The most recent board meeting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC (Q22) was held on Thursday, 11 February, prior to the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020™ final between Bayern Munich and Tigres UANL at Education City Stadium.

It was held via videoconference due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The board reviewed key achievements and looked ahead to upcoming events and milestones, including the final four stadium inaugurations and the FIFA Arab Cup™, which will be held in Qatar at the end of 2021.

H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi, Q22 Chairman and Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, said: “It was a pleasure to engage with colleagues during the FIFA Club World Cup – the latest top-level football event to take place in Qatar during the pandemic. Considering the unprecedented challenges facing the world at present, we are proud of the excellent progress we have made in preparation for the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world – and look forward to celebrating more milestones during the next year as we edge ever closer to the biggest sporting event in our region’s history.”

Nasser Al Khater, CEO of Q22, said: “With less than two years to go until the FIFA World Cup, we are working hard to ensure we deliver an extraordinary fan experience for all in 2022. This last week, we have witnessed an excellent edition of the FIFA Club World Cup. The tournament provided another welcome opportunity to test our operational readiness, while also ensuring the health and safety of everyone involved through our innovative bubble-to-bubble system, and other stringent health and safety protocols.”

Al Khater continued: “With an exciting year ahead, 2021 will culminate in December with the FIFA Arab Cup, which promises to be an amazing event. It will unite the entire region and provide the world with a real sense of what Qatar has to offer visitors, players and fans in 2022.”

Colin Smith, Managing Director of Q22, said: “The FIFA Club World Cup was the first FIFA competition to take place since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament was a confirmation of the joint efforts that FIFA and the local organisers are making to deliver to the highest standards despite challenging circumstances.”

Smith added: “As we get closer to kick-off in November 2022, the progress that Qatar continues to show despite the unprecedented challenges faced over the last year is nothing short of remarkable. The project is well on track and 2021 promises to be another groundbreaking year of developing hosting capabilities and testing infrastructure, with events including a number of stadium launches and the FIFA Arab Cup.”

The leading 16 Arab nations will take part in the FIFA Arab Cup in December – during the same time frame as Qatar 2022. Matches will take place in World Cup stadiums, with the final being held on 18 December – Qatar National Day – exactly a year before the Qatar 2022 final takes place.