Staff Reporter
New York: The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), represented by Managing Director Hassan Al Thawadi, participated in a high-level reception at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York to mark World Football Day, highlighting the enduring legacy of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as global attention shifts toward the tournament’s next edition.
Hosted by the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the UN under the theme “From FIFA World Cup 2022 to FIFA World Cup 2026: A Legacy in Motion,” the reception examined the significance of Qatar 2022 and the impact of its legacy on preparations for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer.
Addressing attendees, Al Thawadi described Qatar 2022 as a defining moment not only for Qatar but for the wider Arab world and Middle East.
“For the Arab world and the Middle East, Qatar 2022 was a moment of pride that belonged to far more than one country. It proved that a region too often defined by others could host the world on its own terms with warmth, excellence and a story worth telling,” he said.
Al Thawadi stressed that the tournament was designed to create a lasting legacy beyond the competition itself, noting that the ambition from the outset was to establish enduring infrastructure, expertise and stronger global connections.
“We never intended the tournament to be a moment in isolation. From the day we won the bid, our ambition was to build something that would outlast the final whistle — in infrastructure, in expertise, and in the connections forged between people. Today, we see that ambition come to fruition as the lessons learned in Doha continue to shape how the world delivers its greatest sporting experiences,” he added.
The SC and FIFA recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at transferring knowledge and expertise to support preparations for the 2026 World Cup. Under the agreement, a dedicated team of SC specialists from Qatar has been deployed to several host cities in the United States and Canada to share expertise across multiple operational areas.
In parallel, a second group of SC staff and stakeholders is participating in an observation programme designed to deepen understanding of delivering complex cross-border mega sporting events.
As the first FIFA World Cup staged in the Middle East and Arab world, Qatar 2022 established new benchmarks in innovation, operational efficiency and fan experience through a compact and sustainability-focused hosting model that has since informed the delivery of major sporting events globally.
Qatar has continued to build on that momentum by hosting major international sporting events, including the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023. In 2025, the country hosted the finals of three FIFA competitions within three weeks — the first 48-team FIFA U-17 World Cup, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the FIFA Arab Cup.
Later this year, Qatar will once again welcome teams and fans from around the world when it stages the second of five consecutive editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup from November 19 to December 13.
