With 500 days to World Cup 2022, Qatar gears up to welcome one million fans

A countdown to the first World Cup in the Arab world has kicked off, with 500 days left to arrange for one million fans to attend the long-awaited footballing event.

The biggest single-sport event in the world will kick off on 21st November 2022 in Qatar and conclude on 18th December, coinciding with Qatar National Day, a national commemoration of its unification in 1878.

"Five hundred days to go means we're getting very close," said Nasser al-Khater, CEO of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC.

"It brings the world together, it brings the Arab world together, it's a moment of pride in the history of this part of the world."

5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ days until #Qatar2022!
We're excited, are you? pic.twitter.com/Aiyf2a6sMs

— Road to 2022 (@roadto2022en) July 9, 2021

The ambitious infrastructure project has reached near completion, with all eight stadiums located within 50km of central Doha set to be ready by the end of the year.

Fans, players and officials will stay in one accommodation throughout the event, which will conclude with the final at the 80,000-seat Lusail Stadium.

Qatar won the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in 2010, becoming the first Middle Eastern country to do so.

FIFA announced that the tournament will be played during the winter season for the first time, due to extreme humidity and heat levels in the summer months in Doha.

Qatari authorities have vowed to host a Covid free World Cup by providing shots of the vaccine to international spectators flocking to the country. Those who are not vaccinated will not be allowed to attend the event.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, said the global sporting event will go ahead as planned despite the pandemic.

"We, in Qatar, are ready for this occasion," Sheikh Tamim said.