THE first dry run — the perfect term for many reasons — has now been completed for the 2022 World Cup.
Fifa’s Club World Cup passed off without too many problems and will be staged here again before football’s ultimate extravaganza arrives in the desert in three years’ time.
Qatar’s Lusail Stadium under construction for the 2022 World Cup.Credit: AFP or licensors
Flamego fans are seen at the Souq ahead of the Club World Cup FinalCredit: Getty – Contributor
Most of us had hoped it would end up being moved somewhere else but those chances faded a long time ago.
So despite the dubious way Qatar — a country the size of Yorkshire — won the Fifa vote, its disgraceful record on human rights and the poor treatment and conditions which have led to the deaths of many stadium workers, the World Cup will be staged there from November 21 to December 18, 2022.
On the pitch, it could be a cracking tournament for several reasons.
For the fans, it has the potential to be a complete and utter disaster.
I spent the last week here for the final stages of the Club World Cup, with Liverpool lifting the trophy for the first time on Saturday with a 1-0 win over Flamengo.
The hope was that by being here in person, it might inject some optimism and enthusiasm to ease my worries.
Instead, it has become increasingly depressing that the World Cup is being held in Qatar.
Doha staged a poorly attended World Athletics Championships this year and has regularly held ATP tennis events, handball tournaments, camel racing and falconry.
The most important was last week’s football, effectively a World Cup test event with thousands of supporters heading to Qatar from England, Brazil, Mexico, Tunisia and other Gulf countries.
Everybody seemed to have a reasonably good time.
But this challenge will be absolutely nothing like 2022, when potentially millions of supporters will watch a 32-nation tournament at eight venues.
HOTEL HELL
The first problem is where everyone is going to stay.
There are currently 37,000 hotel rooms in the country and that will increase to 70,000 in three years.
Some fans will stay on cruise ships, while the organisers have spoken to Glastonbury bosses about housing around 15,000 more in desert camps.
The alcohol issue is an obvious one. In Qatar’s standard restaurants and cafes, many of which are in vast shopping centres, only soft drinks are served.
Booze is available from the nation’s upmarket hotels — although the average cost is a whopping £11 for a pint and £15 for a burger.
When you enter a bar you have to show a passport and several Liverpool fans who had a few too many lost theirs.
There was a fanzone for this tournament and while it was £5 for a beer, the venue was a field on the outskirts of Doha.
Flamengo fan rides a camel during the FIFA Club World Cup.Credit: The Mega Agency
The organisers — including Fifa — do not seem to realise that many supporters will not want to spend an entire tournament in a fanzone.
Equally, Qatar does not appear ready for fans who behave loudly.
This was evident the night before the final at a sports bar in the West Bay area of the city.
ROWDY CLAMP DOWN
About 50 middle-aged Flamengo fans started singing and dancing and around ten Liverpool followers chanted back.
It was good natured but some locals left because they did not appreciate the noise and security burst into the bar, along with the venue manager, and ordered the supporters to be quiet.
Imagine telling that to a load of Scotland fans if they qualify for their first World Cup in 34 years.
Qatar’s new metro system is cheap, effective and increasing in size. But there was a crush at the Sports City Metro station after the Reds’ win over Monterrey as officials were unprepared to deal with 45,000 leaving at the same time.
And there are few areas away from the stadiums where supporters can congregate.
The weather at this time of year can be cloudy. It peaked at around 21C in the day last week and dipped to 14C at night, so do not bother stocking up on too many bottles of Ambre Solaire.
Qatar had hoped this tournament would unify the Arab world.
But neighbours Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE ended their diplomatic, economic and travel ties in 2017 as part of a boycott of the country over its support of extremism — something Doha denies.
If the situation improves, which could happen, then many fans would be able to base themselves in cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Qatar is only a six-hour flight from England, so two-day trips for games will be possible. And this will be an incredibly safe event.
The teams will like the World Cup here as facilities are outstanding and the fact the longest distance between any two venues is just 40 miles.
The stadiums will also be incredible, particularly the 80,000-capacity Lusail Stadium north of Doha, where the Qataris are not only building a new sporting arena but an entire city.
Another plus is the competition will be staged in the middle of the European season, so players should be fit and fresh. But you cannot help but feel this World Cup will probably be best viewed from home.
Then perhaps go to Euro 2024 in Germany instead . . .
The Lusail Stadium is still under constructionCredit: AFP or licensors
Liverpool Win FIFA Club World Cup, becoming world champions for first time in their 127 year history
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
