Qatar cuts spending to bring in 2022 World Cup for $8-10bn
April 7 – Qatar has agreed to heavily slash its budget for hosting the 2022 World Cup and is pressing ahead with eight stadiums, according to organising chief Hassan Al Thawadi.
Qatar 2022
Qatar beefs up 2022 security with plan to establish specialist national police unit
April 3 – Qatar is taking advice from British security services as it builds towards the 2022 World Cup according to Hassan Al Thawadi, head of the tournament’s organising committee.
Infantino urges Qatar to ensure 2022 World Cup leaves a lasting historical legacy
February 24 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has spoken of the need for Qatar to leave a lasting legacy when it stages the 2022 World Cup, almost certainly the last with 32 finalists.
Qatar awards seventh main construction contract for 2022 stadium build
February 22 – The 40,000-seat stadium to be built in the Al Thumama district of Doha, Qatar, for the 2022 World Cup, will have as its main contractor a joint venture between Qatari construction firm AlJaber Engineer and Turkey’s Tekfen Construction.
Qatar’s Al-Thawadi promises 2022 World Cup will change centuries of Western stereotyping
By Andrew Warshaw
February 10 – The man leading Qatar’s 2022 World Cup organisation has issued another strong defence of his country’s right to host the tournament pledging it will act as a unifying force at a time when global divisiveness is very much in vogue.
Qatar spending £500m a week on World Cup 2022 infrastructure
February 8 – Qatar’s World Cup organisers are splashing out a staggering $500 million every week on major infrastructure projects, the country’s finance minister has admitted.
Qatar tragedy: British worker falls to death at Khalifa stadium
January 20 – A British worker has lost his life working on Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar which will host the group matches and a quarter final at the 2022 World Cup.
Qatar ends kafala and asks for time to view the new law in action
December 13 – Qatari authorities say they have finally abolished the antiquated ‘kafala’ system tying foreign workers to their employers and which has caused so much conflict amid preparations for the 2022 World Cup.
Sino-Qatar joint venture to build World Cup 2022 Lusail Stadium showpiece
By Paul Nicholson
November 30 – Qatar’s showpiece Lusail Stadium for the 2022 World Cup will be built as a Qatar-China joint venture between the China Railway Construction Corp. Ltd. and Qatari contractor HBK Contracting Co. The stadium is scheduled for completion in 2020 and will host the opening match and World Cup Final in 2022.
Qatar 2022 signs deal to open up construction sites for inspection
November 16 – Widely criticised over the treatment of migrant workers employed on construction sites, organisers of the World 2022 in Qatar have given the green light for its stadiums to be inspected by officials of the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), a global federation of some 300 trade unions in the building industry that has a combined membership of more than 12 million workers.
Al-Thawadi bullish on Qatar 2022 hosting promising ‘fun’ and culture
By Andrew Warshaw
November 9 – The chief organiser of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has dismissed any suggestion of the Gulf state being stripped of host status by saying it is a “done deal.”
Qatar 2022 puts emphasis on future with ‘sustainable’ build quality mark
November 8 – Qatar is putting sustainability at the top of its stadium development agenda for the 2022 World Cup and FIFA has endorsed the use of Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) to make sure that happens.
Qatar blindsided by FIFA decision to take central control of World Cup planning
By Andrew Warshaw
October 24 – Qatar’s 2022 World Cup organisers were taken completely by surprise over FIFA’s decision to scrap local organising committees for its flagship event. Earlier this month, as part of its grandiose roadmap for the future, FIFA announced that after Russia the World Cup would be organised centrally as part of its plan take “full control of all money flows”.
Lemke: Without Qatar 2022 migrant worker issues would not have been raised
By Andrew Warshaw
September 16 – The United Nations’ top sports expert believes the controversial treatment of migrant workers in Qatar may never have been highlighted globally had the 2022 World Cup not been handed to the Gulf state but still questions whether the tournament should be staged there.
Qatar 2022 bosses learn from Euro 2016 inspection visits
By Samindra Kunti
July 7 – Qatar has been visiting and inspecting venues and facilities at Euro 2016 as it seeks to build its expertise in time for the 2022 World Cup.