FIFA has said it is impressed with Qatar’s initial preparations towards hosting the 2022 World Cup, saying plans put forward by the Gulf state are “visionary”.
The comments came after the world’s football governing authority and the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee held their first working meeting on Qatari soil.
Members from both organisations came together to discuss a wide array of subjects relating to the 2022 World Cup, a statement said.
The FIFA delegation, which was headed by its competitions director Mustapha Fahmy, met with Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee secretary general Hassan Al Thawadi and his team.
Fahmy said: “It was FIFA’s first visit since the bid inspection. We are impressed by the overall vision developed by the Qataris and the first steps of the preparations taken already.
“It is great to see the commitment and excitement of the 2022 Supreme Committee and other key stakeholders to create amazing.
“We are looking forward to continuing the path started over the last few days and seeing these visionary projects coming together on the way to the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East.”
Commenting on the visit, Al Thawadi added: “There is no doubt in my mind that the discussions and presentations held this week were of mutual benefit in terms of aligning our visions for the journey toward 2022.
“We have always insisted upon the importance of taking the time to ensure the proper foundations are in place for the next ten years… we believe we are on the right track.”
Stakeholders involved in the meetings included representatives from the New Doha International Airport project, Qatar Rail, the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development, Qatar Foundation and Qatar’s Central Planning Office.
FIFA’s team also toured various facilities and sites in Qatar, including the Aspire Academy For Sports Excellence and the newly established Qatar National Convention Centre, which will serve as a key non-competition venue during the 2022 tournament.
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