RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL: The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee attended the opening round of matches at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, as part of an ongoing observation process intended to draw vital learning experiences from the current hosts of the tournament held a year ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
Speaking of the visit, Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, said: “This increasingly important tournament is an invaluable opportunity for us to learn from the hosting experiences of Brazil, both in terms of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the on-going preparations for the FIFA World Cup here next year.”
He added: “These observations will further assist us to deliver an outstanding tournament in Qatar in 2022. We have witnessed a fantastic opening game in the city of Brasilia and an equally memorable match in the historic Maracana, a stadium which is inextricably linked with the history of the World Cup.”
During the visit, Al Thawadi spoke as a panellist at the Financial Times/International Football Arena Business of Football Summit in Rio de Janeiro, as part of a session which included his counterparts Ricardo Trade, CEO of the Brazil 2014 World Cup, and Alexey Sorokin, CEO of the Russia 2018 Local Organising Committee.
Discussing the topic on ‘What the Future Holds for World Football,’ they held mutually beneficial discussions including ways of optimising the power of the World Cup for the social and economic benefit of the host nation.
Among the ideas exchanged were how legacy considerations can be implemented into the planning stages of the world’s greatest football tournament.
The Committee will also take part in the FIFA Observers Programme as Qatar prepares to host the same event in 2021. THE PENINSULA
