Qatar

2018 FIFA World Cup: Zealand-Qatar Considers 2022 World Cup Changes to Moscow experience

Doha's venue for a scheduled fans' festival must be altered after the Qatar organisers observe the mass flow during the World Cup in the Russia's capitol, said Nasser Al Khater, the organisation's 2022 vice-president. "We have seen in Moscow, which has two stadia, that a town can be very quickly overpowered by a large crowd," he said.

"That is something we must take into account, and that is something we must consider going back to Qatar. "The Qatarian organisers have now realised that their intended site is in the "wrong place" and "would stand in the way of the free movement of people", Al Khater said in a round of interviews with Moscow's leading global press.

There will be four stadia in the Qatar capitol. Fanfest was scheduled in Al Bidda Park near the main harbor boardwalk. Qataris followed the World Cup in Russia with about 100 participants and were struck by the "impeccable" team. "They will give us a run for our bucks, it will be a high benchmark to beat," said Al Khater.

Though Moscow's centre has had a World Cup celebration ambience, the greatness of the town means that "one could be near Moscow and not even notice that a World Cup is taking place," said Al Khater. By contrast, Qatar will be "a World Cup" and the World Cup will "be present everywhere".

"I think the fact that you will have supporters of 32 clubs in one town will be electrifying," he said. It' s not clear whether Qatar will emulate the Russian operating Fan-ID system.

He was skeptical at first, Al Khater said, pointing out that the Russian people used the ID as a Russian visas, while Qatar has a 90 country entry visas. "Obviously, it is a plattform used by various law enforcers around the globe. "So let us look at the ID to make sure we know who's coming to Qatar.

" Though there have been some appeals to move forward the World Cup upgrade from 32 to 48 clubs, as will be done in 2026, Al Khater said Qatar are plotting a 32-team game. Qatar is scheduled for November and December, not the typical summers of Europe.

"So I can't tell you if Qatar (with 48 teams) will manage," he said. When we look at the World Cup here in Russia, I wonder where are the Europeans? Every fan here comes from South America.

"I' m not sure where the people of Europe are, I' m not sure it will be the same when Qatar comes."