The FIFA World Cup is arguably the most popular sporting tournament worldwide. In 2022, the event is scheduled for Qatar, with a total of 32 teams going for the ultimate price. An interesting fact about this year’s tournament is that it is the first to be held in the Middle East. The whole region is excited, especially Qatari citizens looking forward to a fruitful encounter as they host fans from all parts of the world. There are more crazy facts about the 2022 FIFA World Cup, as you will see in the discussion below:
- First-ever winter World Cup
When you consider this tournament from the northern hemisphere, it is regarded as the only World Cup that was held during winter. In most cases, the tournaments are always scheduled to happen mid-year, but Qatar was special. The simple reason is that during the summer, Qatar experiences abnormally high temperatures that could go as high as 50 degrees Celsius. It would be impossible to have the tournament in such extreme conditions. The organizers decided to move it towards the end of the year when conditions in the Middle East are favourable.
- The most expensive
It is crazy how much Qatar spent preparing for the upcoming tournament. It is estimated that the country has used a whole $200 billion to build stadiums, hotels, highways, and other forms of infrastructure. No country has ever spent this much on World Cup preparations. Qatar is an oil-rich country with massive resources. The Qatari government decided to give the world a show when they won the hosting rights.
- The fewest stadiums
Qatar is a relatively small country of 11 500 square kilometers with just about 3 million people. Due to limited space, the country decided to build only 8 stadiums. It is quite surprising because this is the lowest number in the tournament’s recent history. Only one stadium was upgraded, but the rest were constructed from scratch. Argentina hosted the World Cup in 1978 with only 6 stadiums. However, you cannot compare this period with the modern era, where football has grown significantly in terms of fanatism and attendance.
- Record number of visitors
The FIFA 2022 World Cup tournament has attracted a huge number of fans who will attend in millions to watch a total of 64 games. The country expects to sell out over 3 million tickets. Qatar is also a beautiful tourist destination with multiple sites and hotels. The excitement has also attracted a huge pool of punters who will be wagering on the best football betting sites offering World Cup odds. These betting sites are also loaded with massive bonuses for players who will visit, especially during the world cup period. Qatar ranks among the most accessible countries in the Middle East because of its geographic location.
- Air-Conditioned Stadiums
Qatar receives very uncomfortable high temperatures regardless of the season. The country was however determined to give a memorable World Cup experience to fans and players, therefore, came up with a workable solution. Qatar installed a record as the only country to host a World Cup with air-conditioned stadiums. Every venue will now be fully air-conditioned to provide perfect conditions for players and fans.
- The most commutable
Qatar can only be likened to a region in Russia, the last World Cup host in 2018. Due to its small size, it is very easy to commute from one venue to another. Host cities like Doha, Al Rayyan, and Lusail are very close. Fans are expected to spend very little time and money accessing their areas of accommodation, entertainment areas and stadiums. You will be surprised that the Al Wakrah and Al Bayt venues are the most remote yet only 90 miles apart.