The organisers of the 2022 Qatar World Cup said on Saturday that "there will be no decision imposed" on the country to extend the tournament to 48 teams.
Anticipation is mounting ahead of the final decision, due to be
announced in Paris at the beginning of June, whether to retain a 32-team format
or expand it.
"(The) decision will be made between FIFA and Qatar," said Hassan
al-Thawadi, the secretary general of Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery and
Legacy.
"In case a decision is made it will be due to our willingness and belief
in the benefits of the increase. If we find that there is no benefit to it, or
that the negatives are more than the positives, our decision will be to remain
on 32 teams."
Expansion could mean FIFA seeking co-hosts in the region willing to support
Qatar, a complicated proposition for Doha which is subject to an ongoing
embargo by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and their allies.
"In case it is increased, (the feasibility study) favours expansion to
other countries," said al-Thawadi.
"We are studying (it) in all seriousness and the decision will be next
month and it will be final."
Talks between FIFA and Qatari organisers are ongoing, he added during a media
briefing in Doha.
"I will leave the period of suspense until we announce it next
month," said al-Thawadi.
Al-Thawadi said that following Thursday's opening of the al-Janoub stadium, the
first purpose-built for the tournament, "we have now six more stadiums to
go".
"By the end of this year (or) first quarter of next year we will be
launching two stadiums as well," he said.
The exact date would depend on the timing of events to launch the two venues,
he added.
"By 2021 all our stadiums will be ready," he said, adding that the
remaining stations of the recently-launched metro system would be fully
operational by 2020, linking stadiums and the airport.
"I'm very proud to say that infrastructure-wise, we are there."
On Friday training site project manager Ahmed al-Obaidly said that the 41
training sites required for a 32-team World Cup were ready and that any
increase in participants would be addressed.
FIFA recommended in March that the number of teams should be raised to 48 for
2022, ahead of the planned 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Al-Janoub, which was known as al-Wakrah stadium until the country's emir
announced the name change in a tweet ahead of the inaugural match, was the
latest milestone in Qatar's preparations.
Spectators were treated to a laser show, a military band and fireworks before
the final of the domestic Emir Cup in which al-Sadd were beaten 1-4 by
al-Duhail.
"It was a great success," said al-Thawadi. "(But) there were
definitely lessons learned in there."
The 40,000-capacity stadium was designed by British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid
and cost an estimated $575 million.
After the 2024 Traditional Marathon Tournament, Luong Son district has established a team with many high-ranking runners, focusing on fostering, training and being ready to compete at the XXXI Hoa Binh Newspaper Cup Traditional Marathon Tournament in 2024.
Taking place from October 9 to 20 in Hoa Binh City, the National Road and Mountain Bike Championships 2024 attracted hundreds of young athletes from provinces and cities across the country.
In the afternoon of October 26th, at Hoa Binh Provincial Stadium, Hoa Binh Football Club (Hoa Binh FC) had a confrontation with Truong Tuoi Binh Phuoc Club in the framework of round 1 – the First National Division Football Tournament in 2024 - 2025.
In the morning of October 22nd, at Yen Thuy District’s Stadium, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism coordinated with Yen Thuy District’s People's Committee to organize the opening ceremony of the 2024 Volleyball Championship of Hoa Binh province.
In the morning of October 20th, the athletes began the competition in the 160km event, starting with the individuals and men's teams. This is also the final competition of the 38th National Road Cycling Championship in 2024. The racing location is in the center of Hoa Binh city via Hoa Binh Bridge 1 and Hoa Binh Bridge 2
In 2 days, October 15th-16th, the Women's Union of Cao Phong District organized the 2024 Women's Soft Volleyball Tournament to celebrate the 94th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam Women's Union (October 20, 1930 - October 20, 2024) and the 14th anniversary of Vietnamese Women's Day.
