Almost a year has passed since Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The tournament is set to take place from November 20 through December 18. The country is expected to draw more than 1.5 million football fans. It will also be the first World Cup held in the Middle East. The tournament will be followed by a 48-team tournament in 2026.
During the bidding process, most media coverage focused on the country’s size and climate. FIFA officials have also been criticized for choosing Qatar. The country has been accused of human rights abuses, including the death of migrant construction workers and oppression of the LGBTQ community.
FIFA itself has accused several board members of accepting bribes. Some members of the committee were barred from participating in soccer, and others were removed from the committee entirely. It is not clear whether any of the members involved in the bribes have been charged with corruption. A human rights watchdog released a report on Qatar on September 24.
FIFA officials have also been accused of using soccer to advance their political agenda. Several European captains will not wear the LGBTQ-solidarity OneLove armbands. FIFA has also been criticized for allowing Qatar to host the tournament. The Qatari government is accused of exploitation of migrant workers. In addition to human rights issues, Qatar’s government has been accused of exploitation of women.
After Qatar was chosen to host the World Cup, there were reports that the country had hired hundreds of thousands of migrant workers. According to a report by the Human Rights Watch, six thousand workers died in Qatar after the World Cup was awarded. The number of migrant workers increased by 13.2 percent last year. In addition to the human rights issues, the country has been accused of exploitation of migrant construction workers.
During the tournament, alcoholic drinks will no longer be sold in World Cup stadiums. Alcohol will only be sold outside the stadium’s perimeter. Non-alcoholic beer will be available on the stadium’s concourses.
The tournament’s opening ceremony has also been criticized for being over-the-top. The country’s president and the President of Egypt will both attend the event. In the stadium, fans cheered as jumbotrons showed the Qatari team arriving. However, the fans have quietened since the opening ceremony.
The FIFA World Cup is being held in Qatar because of the country’s weather. The country’s climate is much cooler than that of the United States, Canada or Mexico. However, the stadiums have been criticized for being too warm. Several European clubs were upset by this decision, and a number of players have been injured in the heat.
Organizers of the event have denied the claims of fake fans. However, there were a group of England fans who went viral last week. They wore their national shirts and sang traditional English national anthems.
The tournament will be held in eight stadiums, each with a capacity of more than 70,000 fans. The event will take place in 29 days, including three days of big matches.
