QFA President: Qatar Welcomes Brothers and Friends in FIFA Arab Cup 2021

Doha, November 25 (QNA) - HE President of Qatar Football Association (QFA) Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani underlined that the State of Qatar looks forward to welcoming 22 Arab national teams and their fans in the FIFA Arab Cup 2021, and giving them the opportunity to be one of the select teams that will experience what Qatar has prepared to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. In press statements on Tuesday, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al-Thani said that the FIFA Arab Cup will give Qatar national team the chance to enhance their preparations ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, by going up against some of the best teams in the region. HE the QFA President underlined that fans from across the region will be treated to the same world-class experience that awaits fans from around the world when they flock to Qatar for the FIFA World Cup in 2022. "We welcome our friends from the Middle East and the Arab world to join us in what will be an important milestone and a final test of our preparations, only one year away from us hosting the first FIFA World Cup in the region," HE said. The tournament will be delivered by FIFA, the Qatar Football Association and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy. Seen as a vital opportunity to test operations and facilities ahead of Qatar 2022, the tournament will take place in the same timeslot as the FIFA World Cup. The finals of both the FIFA Arab Cup and FIFA World Cup will take place exactly one year apart - each on December 18, Qatar National Day. The 22 participating teams are: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. In June, Qatar Football Association and FIFA announced plans to organize a pan-Arab tournament in Doha, with the competition acting as a crucial preparatory event for the FIFA World Cup 2022, that kicks off on November 21, 2022. During a press conference earlier on Tuesday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed that 22 national teams from the Arab region have signed up to participate in the FIFA Arab Cup, which will be staged from December 1 to 18, 2021. Speaking during a visit to Lusail Stadium, which will host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final, the FIFA President expressed delight that all 22 teams from across the Arab world have agreed to take part in the FIFA Arab Cup 2021, which will be held in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums, looking forward to seeing the regions best teams battle it out to see which nation will become champion. "Through football, this tournament will unite over 450 million people from across the region, and we are confident that the FIFA Arab Cup will help to build excitement across the region as we edge ever nearer to hosting the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world in 2022," the FIFA President stated. (QNA)