ASTANA, October 13. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani success in the organization of the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup.
"You do know that we do everything in terms of sharing our experience in the preparations for the World Cup," Putin said at a meeting in Astana with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. "We just had an opportunity to speak about it."
"I want to wish you success in the organization of this major event. I am sure that it will be a great success," the Russian president added.
President Putin also thanked Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani for the organization of a Fan-Zone for Russian football fans in Qatar during the major global quadrennial football event.
"I want to thank you for the organization and a provision of a Fan-Zone for Russian football fans," Putin said.
Russia hosted its first-ever FIFA World Cup in 2018, which kicked off in Moscow with a remarkable opening show at Luzhniki Stadium on the evening of June 14, 2018 and ended on July 15 with a spectacular final match, also played at Luzhniki Stadium, where France boldly defeated Croatia 4-2 to win the much-coveted World Cup Trophy. The championship was organized at 12 stadiums in 11 cities across Russia, namely in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Saransk, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg and Samara.
On July 15, 2018, during the official ceremony in Kremlin, Putin passed the baton of the FIFA World Cup’s host country to Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in the presence of FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
On February 28 this year, the press office of the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) announced that the Russian national team and all professional clubs representing the country were barred from taking part in FIFA tournaments, including the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
2022 FIFA World Cup
Qatar is set to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup between November 20 and December 18 at eight stadiums in five cities across the country, namely in Doha, Lusail, Al Wakrah, Al Khor and Al Rayyan.
Qatar won the right to host the matches of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on December 2, 2010.
In March 2015, FIFA officially announced that the 22nd edition of FIFA’s flagship event would be played in November and December 2022, with the final match set for December 18, 2022, coinciding with - Qatar National Day. The objective, in principle, was to hold the tournament over 28 days.