Legacy of the 2022 World Cup and related developments in Qatar
Sports and Event Management Focus
The World Cup also set a record for being the highest scoring World Cup in history with a total of 172 goals scored. The tournament left a footprint not only on pure footballing terms, but it also changed its host country forever.
Law Update: Issue 362 - Sports and Event Management
Roberto LusardiSenior Counsel,Digital & Data
Pierre Dippenaar Associate,Corporate Commercial
More than ten months have passed since Lionel Messi led Argentina to the FIFA World Cup 2022 (World Cup) victory after arguably one of the best finals in history. The tournament also set a record for being the highest scoring World Cup in history with a total of 172 goals scored. The tournament left a footprint not only on pure footballing terms, but it also changed its host country forever.
It has been widely reported that more than USD 200 billion has been invested by the State of Qatar in infrastructure and related costs since it was announced in December 2010 that it would be the first host nation from the Arab world. New cities and suburbs were developed, older suburbs were upgraded; an airport and seven new stadiums were built, and an entire metro and eco-friendly public transport system were introduced prior to the first kick of the tournament. It cannot be disputed that the State of Qatar experienced an unprecedented period of growth and progress in the little over a decade it had to prepare for the World Cup. The World Cup has put Qatar on the world stage and now with its world class infrastructure, its focus is squarely on building for the future.
An integral part of Qatar National Vision 2030 is the development of a diversified economy that is focused on sustainable development. As part of diversifying its economy, the State of Qatar has invested heavily in the promotion of tourism and events and is realising significant returns in the sector even after the World Cup’s conclusion.
According to Qatar Tourism, Qatar welcomed more than two million international visitors during the first half of 2023, with the months of May and June registering the highest figure (567,000 visitors) ever recorded for these months in the preceding ten years. Qatar Tourism also reports that international visitors have doubled pre-pandemic levels in 2023 and it is estimated that it will welcome approximately five million tourists by the end of the year.
Qatar Tourism also reports that international visitors have doubled pre-pandemic levels in 2023 and it is estimated that it will welcome approximately five million tourists by the end of the year.
On 13 April 2023, HE, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani noted in his address that the State of Qatar was focused not only on hosting sporting events such as the World Cup, but to also host various other international events including economic events, international conferences and the like. It was further stressed that the State of Qatar will build upon the success of the World Cup by hosting various other events.
The State of Qatar plans to become an international hub for major sporting and other events. In addition to the Qatar Grand Prix and Moto GP being held in October and November 2023, the State of Qatar will also host the AFC Asian Cup 2023 (being held in early 2024), the FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2027 and the Asian Games in 2030. Preparations are already underway for the latter as the organizing committee has been established by way of Emiri Resolution No. 13 of 2023 Establishing the Committee Organizing the 21st Tournament of the Asian Games – Doha 2030.
For the World Cup, the State of Qatar introduced the mandatory digital “Hayya Card” as an alternative to fans needing to undertake lengthy visa processes. Qatar Tourism has launched a new version of the Hayya Platform providing a single portal for tourist and business visas to Qatar. It is a single digital portal designed to facilitate an expedient entry for visitors into Qatar (as a non-mandatory alternative to general immigration control procedures). Jassim Al Jassim, CEO of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup (Asian Cup), has already confirmed that visitors for the Asian Cup will be able to seamlessly enter the country and access various facilities using the Hayya system. The authorities confirmed that the Hayya Card will be available to visitors attending the Asian Cup.
In addition to the highly anticipated sporting events to be held by the State of Qatar, it will also host the six month long International Horticultural Exhibition Expo in 2023 (Expo Qatar), a revolutionary event for horticulture, innovation and sustainability enthusiasts and professionals. It is reported that the event will attract approximately three million visitors from over 80 countries and that the Hayya Card will also be made available to these attendees. The State of Qatar is also set to host its inaugural Web Summit in 2024, the world’s largest technology conference, further cementing its place as a world class destination for sporting and business tourism alike.
The State of Qatar has already announced itself on the world stage and is showing no signs of slowing down. With a substantial amount of state-of-the-art infrastructure and technology/telecommunications systems, together with a successfully implemented simplified entry permit system, as a legacy to build on, Qatar has placed itself in a prime position to host major sporting, entertainment, and other events for years to come. Such possibilities will be aided by the substantial technology developments in the country and moves to facilitate access to the digital sector.
In this respect Qatar has launched the Qatar Smart Program to optimize resources and technology for a digital eco-system, placed cloud computing at the heart of its digital transformation strategy, established a Microsoft Azure data center, ensured outstanding 5G network coverage and invested in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation technologies, Blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT) as it aims to become a world leader in new technology adaptation, innovation and system automation.
It is likely that this is only the start and, building on the World Cup success and related and ongoing developments, the country will welcome many more significant events in the near and distant future, with a key driver of growth being large infrastructure-driven and government-led projects across the sports sector and others.
For further information,please contact Roberto Lusardi and Pierre Dippenaar.
Published in October 2023
