Qatar Begins World Cup Countdown

With one year to go, Qatar unveiled the Countdown Clock to mark the start of the FIFA World Cup 2022. The event was held at Corniche Fishing Spot, with guests consisting of World Cup organizers, ambassadors, and a national team coach.

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The Countdown Clock can be seen from any angle. It will tick down through the hours, minutes, and seconds leading to the opening game. Al Bayt Stadium will be the venue for the opening game on November 21, 2022.

FIFA World Cup emblem
Screengrab from FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Emblem Animation YouTube video

First World Cup in the Middle East

In 2022, football fans all over the world will head to Qatar to watch the FIFA World Cup. This is will be the first time that a Middle East country will host this biggest event for football fans. Excitement over the event is slowly building in the country.

To mark the upcoming World Cup, Qatar unveiled the Countdown Clock in Corniche Fishing Spot on November 21, 2022. According to FIFA, 150 guests attended the unveiling. Some of the guests were Marcel Desailly, winner of FIFA World Cup 1988, Sami Trabelsi, head coach of Qatar Stars League, and Adel Khamis, Qatar Legacy Ambassador.

The Countdown Clock is powered by Hublot, the official timekeeper of the football league. The clock’s design takes inspiration from Qatar’s 2022 World Cup design and the hourglass.

Guests at the event, as well as those who watched in other parts of the world, were treated with digital fireworks and aerial drone displays. Worldwide fans were able to watch the event through FIFA’s YouTube channel and Qatar2022.qa.

Video: “Join The Beat” 

The thirteen teams that qualified to take part in the tournament are Serbia, Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Croatia, France, England. Belgium, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, and Qatar. There will be 19 more teams to be added by June 2022.

Preparation for FIFA World Cup

Qatar has been preparing for the World Cup for several years. In anticipation of the event, eight new stadiums were built in various areas around Qatar. The stadiums are Stadium 974, Khalifa International Stadium, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Bayt Stadium, Lusail Stadium, Education City Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium, and Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.

These stadiums are dismountable and can be repurposed for future events. These sporting venues also boast technological advances like cooling vents to help sports fans be comfortable inside. Even differently-abled fans can take part in the festivities by using assistive technology and sensory viewing rooms.

FIFA World Cup Schedule 2022
Screengrab from FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Match Schedule

Fans can also travel from one stadium to another. The Doha Metro will serve as the main transportation to get to the venues. The train system can carry thousands of fans, so they don’t have to worry if they don’t have their vehicles.

Qatar’s Legacy

Qatar hopes to stage a unique FIFA World Cup. Due to the country’s size, it will be easy to get from one stadium to another. Fans and other visitors can also take a tour around Qatar by taking the train system. They can visit Souq Waqif, see the modern architecture in the heart of Doha, and even see the beaches.

Video: Experience of A Lifetime

Don’t forget to sign up at https://www.qatar2022.qa/en/updates to get the latest information about the event. Watching the FIFA World Cup 2022 could be your chance to see Messi, Ronaldo, and Beckham up close.

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