Movie Time 26 minutes 00 minutes
How will the results of the World Cup affect Qatar and the region, off and on the pitch?
The biggest soccer tournament in the world kicks off in Qatar and gets a lot of attention.
The Gulf nation is all set to host the biggest show of football: the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Over the next month, more than a million fans are expected to attend the world’s biggest sporting event to be played in the Middle East for the first time.
Qatar has spent billions of dollars since 2010 preparing for the tournament, building new roads, infrastructure and stadiums.
But the progress has put Qatar under more international scrutiny than ever, particularly over human rights and its treatment of migrants.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino condemned what he called “racist” and “disingenuous” media reports ahead of the match.
So how will the results of the World Cup affect Qatar and the region, off and on the pitch?
Presenter: Sohail Rahman
Guests:
Faisal al-Mudahka – Editor-in-Chief of Gulf Times.
Ross Griffin – Middle East Editor, International Journal of the History of Sport.
Chansiline Nanze – Sport reporter, Cameroon Radio Television.
Khalifa Al Haroon – Founder, ILQ Network.