After Russia 2018, next up on Gianni Infantino's air-miles list was Qatar for 2022. Eyebrows were raised once more due to its less than squeaky clean human rights record, not to mention lack of footballing infrastructure and concerns over the temperature, but nevertheless we got a first winter World Cup after another sackload of oil money made its way to FIFA HQ…
The Qataris having agreed to vote for Russia in 2018 in exchange for the promise of Moscow's own vote going their way next time out. Still, it did not get off to the best of starts, Infantino responded to criticism of the choice of host nation by accusing those who would challenge him of what he saw as hypocrisy.
“Reform and change takes time. It took hundreds of years in our countries in Europe. It takes time everywhere, the only way to get results is by engaging […] not by shouting,”
And perhaps the tournament's greatest legacy is the amount of coverage afforded to issues like workers' rights and the treatment of the LGBTQ community, among others, much as FIFA might have liked to sweep all that under the carpet and focus on matters on the pitch. But voices such as Amnesty International refused to be silenced, their A Legacy In Jeopardy report a sobering read a year on from the tournament itself.
Even the European Parliament felt a need to step in-
“Enormous natural gas resources have turned Qatar into one of the world's richest countries. The 11,610 km2 nation currently has the fourth highest GDP per capita in the world. The absolute monarchy's estimated 340 000-350 000 citizens benefit from free education, free healthcare, virtually guaranteed – and well paid – employment, and pay almost no taxes. However, the great majority of the emirate’s nearly 3 million inhabitants live in very different conditions. Qatar has the highest ratio of migrants in the world: 85% of its population are migrants and 94% of its workforce comes from abroad, mostly from south Asia and Africa. In contrast to the small percentage of expatriates from the West and other Gulf States, Asian and African migrants live and work in harsh conditions. Around 1 million are employed in construction, and 100,000 are domestic workers.
In December 2010, FIFA, world football's governing body, granted Qatar the right to host the 2022 World Cup, which is scheduled to take place from 21 November to 18 December. Expanding on an existing development programme enshrined in the Qatar National Vision 2030, the country embarked on an extensive building programme to prepare for the World Cup, involving an estimated 1 million migrant workers. However, these preparations placed the spotlight on Qatar’s poor treatment of migrant workers. In response to international pressure, Qatar has introduced important legal changes to improve the situation of these workers, which the EU has welcomed.
However, according to human rights organisations, the country needs to take further steps to stop abuses. Of particular concern is the kafala sponsorship system, which is widely used throughout the six Gulf Cooperation Council States and gives disproportionate power to employers, leading to widespread abuse of migrant workers’ rights. Even though Qatar has started to dismantle the kafala system, important elements remain in place.
Moreover, ensuring compliance with more favourable labour laws remains a challenge. Since 2008, the European Parliament has adopted four resolutions addressing the situation of migrant workers in Qatar; it has called on Qatar to end the 'deplorable situation' of migrant workers and prevent preparations for the 2022 World Cup from being 'overshadowed by allegations of forced labour'.”
Even Sepp Blatter, who originally welcomed the move to bring the World Cup to the Arab world, was critical given the benefit of hindsight.
Speaking to Swiss newspaper Tages Anzeiger, he said “It is too small of a country. Football and the World Cup are too big for it,” adding that the choice was bad and it was a mistake!
And indeed, it does seem Qatar is a relative infant in international footballing terms, the Qatari Football Association having been formed in 1960 and joining FIFA three years later. The Aspire Academy has been operational since 2004, having been instituted by Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani in a bid to develop more home-grown players following debate over the naturalisation of foreigners. The then national team coach, Félix Sánchez, was credited with putting in the hard work to help get a group he first worked with as youngsters ready for their introduction to the world stage.
“A lot of these players have been with (Sánchez) since they were kids ... he's like a father to these guys .”
So said Qatari journalist Mohamed El Gharbawy. Another, Ahmed Hashim, also pointed to his introduction of a more Spanish mentality followed to this day, even post-Sánchez, by former Wolves and West Ham gaffer Julen Lopetegui who led them to a first “proper” qualification for this year's tournament.
“One touch, small pass, good teamwork, possession-based play”
Not that it got them too far back in 2022, Group A finding them placed with Ecuador, Senegal and the Netherlands and failing to gain a single point, home early from what was meant to be their own party!
It was quite the comedown from winning the 2019 Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates, where they conceded just the one goal and beat Japan 3-1 in the final, following a clean sweep of wins in Group E against Lebanon, North Korea and Saudi Arabia. All were put to the sword before Iraq narrowly fell in the last sixteen to set up a quarter-final with South Korea and semi against the hosts, swept aside 4-0 on their own turf before an estimated $220 billion and the most expensive World Cup to date rolled into view.
Our metaphorical plane will next be landing across the US, Canada and Mexico to examine the current, ongoing World Cup- one that Qatar have already exited, again in the group phase. This time around they did at least get their first World Cup point, in a commendable 1-1 draw with Switzerland.
However, what followed was a humiliating loss vs one of the co-hosts and a further defeat against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and so it remains to be seen how much longer Lopetegui leads The Maroons.