Doha, June 21 (QNA) - The successful organization of the first Arab edition of the FIFA World Cup (FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022) by the State of Qatar has left a legacy across various fields, which will be cherished by current and future generations for centuries to come, not only in Qatar but in all Arab and Islamic countries.
This exceptional edition of the World Cup, which placed Qatar in the global spotlight, documented the hospitality of the Qatari people and the advanced infrastructure, as well as the immense capabilities that Qatar possesses as a leading country in hosting and organizing major sports tournaments and high-profile global events. This has left a cultural, architectural, and economic legacy, serving as a source of pride for GCC, Arab, and Muslim populations worldwide.
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 has firmly established Qatar's name in the annals of global sports, making it an inspiring model of success in hosting major events. The country's cultural and social attributes conveyed sophisticated messages and corrected misconceptions about the region in a unique way, along with iconic stadiums and robust infrastructure, making this World Cup the most successful in history.
The conviction of FIFA that Qatar has become a valuable addition to global football led to the unprecedented assignment of hosting five consecutive editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup from 2025 to 2029 to Qatar. This historical first is a testament to the strategic objectives set by FIFA, which could only be achieved in an ideal environment provided by Qatar to serve global sports.
FIFA's Council's vote to award these tournaments to Qatar is a new acknowledgment of its global leadership. FIFA noted the remarkable impact of the dazzling FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 on its future plans for hosting tournaments, affirming that Qatar welcomed the world to the first World Cup held in an Arab country with unparalleled hospitality, delivering the best edition ever. Qatar's excellent facilities and infrastructure will offer the best conditions for the world's top under-17 talents, giving a new face to the tournament that has historically been a launching pad for the biggest names in football.
FIFA's investment in Qatar's success in delivering the best World Cup ever goes beyond infrastructure and logistical preparations. It now holds great respect for the Qatari human resources that have accumulated extensive experience through organizing numerous international tournaments and major events.
Globally, Qatar hosted the FIFA World Youth Championship in 1995, and in recent years, has held two editions of the FIFA Club World Cup in 2019 and 2020, the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021, and the historic FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Regionally, Qatar hosted the AFC Asian Cup 2023 for the third time in its history, following the 1988 and 2011 editions, as well as the AFC U-23 Asian Cup this year, which qualifies for the Paris 2024 Olympics, and is set to host the 2030 Asian Games for the second time after the 2006 edition.
In this context, HE President of the Qatar Press Center Saad bin Mohammed Al Rumaihi told the Qatar News Agency (QNA) that Qatar's active presence in major sports events confirms its status as a global reference and model for managing and delivering organizational operations in the best possible way.
His Excellency added that it was not surprising that the country has earned FIFA's trust to host five consecutive editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, noting that this was especially true after Qatar successfully made the 2022 World Cup the best in history in various technical, administrative, audience, and organizational aspects. He added that hosting the World Cup left a lasting legacy in the exceptional infrastructure and stadiums that will help build on the current successes with future ones. He added that the impressive World Cup seemed like a reward for Qatar, its leadership, and its people, who worked tirelessly for years to honor the Arabs by hosting the first World Cup of this magnitude. He stressed that FIFA's trust was well placed in assigning Qatar to organize five consecutive FIFA U-17 World Cup tournaments.
HE Al Rumaihi emphasized that the significant legacy left by the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 must be embodied in major events like the AFC Asian Cup 2023, AFC U-23 Asian Cup, FIFA Arab Cup 2025, FIFA U-17 World Cup, and other upcoming Gulf, Arab, continental, and global tournaments, ensuring that the World Cup legacy remains a cradle for such major sporting events.