Qatar World Cup 2022 tickets application phase launch today, January 19th, 2022, with ticket products and packages. World Cup Tickets Available.

Qatar World Cup 2022 Tickets and Packages

With a range of enticing options available in this opening phase, fans worldwide have a chance to secure their seats so they do not miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

TICKETS► https://fifainqatar.live/tickets/

In line with FIFA’s ticketing policy at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 editions of the FIFA World Cup™, residents of the host country will exclusively benefit from a special price category, category 4, with prices starting from just QAR 40 each.

Visa payment cards are the exclusive payment method accepted for residents of Qatar, while Visa payment cards and other accepted payment cards are accepted for international fans. Visa is the preferred payment solution of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. In this opening random selection draw sales period, fans can apply for the following ticket products:

• Individual Match Ticket(S)

Tickets for a specific match, which are available for all matches from the opening game through to the final

• Team-Specific Ticket Series

For those who want to watch a certain team on every step of their journey in Qatar, starting with the three group matches

• Four-Stadium Ticket Series

FIFA’s new ticketing product provides fans with a unique opportunity to sample the atmosphere across four different matches and iconic stadiums on subsequent days, thanks to the short distances within Qatar

• Accessibility Tickets

Providing tailored facilities and spaces for disabled people and people with limited mobility covering a range of requirements as part of any of the products above

Prior to the Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup on Friday, 1 April 2022, it is foreseen that fans will have a second opportunity to secure tickets during a first-come, first-served sales phase, the precise details of which will follow in due course.

Further sales phases will take place after the Final Draw and will feature additional products, including:

• Supporter Tickets

For fans who want to sit among their team’s fellow supporters

• Conditional Supporter Tickets

For supporters who want to reserve a seat for one of their team’s potential encounters in the knockout rounds, including the final

Given the short distances between stadiums, Qatar 2022™ will offer fans a unique opportunity of attending more than one match per day during the early stages of the tournament. Ticket applicants will be able to register for more than one match per day during the ticket sales phase that will follow the Final Draw. Given the need to allow sufficient travel time between stadiums, fans will not be able to attend back-to-back matches.

To allow attendees to take full advantage of the compact nature of Qatar 2022, FIFA has softened the household limits from previous FIFA World Cups – now, each household can buy up to six tickets per match and up to 60 tickets throughout the tournament to enjoy the matches with their friends and family.

Hay’ya Card (Fan ID)

A Hay’ya Card is needed to enter the State of Qatar, to access stadiums (along with a match ticket), and to enjoy free matchday travel alongside other benefits.

COVID-19 Measures

FIFA and the State of Qatar are committed to putting health first. The State of Qatar will provide the required safeguards to protect the health and safety of all involved in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. All attendees must follow the travel advice from the Qatari authorities and the latest guidance from Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health. Full information on COVID-19 safety measures will be communicated in advance of the tournament.

• FIFA WORLD CUP TICKETS
  • Collect From Here

Visit FIFA.com/tickets to submit a ticket application and the FAQs section for more information about the products, packages and price categories.

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Qatar World Cup 2022 tickets will go on sale from January 19, 2022. Collect your tickets from us as soon as possible for enjoying amazing matches.

Qatar World Cup 2022 tickets for Visa cardholders starts from Jan 19

More details about pricing and the application process are expected to be announced by FIFA soon.

FIFA IN QATAR

Many banks have tweeted that tickets will go on sale for Visa cardholders in the first phase from January 19 to February 8. “Time to live our football passion! Score FIFA World Cup tickets only with #Visa from Jan 19 to Feb 8,” QNB tweeted. “Calling all Superfans! Score FIFA World Cup tickets only with Visa.

Qatar World Cup 2022 Tickets

Visit: https://fifainqatar.live/tickets/

Which starts from Jan 19 to Feb 8 and book your tickets to the FIFA World Cup with your QIB Visa Card,” QIB said in a message.

Visa payment cards are the exclusive payment method accepted for residents of Qatar, while Visa payment cards and other accepted payment cards are accepted for international fans. Visa is the preferred payment solution of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. In this opening random selection draw sales period, fans can apply for the following ticket products:

Individual Match Ticket(s)

• Tickets for a specific match, which are available for all matches from the opening game through to the final

Team-Specific Ticket Series

• For those who want to watch a certain team on every step of their journey in Qatar, starting with the three group matches

Four-Stadium Ticket Series

• FIFA’s new ticketing product provides fans with a unique opportunity to sample the atmosphere across four different matches and iconic stadiums on subsequent days, thanks to the short distances within Qatar

Accessibility Tickets

• Providing tailored facilities and spaces for disabled people and people with limited mobility covering a range of requirements as part of any of the products above

Prior to the Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup on Friday, 1 April 2022, it is foreseen that fans will have a second opportunity to secure tickets during a first-come, first-served sales phase, the precise details of which will follow in due course.

Further sales phases will take place after the Final Draw and will feature additional products, including:

• Supporter Tickets

For fans who want to sit among their team’s fellow supporters

• Conditional Supporter Tickets

For supporters who want to reserve a seat for one of their team’s potential encounters in the knockout rounds, including the final. 

“Calling all Superfans! Score FIFA World Cup tickets only with #Visa. Use your Dukhan Bank Visa card and book your FIFA World Cup tickets from Jan 19 to Feb 8 on https://www.fifa.com/” Dukhan Bank tweeted.

In a little over 10 months, the world’s best football players will descend on Qatar for the World Cup and tickets have now been made available to the general public.

Prices vary depending on the game and what category seat you opt for, with tickets for the Final match ranging from $604 to as much as $1,600.

That may seem steep but, in comparison, some official tickets for this year’s Super Bowl are starting at $5,950.
“This is a FIFA World Cup for Qatar, the region and the world, and the products launched today reflect FIFA’s goal of bringing the beautiful game to as many fans globally as possible,” said FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura.

Qatari residents will benefit from subsidized tickets, with prices starting from just under $11 for the exclusive Category 4 seating, in a bid to fill stadiums for the tournament.

There will also be cheaper accessibility tickets available for those with disabilities.

Find Latest 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup News and Live Updates Match Streaming, Schedule, News, Score and Results.

FIFA IN QATAR (https://fifainqatar.live/) is a news share site which share different kind of news about World cup 2022 which will hold in Qatar. FIFA IN QATAR share mainly football (soccer) News, Press Release, Blog, Opinion and Stream TV Channel.

How you can get 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup Schedule?

FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar host cities & stadiums

1. Al Janoub Stadium

City: Al Wakrah
Capacity: 40,000
Games hosted: Group stage

2. Khalifa International Stadium

3. Stadium 974

4. Al Thumama Stadium

5. Ahmed bin Ali Stadium

6. Education City Stadium

7. Al Bayt Stadium

8. Lusail Iconic Stadium

City: Lusail
Capacity: 80,000
Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16, quarter finals, semi finals, final

 The Abu Samra border will be expanded to facilitate traffic to and from Qatar, according to Director of the Land Customs Department Ahmed Al Sahel in a General Authority of Customs (GAC) monthly newsletter.

The expansion of Qatar’s only land port would include a new special area that will specifically receive spectators for the FIFA 2022 World Cup to be held in the Gulf state next year.

Follow US: FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar

The global sporting event, the first to be held in the Middle East, is predicted to attract 1.2 million travellers to Qatar.

“The Abu Samra border port expansion includes inspection platforms for tourists’ vehicles, a special area to receive fans, sports teams, and delegations,” said Al Sahel.

Qatar has its eyes on becoming a tourism and hospitality hub even after the 2022 World Cup.

The hotel sector has already witnessed a 7% growth in occupancy rates during the first half of 2021 compared with the same period last year.

Head of communications at the SC Fatma Al Nuaimi told AFP that the event will be drawing in tourists from all over the world, all of whom will be hosted in an array of traditional and innovative accommodation options, including hotels, cruise liners, fan villages, and vacation rentals.

The border expansion will only further facilitate travel for more fans to enjoy the global event.

“This expansion is expected to facilitate the process of inspection of goods and tourists’ vehicles to support the flow of commercial traffic in and out of the country and contributing to reviving Qatar’s tourism,” said Al Sahel.

Read More: Abu Samra Land Crossing will be extended for the arrival of Qatar 2022 fans 

 The new year comes with a raft of new opportunities and events, with a packed sporting schedule seeing a range of popular sporting events.

With popular domestic leagues continuing over from 2021 and the Rugby Six Nations and Rugby League World Cup coming up, the year will conclude with the highly anticipated 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

However, there is one factor which distinguishes 2022 from previous sportsfest years, which is that the World Cup will be taking place in winter, something which has caused discontent among the sporting community to some extent due to its clash with domestic leagues. 

Shortly after lifting the Football Sportsbook of the Year Award at the SBC Awards, Ladbrokes’ Head of Sportsbook Proposition, Myke Foster, reflected on hurdles and positives of 2021 and looked ahead to what the new year could bring.

SBC – What have been the main challenges, if any, of operating a football betting service in 2021?

Myke Foster – 2021 has thrown up a few significant challenges – not least the unexpected addition of Euro 2020 this summer! But to be honest, 2021 has been something of a welcome return to ‘normal’ in our industry. 

We’ve been fortunate enough to have a (mostly) consistent sporting calendar, very much unlike the one we saw in 2020, where mainstream sports were cancelled, postponed and altogether removed. We managed to weather the storm better than most throughout the last 18 months or so and it really put us in a good position to succeed this year. 

SBC – With a packed football schedule next year (domestic leagues, international club tournaments, world cup) how important is it that operators enact a strong marketing strategy?

MF – I think now, more so than ever before, it’s vitally important that marketing and product work together to differentiate us within our industry. It’s no secret that we face tough competition on a daily basis – from companies who might be willing to spend more or shout louder about products and services, but we have seen some incredible success with new and innovative products such as 5-A-Side, which empower our customers to find new ways to engage with the sport they love. 

We’ve built very strong relationships with the marketing arms of the business to ensure that we’re highlighting the areas and products which really stand us head and shoulders above our competitors, and it’s been proven through in some of the huge campaigns we’ve run across the UK and digitally in the past 12 months – and that will no doubt continue as we carry our momentum into next year. 

SBC – Do you anticipate any challenges with next year’s World Cup taking place in the winter?

MF – The concept of a winter World Cup is an interesting one, of course- sitting down to wrap Christmas presents whilst cheering England on to (hopefully!) another major final will feel a little strange! But the Christmas period has long been synonymous with great sport. 

We see top quality football, racing & darts all coming thick and fast in a regular year, and the addition of a World Cup will just enhance our enjoyment of it. The real challenge will be some of the early kick off times for those working, I think there will be plenty of people tuning in from work across the UK each day which hopefully won’t affect productivity too much!

 The 2022 FIFA World Cup is slowly creeping up on us with kick-off under a year away.

With the novelty of the tournament being held in a country without much footballing history, it means even the most die-hard fan may not be aware of the cities and stadiums.

So here's the lowdown of the regions and venues that will play host to the 2022 World Cup.

1. Al Janoub Stadium

City: Al Wakrah

Capacity: 40,000

Games hosted: Group stage

One of Qatar's various home arenas, the Al Janoub Stadium hosted the 2020 AFC Champions League final and sees a fair share of club football as the home of Al-Wakrah SC.

The wavy designs (literally) of the seating are inspired by the region's traditional Dhow boats which are used by pearl divers in the Persian Gulf.

2. Khalifa International Stadium

City: Al Rayyan

Capacity: 40,000

Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16, third place playoff

Look familiar, Liverpool fans? This is where you beat Flamengo in the final of 2019 Club World Cup.

While seats can be added to boost the capacity for events, it's still unclear whether the stadium will house more than 40,000 fans for the tournament

3. Stadium 974

City: Doha

Capacity: 40,000

Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16

Stadium 974 may sound like a planet from the Star Wars franchise, but it's one of the eight host stadiums for the 2022 World Cup. Who'd have thought?

From the outside, Stadium 974 looks more like a docking bay. Or the stadium from Call of Duty: Warzone. Hey, at least there's layers of character about this ground.

4. Al Thumama Stadium

City: Doha

Capacity: 40,000

Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16, quarter finals

One of the tournament's four stadiums situated in Doha, the design of the Al Thumama Stadium is based on the traditional Middle Eastern taqiyah hat.

Half of the stadium's seats will be donated to other countries at the conclusion of the World Cup.

5. Ahmed bin Ali Stadium

City: Al Rayyan

Capacity: 44,740

Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16

Al Rayyan's original Ahmed bin Ali Stadium was built in 2003, but apparently that wasn't up to scratch and was demolished in 2015.

90% of the rubble from that old stadium went into building the new one or to public art projects.

6. Education City Stadium

City: Al Rayyan

Capacity: 45,350

Games hosted: Group stage, last 16, quarter finals

Education City is merely the name of a development within the city of Al Rayyan, but now also plays host to a World Cup calibre stadium - which has been nicknamed the 'diamond in the desert'.

7. Al Bayt Stadium

City: Al Khor

Capacity: 60,000

Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16, quarter finals, semi finals

If you were lucky enough to book a hotel room at Al Bayt Stadium, then you'll be able to enjoy a balcony view of the pitch.

At the end of the World Cup, the stadium will be downscaled by nearly half the capacity, the hotel expanded, a shopping mall opened and another sport facility built.

8. Lusail Iconic Stadium

City: Lusail

Capacity: 80,000

Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16, quarter finals, semi finals, final

With under a year to go until the final, an official game is still yet to be played at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.

Like many of the other stadiums on this list, Lusail Iconic Stadium will undergo a severe reduction in capacity at the conclusion of the World Cup.

 The court of appeal in Qatar has upheld a guilty verdict handed out to a former 2022 FIFA World Cup official for bribery and misuse of funds but reduced his prison sentence from five years to three years.

Abdullah Ibhais, a former media manager at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), the body delivering next year’s World Cup, was arrested in 2019 and sentenced to five years in April 2021.

“Misappropriation of state funds is a serious crime in Qatar, and this is reflected in the court’s decision,” said a Qatari official, in a statement sent to Al Jazeera following the appeal hearing on Wednesday.

“The case of Mr Ibhais followed all the proper legal procedures and protocols. Mr Ibhais was convicted following the careful examination of an abundance of strong and credible evidence against him for soliciting bribes to influence the outcome of a state-funded procurement process.”

Ziyad, Ibhais’s brother, told Al Jazeera that the family was “planning to appeal, although we have very little faith in the Qatari so-called legal system”.

Ibhais was not present in the court when the judge upheld the guilty verdict on Wednesday.

His family told Al Jazeera in a statement that Ibhais’s absence was “meant to deprive Abdullah from being seen with the effects of hunger strike apparent on his body … this is a part of the continuous attempts to silence Abdullah”.

In 2019, the SC launched the investigation after a complaint was received “from a third-party participant in a tender for the award of a contract related to the management of social media platforms on behalf of the SC”.

“The complaint was supported with audio and visual documentary evidence,” the SC statement added.

SC officials told Al Jazeera that following the investigation “a number of SC employees were issued with written warnings” while two, including Ibhais, were suspended.

Ibhais’s family claimed that neither any evidence nor the internal investigation was produced in court hearings, adding that his earlier requests to view documents and charges against him were repeatedly denied.

However, the SC said the evidence and documents were handed over to “relevant public authorities for further investigation” which also marked the stage where “SC’s involvement in the case ended”.

Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers and its human rights record have been under the spotlight since it was awarded the hosting of the 2022 World Cup.

While the Kafala system, which tied down a worker to a private sponsor, was abolished in a landmark ruling last year, workers in the country have still complained of facing problems, including false absconding cases and non-payment of salaries, while attempting to switch employers.

In August 2019, about 5,000 construction workers went on a strike citing unpaid salaries and poor working conditions, including workers who had previously worked on two World Cup stadiums.

While reporting on the strike, Al Jazeera spoke to protesting workers who said that in addition to poor living conditions, they had not been paid for up to four months, the companies had failed to renew their work permits – making their status in Qatar illegal – and were not given the required letters that would allow them to switch employers.

 FIFA held a virtual meeting on Tuesday (December 14) with political institutions as well as rights organisations to discuss human rights in Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup, global soccer's governing body said in a statement.

The meeting included FIFA President Gianni Infantino and head of the tournament's organising body Hassan Al Thawadi as well as members of the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and political representatives from parliaments across Europe. There were also representatives from the EU Commission, the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), the United Nations and UNESCO among others.

FIFA said the dialogue gave an opportunity for stakeholders to raise questions and concerns on a number of key topics, including workers welfare and LGBTQIA rights. "From day one, we have been committed to ensuring a legacy is delivered before the tournament and that this legacy lasts beyond the tournament too, specifically on labour reform but on other topics as well.", Al Thawadi said.

The government of Qatar has said in the past its labour system is still a work in progress but has denied accusations in a report by Amnesty International that thousands of migrant workers were being exploited. A 48-page report by Amnesty, Reality Check 2021, said that practices such as withholding salaries and charging workers to change jobs were still rife.

Human Rights Watch has said that Qatari laws continue to discriminate against women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals. "Our main question here in Qatar remains on LGBTQIA rights and specifically on the law that criminalises homosexuality," said Piara Powar, Executive Director of the Fare network, an organisation set up to counter discrimination in European football.

"We know that many LGBTQIA people are fearful of coming, of what awaits. Respect for local culture should not preclude reaching out to ensure the safety of LGBTQIA communities."

 Chief Operating Officer of Qatar Tourism, Berthold Trenkel stated: “We are very pleased with the tourism developments taking place in Qatar. As stewards of the sector, Qatar Tourism works closely with our partners across the public and private sectors to builds experiences that will appeal to a range of residents and visitors.  Known for our luxury offerings, which are rooted in authenticity, we offer Service Excellence across each touchpoint of the customer journey and look forward to welcoming visitors to explore the country’s five star hotels and resorts, incredible outdoor activities, beaches and museums and cultural landmarks.”

As international travel resumes, and with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ fast approaching, Qatar continues to expand its tourism proposition in a bid to attract a greater number of visitors. In line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, Qatar Tourism’s strategy involves working with sector stakeholders to develop new products and experiences.  These include new venues across hospitality, retail, sport, leisure and family entertainment.   Over 100 new hotels and serviced apartments are currently under construction and will add to Qatar’s already extensive portfolio of properties.  These include Raffles Hotel and Fairmont Hotel and Resort at Katara Towers, Rosewood Doha and the St. Regis Marsa Arabia Island. These hotels will add to the country’s array of luxury offerings, and broaden its appeal to high value travellers, who currently already have a choice of over 80 five-star and four-star hotels. 

Qatar will also welcome major tourism projects including Place Vendome, a shopping mall boasting 580 retail outlets, two five-star hotels and entertainment zones, West Bay North Beach project with six beaches, restaurants and outdoor activities and Qetaifan Island North, set to be the first entertainment island in Qatar with five-star hotels and resorts, beach clubs and water parks.

Qatar Tourism is driving a sector strategy to attract six million visitors by 2030 and increasing sector contribution to GDP to 12% by 2030.  To execute this goal, it is working with stakeholders to grow and improve assets and attractions, enhance the end-to-end customer experience, invest in Service Excellence and deploy a tailored marketing strategy to target point-to-point (P2P) and stopover visitors.

A series of programmes and initiatives have been launched, including Service Excellence and Qatar Clean, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health.  Qatar Tourism has launched its "World Class Chefs" project, a two-year initiative whereby globally renowned chefs will be hosted for a time in Qatar. This aims to further elevate the country's culinary experiences, supporting the hospitality sector and facilitating investment opportunities in the food and beverage sector.

In addition, Qatar’s calendar of events features several exciting events currently underway, including the FIFA Arab Cup 2021™, Qatar Balloon Festival, Qatar International Food Festival, and many other sporting and entertainment events.

 The Socceroos will play in Melbourne for the first time in more than four years when they host Vietnam in a must-win World Cup qualifier at AAMI Park early next year.

The January 27 match will be the first appearance of the national team in the Victorian capital since September 2017, when the Socceroos, then coached by Ange Postecoglou, defeated Thailand 2-1 in a qualifier for the 2018 World Cup.

A combination of factors – lately, chiefly tight COVID-19 restrictions – have ensured that NSW has been home for the Socceroos and Matildas in recent games.

But the Victorian government – whose major events fund is underwriting the game – and the FA hope that local fans will cram AAMI Park and fill it to its near-30,000 capacity for a game in which the Socceroos simply cannot slip up following a recent loss to Japan and disappointing draws against Saudi Arabia and China that have left their qualification for Qatar 2022 in jeopardy.

Football Australia boss James Johnson and Socceroos coach Graham Arnold joined the state’s Sports Minister Martin Pakula to confirm the fixture.

“We’re delighted that the Socceroos, who have a long and proud association with the city of Melbourne and state of Victoria, will return to Melbourne,” Johnson said. “

Melbourne Rectangular Stadium [AAMI Park] is one of Australia’s best football-specific venues for both players and fans.

“The Victorian government have shown great support to bring this match to Melbourne.”

 Al Bayt Stadium, the opening match venue for the upcoming FIFA 2022 World Cup was unveiled on 30 November 2021, with the striking giant tent-covered sports arena hosting the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 opening ceremony.

Designed by architectural studio Dar Al-Handasah and delivered by Aspire Zone Foundation, the stadium located in the northern city of Al Khor, takes its name from ‘bayt al sha'ar’ – tents historically used by the nomadic people of Qatar and the Gulf region. Dar Al-Handasah’s design is also informed by these tents with a magnificent tent-shaped canopy enveloping the ultra-modern football stadium, welcoming visitors into comfort and giving them an experience of Qatar’s traditional hospitality.

The black stripes typically seen on the tents of nomadic tribes in Qatar have been referenced on the arena's distinctive exterior, while vibrant sadu patterns will greet fans inside the stadium.

The 60,000-capacity stadium’s design and construction are driven by Qatar’s sustainability goals, with the sports arena planned as a model of green development. In addition to the use of green building materials, Al Bayt Stadium is designed to minimise energy usage in keeping both players and spectators cool and comfortable. The eye-catching tent structure's lightweight canopies stretch out towards the pitch from every side, working alongside the retractable 1,600-tonne roof system to provide plenty of shade and supplement the air cooling technologies at work. These features help maintain a comfortable temperature inside without using any extra power.

Sustainability also drives the design of the area around Al Bayt Stadium with parks and greenery forming an integral part of the surrounding precinct's design plan, creating a green lung for Al Khor and providing local communities with invaluable outdoor space to enjoy, according to the stadium’s stakeholders – Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy.

The park area surrounding the stadium is equivalent to over 30 football pitches and includes sport courts, play areas, exercise equipment, and jogging and cycling tracks. Tree-lined pedestrian walkways guide fans into the stadium, while extensive taxi and bus facilities minimise the number of vehicles on local roads.

The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy worked towards Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) certifications, with the stadium receiving a Class A rating from GSAS.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who toured Al Bayt Stadium in October 2021, commented: “Al Bayt Stadium is incredible: a true football stadium. It has a real football feel and a local touch.”

Key partners in the design and construction of this impressive stadium also included Projacs who were responsible for project management in the initial phase; Qatari contractor Galfar Al Misnad, in conjunction with Italian contractors Salini Impregilo Group and Cimolai, who constructed the stadium and the energy centre building; Qatari contractors Bin Omran Trading and Contracting and Al Sulaiteen Agricultural & Industrial Complex who carried out landscaping and underground utility works; and KEO International Consultants who provided construction supervision.

 Kenya has agreed on a deal with Qatar to send police officers to assist in the provision of security during the 2022 Fifa World Cup.

A statement by the Interior Ministry indicates Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i discussed details of the plan with his Qatari counterpart cum Prime Minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani, when the duo met on Friday morning, December 10, in Nairobi.

Matiang’i also joined the delegates in celebrating Qatar’s National Day hosted by Ambassador Jabor bin Ali AL-Dosari.

“In principle, we’ve agreed with the Minister of Interior of Qatar that Kenya could provide security personnel to support the Supreme Committee on Delivery and Legacy of Qatar in providing security services during the 2022 FIFA world cup in Qatar,” Matiang’i stated.

The 32-team World Cup will be hosted in eight venues across five cities, including the capital Doha, between November 22, 2022 and December 22, 2022.

Kenya’s Harambee Stars has failed to qualify for this global sporting showpiece after garnering six points from six matches in Group E. But bigwigs Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Egypt, Senegal and Mali remain on course to represent Africa at the tournament.

 Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has revealed he Government is in talks with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani to see Kenyan security agents deployed to Doha to help secure the Qatar FIFA 2022 World Cup.

“In principle, we agreed with my Qatari counterpart, H.E. Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of Qatar that Kenya could provide security personnel to support the Supreme Committee on Delivery and Legacy of Qatar in providing security services during the 2022 FIFA world cup in Qatar,” the CS said.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were first established in 2003. Since then, the two have steadily grown their bilateral relations to include security, economic, education, cultural and sports sectors.

In April 2014, President Uhuru Kenyatta made a state visit to Qatar. He met with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

They held talks on regional stabilization, security and youth radicalization. They both witnessed the signing of multiple agreements and deals. Kenyatta also met with Qatar’s minister of energy.

At the end of the state visit, Qatar became the first Persian Gulf country to establish a double tax agreement with Kenya.

Diplomatic boycotts of the Olympics aim to snub host nations while keeping athletes free to compete.

A small cascade of government boycotts hit China on Wednesday, less than two months before the Beijing Olympics open.

The impact of these political weapons on athletes at the Games should be close to zero, and viewers should see no difference in their broadcast content.

The aim is calculated to hurt the pride of host nations such as China, which often have both sports and politics mixed into their motives for staging events as big as an Olympics or soccer’s World Cup.

In Australia, then the United Kingdom and Canada, governments announced their refusal to send officials to the Winter Games being held Feb. 4-20. The move against China started with the United States on Monday.

Those countries are longtime diplomatic allies that want to shine attention on China’s human rights record and especially the treatment of its Muslim-majority Uyghur people that some call a genocide.

The sting also will be felt by the International Olympic Committee, whose leaders have a keen sense of its potential place in world politics even while touting the neutrality it is bound to by the Olympic Charter.

IOC leaders like to burnish the Olympic brand by saying their sports event is the only one to bring more than 200 national teams together in peace and friendship as an example to the world.

Any diversion from the message of global unity is unwelcome.

The Olympic Charter is the code of rules and bylaws that governs the IOC and “sets forth the conditions for the celebration of the Olympic Games.”

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Rule 2 relating to the “Mission and role of the IOC” helps explain why any boycott is treated as an affront to its principles.

It includes: “To take action to strengthen the unity of the Olympic Movement, to protect its independence, to maintain and promote its political neutrality and to preserve the autonomy of sport.”

For the IOC, political neutrality should mean not calling out an Olympic host nation for its policies and conduct outside of sports or not connected to staging the games.

“We always ask for as much respect as possible from the political world and the least possible interference on our sports and Olympic world and ideals,” senior IOC member Juan Antonio Samaranch said this week.

The IOC still carries emotional scars from the peak period of more than 100 countries combined staging full boycotts of three straight Summer Games from 1976 to 1984.

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The 1976 Montreal Olympics was hit mostly by African countries protesting New Zealand taking part after its rugby team toured Apartheid-era South Africa.

The 1980 Moscow Olympics went ahead without the United States and dozens of other teams protesting the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.

The Soviet bloc and some allies retaliated with a boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

Thousands of athletes missed competing at an Olympic Games four decades ago. None should miss the Beijing Winter Games because of a diplomatic boycott.

Who will stay home instead of traveling to Beijing in February? Senior lawmakers and diplomatic officials, mostly, when the opening ceremony is held Feb. 4.

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Heads of state have no diplomatic obligation to attend an Olympics, and attending a Winter Games is less of a hot ticket than the summer edition.

It is, however, nice to show up for an ally’s party or build alliances with potential new friends.

Then-President George W. Bush went to Beijing for the opening of the 2008 Summer Games that was supposed to be a coming-out party for a more welcoming China.

In July, first lady Jill Biden led the American contingent to the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Going to the games also can create diplomatic issues, as Vice President Mike Pence experienced at the 2018 Winter Games in South Korea. Pence found himself in an awkward situation sitting close to North Korea’s delegation at an opening ceremony at Pyeongchang that became a celebration of a relatively short-lived thaw in relations between the Korean neighbors.

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The Korean accord had been warmly encouraged by the IOC, seeming to bend its definition of political neutrality to the limit.

China’s reaction to the spreading diplomatic boycott has ranged from “not bothered at all” to “clearly quite bothered.”

The U.S. announcement Monday prompted the Chinese Embassy in Washington to tweet: “In fact, no one would care about whether these people come or not, and it has no impact whatsoever on the #Beijing2022 to be successfully held.”

In Beijing, the foreign ministry said the Americans were interfering “out of ideological prejudice and based on lies and rumors.”

Australia was dismissed Wednesday as “immature, arrogant and stupid to follow the US” by the Chinese state-run Global Times newspaper. “Countries with rationality would think of the interests of their own people instead of cooperating with the US’ futile stunt.”

Adding piquancy to the current boycott is that it’s being done by reliable recent and future Olympic host nations.

The U.S. and Australia hosting the Summer Games, in 2028 in Los Angeles and 2032 in Brisbane, could provoke Chinese reprisals.

American Olympic officials also are likely to seek IOC support for staging the Winter Games again at Salt Lake City, which was also the 2002 host.

Canada hosted the 2010 Vancouver Games, and when London staged the 2012 Olympics, the mayor of the city was Boris Johnson. He announced the U.K.’s diplomatic boycott in its parliament Wednesday as prime minister.

 Egypt went through to Africa's 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers qualifying playoffs after fighting back from 0-2 down for a 2-2 draw in Angola. 

The point ensured Egypt won Group F with a game to spare and denied Gabon the chance of stealing the playoff place in a decisive final group game in Egypt next week.

Gabon surprised Libya 1-0 a few hours before the Angola-Egypt game kicked off thanks to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's penalty early in the second half. It ended Libya's hopes of making the payoffs and kept Gabon's faint chances alive.

Egypt went into the match knowing they needed just a draw, and found itself 0-2 down after 36 minutes. But goals by Mohamed Elneny and Akram Tawfik — both set up by captain Mohamed Salah — clinched the draw.

Egypt joined Morocco, Senegal and Mali, which had already qualified for the 10-team playoffs in March. Only the group winners progress to Africa's playoffs and the other six teams will be decided by Tuesday when the group stage ends.

The five winners of the two-leg playoffs will be Africa's representatives at the World Cup in Qatar.

Algeria's 4-0 win over Djibouti put the reigning African champion on the brink of the playoffs. The Algerians now need just a draw at home in their final Group A game on Tuesday against Burkina Faso, which can qualify in place of Algeria with a win, setting up a grandstand finish to the group.

Youcef Belaïli got Algeria's opener against Djibouti in the 29th minute, a minute after having a penalty saved. Saïd Benrahma and Sofiane Feghouli scored within two minutes of each other at the end of the first half, and Islam Slimani entered as a second-half substitute and headed in the fourth for his seventh goal of the group stage.

Slimani is the leading scorer in African qualifying, and Algeria has scored 23 goals in five games and conceded two.

Burkina Faso still has a chance of stealing the playoff place when it meets Algeria next week, but the Burkinabes must now win in Algeria after they only managed a 1-1 draw at home to Niger on Friday.

Both goals came from the penalty spot — Youssouf Oumarou for Niger and then Issoufou Dayo to equalize for Burkina Faso — but the Burkina Faso players left the field with their heads down at the end, knowing they had made it harder for themselves to progress.

There were two other qualifiers in Africa on Friday, neither of which had any affect on the playoffs. Morocco, which is already through, beat Sudan 3-0. Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, who were both already eliminated, drew 0-0.

 Messi was only called upon by coach Lionel Scaloni to play the final quarter of an hour as he made his comeback from knee and hamstring issues that saw him miss Paris Saint-Germain's last two matches.

Di Maria's sublime early finish at the Campeón del Siglo stadium in Montevideo was the difference between the sides in a match dominated by Uruguay.

The result means Argentina — who are unbeaten in 26 matches — will qualify for the World Cup finals if they beat Brazil on Tuesday and any one of Colombia, Chile or Uruguay fail to win.

"This team has great courage and when you don't play well, you still have to win," said Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

"Winning today was a huge step. We deserve it because we work very hard."

The defeat left Uruguay in a World Cup play-off spot, behind Colombia and Chile in the final two automatic qualification position on goal difference.

Nahitan Nandez should have given Uruguay a fifth minute lead after Argentina failed to deal with a long throw into the box.

A ricochet saw the ball land at Nandez's feet seven yards from goal and while Martinez did well to come out quickly and spread himself, Nandez's finish was poor and straight at the Aston Villa stopper.

Uruguay were made to pay two minutes later as Paulo Dybala robbed a dawdling Joaquin Piquerez just outside the box and passed inside for Di Maria to stroke a glorious shot into the top corner.

It was Argentina's only shot at goal in the first half.

Luis Suarez provided Uruguay's main threat, as he has done so many times before, and fired a free-kick narrowly over.

On the half hour he hit an instinctive volley against the post before snatching at the rebound with his left foot and putting it wide.

Uruguay were piling on the pressure and Matias Vecino had a chance to restore parity at the end of the first half but shot too close to Martinez.

Messi's late cameo

After the break, Argentina continued to control possession without creating chances, while Uruguay were more dangerous, but without testing Martinez.

Substitute Papu Gomez finally got off Argentina's second shot, just before the hour mark, but it flashed wide, while Martinez had to backpedal to tip over a wayward Facundo Torres cross that looked like it was dipping in behind the goalkeeper's head.

With Uruguay pushing to salvage something from the game, Joaquin Correa had a pair of chances on the break for Argentina but could not take advantage.

Finally with a quarter of an hour to play, Scaloni summoned Messi from the bench but he had little impact on the game.

Uruguay substitute Agustin Alvarez had a gilt edged chance to snatch a draw six minutes from time but his header from five yards landed on top of the net.

Moments later, Martinez let Alvarez's shot squirm between his legs before quickly spinning around to grab the ball behind him before it crossed the line.

 Al Khor. Stadium 974. Any takers? They are among the venues for the 2022 World Cup finals, which will have reached the quarter-final stage by this time next year.

The Republic of Ireland won’t be involved, of course, as Stephen Kenny’s shot at qualification for Qatar ended almost as abruptly as the 2014 campaign under Giovanni Trapattoni.

Since Mick McCarthy led Ireland to within a penalty shootout of the quarter-finals in 2002, Ireland have twice suffered play-off pain, in 2009 and 2017, while Brian Kerr’s team fell short in the final round of group games in 2005.

Might Ireland be making merry on football’s greatest stage again before long? Let’s have a look at how things stand for 2026 and 2030.

Even though the 2026 World Cup is being expanded to 48 teams from 32, the extra slice of the cake for European nations is not all that generous.

While yet to be ratified, it’s widely expected that Europe’s allocation of slots for 2026 will rise by three, from 13 teams to 16.

Given that South America will be bumped up to six slots from just 10 teams, a 60 per cent qualification rate, Europe would be entitled to feel short-changed.

Assuming that 16 is the number, as the 26th best team in Europe, Ireland would have ground to make up, along with a break of the balls in the qualification draw, details of which will be known in December 2023.

UEFA can be expected to implement a process similar to the one in place for the 2022 World Cup, with 10 group winners qualifying directly.

The other six places are likely to be decided via play-offs involving the 10 group runners-up and two group winners from the 2022 Nations League who don’t come first or second in their World Cup groups.

Kenny has already stated his intention to make an impact next summer in the Nations League, which is not before time for Ireland, who have yet to win any of their 10 games in the competition — Kenny will have a better idea of what lies ahead after the qualifying draw tomorrow week.