of his vows in Kigali, Amnesty and a million petition signees have demanded FIFA compensate migrant workers who suffered human rights and labour abuses in Qatar.
January 31 – Lionel Messi says he regrets the exchanges he had with the Netherlands team during their controversial World Cup quarter-final in Qatar.
January 19 – FIFA has released a set of numbers and significant achievements/records that were generated by their World Cup month in Qatar. Top of those numbers is the claim that 5 billion people engaged with the tournament.
January 17 – The 2022 World Cup was heralded as a resounding success for fans from around the globe – it thrilled and moved people to tears of happiness and sorrow.
January 16 – FIFA have opened a disciplinary case against world champions Argentina for alleged “offensive behaviour” by players and violations of fair play at the final in Qatar.
January 13 – After Argentina won the World Cup for the second time in 1986, Diego Maradona was the king of football in Argentina. He was seen as a god in his country, given how well he delivered for the team. His successor, Lionel Messi was not born until June 24.
December 21 – Argentina’s World Cup heroes were forced to abandon an open-top bus parade in Buenos Aires on Tuesday as millions of ecstatic fans brought the city to a standstill.
By Andrew Warshaw
December 20 – Qatar’s World Cup chief Hassan Al Thawadi insists the tournament changed perceptions of the region and transformed his country.