Editor's Note.

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022(tm) was without question the most talked about recent international event. Qatar has made its mark in sports diplomacy at the global scale for hosting such an outstanding event that will go down in the history with its impact, branding, inclusive approach and developmental goals. The tournament held after four years has always remained the highlight of the global attention and gripping the world as football has been the most favorite game of 90 per cent of the planet. For the inauguration ceremony, dignitaries from across the world participate and there is a star studded event. This was the same for the Qatar as the country made its outstanding presentation at the inaugural event. As being the first country in the Arab world hosting this important event, Qatar has made its mark by offering the inclusivity and projection of its culture, values and insights with a blend of modernity. The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022(tm) was held over 29 days at 8 state-of-the-art stadiums, with the farthest distance between two stadiums no more than 75kms. The compact nature of Qatar 2022 allowed fans and players alike to remain in one place of accommodation throughout the tournament, creating a true carnival experience. It is estimated that over more than 1.4 million fans from across the world visited Qatar during the FIFA World Cup.

With Argentina winning the world, there were more than 530,000 people attended the entertainment events daily throughout the tournament. All eight of Qatar's state-of-the-art stadiums are located within an hour's journey time of central Doha and easily accessible by metro, bus and taxi services. Qatar has delivered a groundbreaking edition of the tournament. As well as being the first FIFA World Cup in the region, Qatar 2022 is also the most compact edition of the event in modern history, allowing fans to attend more than one match a day. It has also delivered numerous legacy programs related to human, social, economic and environmental projects. The World Cup also highlighted Qatar's diplomatic intermediary position. Before the tournament, President Biden referred to Qatar as a "major non-NATO ally," and the American diplomats had started to count on it to conduct communications on several ongoing international conflicts. It was an illustration of how sports and politics frequently intersect. Since the World Cup started on November 20, global dignitaries and...

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