2022 FIFA
WORLD CUP
IN QATAR
2022 FIFA WORLD CUP
It would be an understatement to claim that it is the edition of the most awaited football tournament that came through the other side of Dante’s Inferno. FIFA wanted to pioneer yet another revolutionary assignment when it made the announcement on Dec 02, 2010:
A) To send the competition to an Arab country for the first time
B) To play the games in winter as the temperatures during summer would not be permissive.
So, on the 21st of November 2022, the first 4 matches that will get things started, will be held. Already, all top-class betting houses of Asia and Europe have released their suggestions for the top 10 teams featuring France and Brazil, as the most likely candidates for the title at odds 6 to 1. FIFA also took another decision. This competition will be the last one to hold 32 teams. As of 2026, the number of participants will be 48.
The issues faced
The first obstacle came under the allegations of bribery of two FIFA Executive Committee officials and the kickback for broadcasting rights of 400 million dollars from the then Al Jazeera Network (now renamed to beIN Sports) to FIFA itself. A further 480 million were added to this amount by the government of Qatar.
The subject was investigated and the 350-page Garcia Report was submitted in June 2017. For legal reasons, only a redacted version of this report was released, and since there is still an investigation conducted by the Swiss police on the subject, the decision was made not to re-hold the vote that assigned the edition to Qatar.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic and for a period it was even discussed to postpone the tournament indefinitely. Entire qualification phases were indeed transferred to other dates and at this time there are still pending play-off games to determine which team will receive the remaining three tickets between Wales, Scotland, Ukraine, Peru, Australia, UAE, Costa Rica, and New Zealand. Those matches will be held in June 2022.
Some interesting facts on the organization
In the past there have been accusations that the power consumption required during such an event is literally an environmental bomb. All of the new stadiums that have been build will employ energy generation techniques solely solar powered and completely carbon neutral. The application will also be extended to peripheral venues like fan-zones, walkways, metro stations and training grounds.
A second very interesting fact has to do with the consumption of alcohol. It is well known that millions of tons of beverages are sold on each edition, especially beer. In Muslim countries like Qatar, it is completely forbidden to drink alcohol.
For the edition, there will be special allowance for the foreigners to enjoy their drinks in hotel bars, clubs and other similar establishments as long as they can present the necessary credentials.
In fact, there will be some new venues that will be developed solely for the use of the expected influx of tourists. A word to the wise for those that intend to travel to Qatar: only consume alcohol at the designated locations. The law is very strict if you are found drinking in any other place and you will serve a sentence.
All eight stadiums are in a radius no further than 46 miles from each other. Which makes commuting from one venue to the other quick, so that fans can actually be present in more than one matches per day.
A punter’s dream
All 64 matches are the subject of endless wagering and are regarded as the Holy Grail of the entire online betting industry. All of the seasoned professional punters, all of the experienced normal bettors, and even those that have not considered entering the world in the past will want to register for an account at the best betting platform. It is an exciting time for all football lovers. Please enjoy responsibly.