2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar is a tournament for all Gulf countries, says Infantino

Qatar will make history when it hosts the Middle East’s first-ever FIFA World Cup in 2022.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino was keen to drive home the point during the FIFA Executive Committee meeting in Oman yesterday.

He called for concerted efforts by all Gulf countries to make the 2022 World Cup a success, saying that the tournament was for all countries in the region and not just Qatar, according to Gulf Times.

Infantino said he had little doubts that the 2022 World Cup would be played in Qatar and there was disagreement in the matter at all.

The FIFA President said he had been delighted to attend the opening ceremony of the 23rd Gulf Cup in Kuwait, last month, where all GCC countries had taken part.

“The Gulf Cup has become a model for the great role sport plays in bringing people closer,” he was quoted as saying by Qatar Tribune.

The top official said the meeting discussed a number of important topics such as the future of FIFA World Cups, and the 2026 World Cup in particular, which will see the participation of 48 teams for the first time.

The meeting also discussed the idea of merging the U-17 World Cup with the U-20 World Cup, increasing the number of participating teams and organising the tournament annually instead of holding it once every two years.