To mark the upcoming Qatar National Day, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ CEO Nasser Al Khater participated in a webinar organised by Lusail Newspaper to outline key achievements over the past year.

The discussion largely focused on the challenges presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with Al Khater saying Qatar 2022 preparations had continued successfully following the implementation of strict health and safety procedures to protect workers.

“By quickly introducing a range of measures to ensure the health and wellbeing of our workers, we have been able to remain on schedule,” said Al Khater.

“With under two years to go until kick-off, Qatar is one of the most prepared countries in the history of the tournament,” he added.

Three of eight stadiums have been inaugurated, with the fourth – Al Rayyan Venue – is set to be launched this Friday when it hosts the Amir Cup final. Earlier this year, there was a virtual inauguration of Education City Stadium, with the event paying tribute to frontline healthcare workers across the world.

Al Bayt Stadium and Al Thumama Stadium have been completed and will be inaugurated in the near future, while Ras Abu Aboud and Lusail are set to be completed by the end of 2021.

Al Khater also spoke about the importance of hosting test events ahead of the World Cup. He highlighted Qatar’s successful hosting of AFC Champions League matches in recent months, with Qatar organising strict bubble-to-bubble procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The final of the AFC Champions League will take place at Al Janoub Stadium on 19 December.

“Qatar was the first country to successfully host a tournament of this magnitude, across multiple venues, and within strict bubble-to-bubble measures,” said Al Khater.

“Following this success, we are pleased to be organising the Amir Cup final with 50% attendance at Al Rayyan Venue. This marks an important milestone for the safe return of football fans to our stadiums. We also remain confident that the new vaccines currently being rolled out will ensure a complete return to normal sporting activity around the world in the near future.”

Al Khater went on to say a clear goal for Qatar was to focus on operational aspects of the World Cup and ensure an outstanding fan experience in 2022.

“Successfully hosting Qatar 2022 will be an achievement for everyone to revel in,” said Al Khater. “We would not be able to deliver on our tournament preparedness goals without the hard work and commitment of our key stakeholders and we look forward to delivering a memorable tournament here in Qatar.”