SC: Projects of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Are Almost Ready

Doha, December 1 (QNA) - Chairman of the Operations Office and Vice Chairman of the Technical Delivery Office, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), Eng. Yasir Al Jamal said that the infrastructure, projects and stadiums of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 are almost ready, and that the SC has now moved to the phase of focusing on operational readiness, especially with regard to accommodation, transport, transportation, hospitality services, waste management services, and others. Speaking at a press conference held at the SC's headquarters Tuesday, Al Jamal said that the SC has so far completed almost 90 percent of the infrastructure, projects and stadiums for the World Cup, as only three stadiums remain under construction: Al-Thumama, Lusail, and Ras Abu Aboud, and they will be completed by the end of the third quarter of 2021. They will be used in a number of tournaments that Doha will host in order to determine their readiness before the World Cup, he said. He added that the SC has moved from the infrastructure phase to the phase of focusing on the event's operational readiness, especially with regard to accommodation, transportation, hospitality services, waste management services and others, considering that these matters have become the concern of the SC with all government agencies in order to complete them as soon as possible. Al Jamal explained that the SC has professional committees and plans in place as well as protocols for all the tournament projects regarding the operational process, adding that these plans are implemented and activated on the ground in the events hosted by Qatar from now until the World Cup, including the final of HH the Amir Cup which will be between Al Sadd and Al Arabi on Friday during the opening ceremony of Al-Rayyan Stadium, the fourth World Cup Qatar 2022 stadium. The Chairman of the Operations Office and Vice Chairman of the Technical Delivery Office said that the Arab Cup, scheduled for December 2021, will be the most important event that Qatar will host during the coming period and will help in identifying the readiness of the operational plans to host the World Cup, and then make changes to these plans before the tournament kicks off. He said that the Arab Cup will be a mini-tournament and a real rehearsal before the 2022 World Cup for the team preparing for the World Cup, especially as it is the same team that prepares for the Arab Cup now. It will also be a real test for the facilities, stadiums and plans in place, he said, revealing that the committee will announce the schedule of matches as well as the stadiums that will host the matches at the beginning of next year. Holding the final of HH the Amir Cup on Friday at the opening of Al-Rayyan Stadium comes within the operational tests of the World Cup facilities until the highest level in terms of readiness during the World Cup finals is attained, Al Jamal said, pointing out that if the committee had not sought to test and operate all stadiums, full readiness before the World Cup will not be reached. After hosting the final of HH the Amir Cup, Al-Rayyan Stadium will host FIFA Club World Cup matches in February 2021, followed by the Qatari League matches as well as the Arab Cup matches next year, he said, revealing that all work has been completed in Al-Bayt Stadium, and what is remaining is only the occasion during which it will be opened. The stadium can accommodate 60,000 fans, and it will host the opening of the World Cup, he said. Chairman of the Operations Office and Vice Chairman of the Technical Delivery Office, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), Eng. Yasir Al Jamal said that the challenges that faced the preparations of Qatar 2022 during the current year due to the coronavirus pandemic affected the progress of work at the beginning, however, the SC managed to reach a mechanism that largely preserved the safety of workers, after taking precautions and health measures in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health and the SC Workers' Welfare team. He added that the emergency plans in the World Cup projects have proved useful, and helped bringing all projects back on track to be completed according to the planned schedule. Al Jamal believed that the coronavirus pandemic had a major role in Qatar's hosting of the Asian Champions League and the final match due next Saturday, noting that Qatar is the only country that hosted such big competitions with the participation of about 16 teams in each region, after implementing health procedures and measures in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health. He said that the SC used this novel pandemic to experiment its abilities to address urgent situations in the future in case they happen during the 2022 World Cup. On the other hand, Al Jamal revealed that the Amir Cup final will see the application of a special health protocol that has not been applied in any global sporting events that took place during the coronavirus period so far. All fans will be tested through three areas allocated for conducting the tests at Al Arabi Club, Al Sadd Club and the Exhibition Center. In addition, social distancing has been taken into account in the distribution of seats inside the stadium. He added that the SC, after coordination with the Ministry of Public Health and Qatar Football Association and after setting this special health protocol, raised the number of fans for the final match from 30% to 50%. Meanwhile, Al Jamal said that one of the most important pillars in organizing the World Cup is the provision of appropriate housing for the fans, noting that the SC does not fully envision the sufficient number of housing, therefore it worked to provide innovative solutions by providing hotels and hotel apartments, which are available in Doha in addition to those under construction. The SC also world to provide floating hotels after it signed an agreement with an Italian company to provide two ships in Doha Port to be used as floating hotels, giving a unique experience to the masses; in addition to the fan villages which will be used later by the National Tourism Council, and finally the project of accommodations for visitors to Qatar during the World Cup, in cooperation with the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labor and Social Affairs, which will be used for government housing after the World Cup. Al Jamal revealed that the SC will launch next year a special platform for renting rooms and hotels for those wishing to book during the World Cup in Qatar, noting that the Committee is following in a distinctive way on the plans put in place to reach operational readiness as soon as possible. (QNA)