Countdown to Qatar 2022 begins with handover in Moscow

His Highness The Amir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, took part in a symbolic handover ceremony alongside Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, as Qatar looks forward to hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup™.

The event at the Kremlin was held on the afternoon of the 2018 FIFA World Cup™final between France and Croatia. It involved His Highness The Amir accepting a football from President Putin as a gesture of the handover from Russia to Qatar.

It was the final event to take place in Moscow as Qatar gears up to host the 22^ndedition of the tournament in 2022. The country sent a 180-strong delegation to learn from the Russia 2018 tournament and also hosted activations in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, including Majlis Qatar, Qatar Elements and the Qatar @roadto2022 Exhibition.

Thousands of fans interacted with the activations, which offered a taste of Qatar's unique hosting plans. The first FIFA World Cup™ in the Middle East will be compact, family-friendly and showcase the very best of Arab hospitality.

His Highness The Amir said: "I'd like to express my gratitude to the members of the Russia 2018 Local Organising Committee, who are helping our colleagues from the Qatar 2022 Organising Committee. We look forward to continuing to work alongside our friends from Russia.

"I would like to thank Mr Gianni Infantino and congratulate him on a successful 2018 FIFA World Cup. We hope to enjoy a fruitful partnership until 2022. Staging the 2022 World Cup in our country is a really important event in the history of Qatar. I remember that when our country was awarded the right to host the World Cup, it was a huge celebration for the whole Arabic world.

"I invite all of our friends to come as guests. We really hope our national team will repeat the success of Russia and maybe even go further. We will try to at the very least."

Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, the organisation responsible for delivering the infrastructure for Qatar 2022, added: "We are honoured to officially be recognised as the next host of the FIFA World Cup. We have been waiting for this moment since winning the bid in 2010."

Al Thawadi continued: "Fans will experience something new and exciting in 2022. Our compact tournament will create a fantastic atmosphere across the country. We encourage football fans everywhere to sample the Arab world's famous hospitality and attend a World Cup like no other in history."

Meanwhile, Infantino concluded: "Football is all about passion, emotions, love, family and unity – we have experienced this fully in Russia and now we're handing it over to Qatar. I am sure that in four years we will see the same energy, the same positive influence in Qatar as we have seen in Russia. I can certainly say we have fallen in love with Russia. And I'm sure that in four years we will all love Qatar. This is already happening. We invite everyone to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar."