Updated: 24 November 2022
The greatest footballing event on the planet FIFA World Cup 2022 is scheduled to start on November 21, 2022, in Qatar. This is the first time that the FIFA World Cup is being held in the Middle East and the second time it is being hosted by an Asian Nation. The country which attracts tourists all across the globe promises to be the most expensive World Cup ever.
Qatar is the smallest country by area to ever host a FIFA World Cup. The next smallest is Switzerland which hosted the 1954 FIFA World Cup. Qatar became the second country to host the premier event without ever qualifying in its previous editions.
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How Much Is Qatar Spending On The FIFA World Cup 2022?
Qatar is about the size of Yorkshire with 2.8 million residents in the country. But due to the country’s size, it is the richest in the World in terms of per capita. So far, the country has spent about $200 billion.
They have built a new city Lusail to conduct the finals of the World Cup. The country is spending $500 million every week on construction, infrastructure, hospitals, hotels, airports, and several new stadiums.
In 2017, the country’s finance minister Ali Shareef Al-Emadi said that Qatar has started preparing for the World Cup for a long time now. The country’s primary objective is to finish the work by early 2022.
The country is set to receive a staggering number of fans (about 1.2-1.5 million). Amid accommodation, shortage fears the country has already spent $40 million on hotels.
Also Read: Who Will Win FIFA World Cup 2022?
Why Is It Taking Place During The Winter Season?
Due to the country’s hot and humid conditions in the summer, the World Cup will be held in a span of just 28 days between 21 November 2022 and will end on 18 December 2022 a week before Christmas. The average temperature during that time will be around 24°C. It is for the first time that the World Cup is taking place between late November and mid-December. The FIFA World Cup has always been played in the summer season in May, June, and July.
How Did Qatar Get The 2022 FIFA World Cup?
The bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup began in Jan 2019. All the non-UEFA Nations withdrew themselves from the 2018 WC thus guaranteeing a UEFA Nation to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. This made UEFA ineligible to bid for the following edition of the World Cup.
Qatar won the rights by defeating the likes of Japan, the USA, and South Korea in multiple rounds. But there have been several allegations of bribery and corruption involving FIFA’s executive committee members.
How Many Stadiums The Tournament Will Be Held in?
Unlike the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia where the tournament was held across 12 venues, the QATAR World Cup will be held across 8 stadiums in total. Out of all 8 stadiums, seven of them are newly built with world-class facilities. One of them is being fully refurbished.
How will the 2022 FIFA World Cup Impact Qatar?
Financial Analysts all across the World have estimated that Qatar’s GDP will rise by 4.1% by the end of 2022. The country’s GDP will grow by an average of 3.2% annually between 2022 and 2030. The tournament would contribute about $20 billion to the country’s economy.
Total Spending in the Last five editions of the FIFA World Cup
| YEAR | HOSTS | TOTAL SPENDING |
| FIFA World Cup 2018 | Russia | $11.6 billion |
| FIFA World Cup 2014 | Brazil | $15 billion |
| FIFA World Cup 2010 | South Africa | $3.6 billion |
| FIFA World Cup 2006 | Germany | $4.6 billion |
| FIFA World Cup 2002 | South Korea/Japan | $7 billion |
The host nation Qatar has promised that it will be the most expensive World Cup as it will bring employment to the nation which will directly affect the country’s economy. It will create more than 1.5 million jobs in key sectors like construction, real estate, and hospitality. The tourism industry will also be affected largely by this. The host nation is estimated to spend around $220 billion for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
