00:00It has been one year since the 2023 Asian Cup kicked off in Qatar.
00:05The country hosted a second major tournament after the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
00:10Now that the dust has settled, what legacy do these events leave behind?
00:14And what lies ahead for football in the Gulf states?
00:22Hello there and welcome to Football Now.
00:24Twelve months ago, the Qatar national football team set out here on home soil to defend their crown as Asian champions.
00:32The country once again delivered a fantastic festival of football for the 18th edition of the Games,
00:38just 12 months after hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
00:43On this week's episode of the show, we're going to take a look back at the combined success of those two tournaments,
00:48as well as understand the vision behind Qatar becoming a sporting nation.
00:53I think we've created a new sort of standard and benchmark for mega sporting events and hosting.
00:58I mean, it was a very different experience, obviously from a fan perspective, but also for the teams.
01:02You know, the teams were staying in one hotel. They weren't really moving. There were no flight or train travel.
01:06It was just literally a 20 minute bus ride to the stadium, to the camp and back to the hotel.
01:10I think this is just the beginning. And we have the National Vision 2030.
01:13We have other mega sporting events that we're bidding for down the line.
01:16I think everything started from 2006. The Asian Games was the beginning.
01:19But since then, we've hosted so many international tournaments across all sports.
01:23And so I think, you know, there is that kind of infrastructure now.
01:25There is that capacity. There's that expertise that exists locally that can be tapped into at any given time to host anything, any tournament.
01:32A key part of the legacy these tournaments leave behind is the family friendly environment and atmospheres created when going to the matches.
01:40Here in Qatar, many fans got to experience the local culture and meet fans from other countries, maybe for the very first time.
01:50It's really been nice and respectful. You know, Qatar is a safe country anyways, and it's been really nice and welcoming for all of us.
01:59I enjoyed it a lot. At the World Cup time, my son is only six months old.
02:04So we saw three or more matches with him with no issues, no issues, nothing.
02:10They organize it in a way where you don't feel stressed when attending a game.
02:14You feel like everything's already put in place for you and you just follow. And I love that.
02:18The games were so much more like accessible for families and and women in general, and it felt like a safer environment.
02:24I feel like especially with the crowds, you know, everyone is so much more welcoming and everyone really cheers on one another.
02:31And I feel like when you're watching the games, like we're all watching, we're all connecting on one love, which is the sport.
02:36So I think it's really nice to see diversity, not just in men and women, but in all ethnicities.
02:40In the UK, I think it's just too rowdy and too overwhelming. You don't feel comfortable here.
02:45You know, so safe and welcome. They've set the bar so high. They've done an amazing job with it.
02:50The development of Qatar's footballing infrastructure since securing the right to host the World Cup in 2010 has been almost miraculous.
02:58Seven brand new football stadiums were built for the tournaments and are still being used now.
03:03In December 2024, La Salle Stadium hosted one of the world's most iconic football clubs, Real Madrid, in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
03:12It goes to show that the world-class facilities will attract the powerhouses of global football for years to come.
03:18So we're back at the iconic La Salle Stadium.
03:20Two years ago, Lionel Messi lifted the FIFA World Cup for Argentina, which was arguably the best World Cup ever.
03:27And now we're back here hosting the final of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup with big teams like Real Madrid and also the FIFA Arab Cup,
03:34which just shows the legacy that Qatar has carried on since the World Cup.
03:38Qatar is definitely getting the recognition around the world.
03:41Having the best stadiums and the best infrastructure just shows that Qatar is the sports hub for mega events.
03:47Let's take a look into the future now and what else is on the horizon for Qatar.
03:52Starting from 2025, the country will host the next five editions of the Under-17s World Cup.
03:58It's a commitment that shows just how serious Qatar is about giving young players the opportunity to thrive
04:04and playing their part in the development of the next group of world-class footballers.
04:09Hosting these such, especially Under-17s, it will give the chance for the young generation to feel and get the feeling of playing in a World Cup.
04:17It's a part of the strategy of developing the new grassroots in Qatar, giving the chance for these players to live the experience,
04:22to see a young player competing in such a tournament. It's a good chance for them.
04:26Also hosting the big tournament, hosting iconic players, giving them the chance to see a high-level and high-quality football,
04:32I think this will motivate them and improve, again, the skills, the lifestyle that they have.
04:37The presence of the Arab world in global football is certainly here to stay.
04:41Morocco are the joint hosts of the 2030 World Cup and could even host a final.
04:46Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia were recently awarded the exclusive rights to host the 2034 edition.
04:53From a World Cup perspective, this has certainly been helped by the success of an iconic tournament hosted here in Qatar back in 2022.
05:01It means a lot to us. We were very proud and very happy when Morocco was able to win the rights to host the World Cup alongside, of course, Portugal and Spain.
05:10And we were very supportive and excited when we knew Saudi also bid for the following edition of that World Cup.
05:16We look into the World Cup in Qatar, it really was a platform to build bridges, to educate the world about our region, about our culture, about our traditions,
05:25and to change the general perception about the region and really grow football globally.
05:30We are playing a big role in that and I really look forward to having very strong teams competing in all competitions.
05:36The future of football in Qatar and across the Middle East is certainly looking very bright.
05:41Let us know your favourite memories from the World Cup and Asian Cup using the hashtag FootballNowQatarLegacy.
05:48That's all we've got time for though here from the Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar. We'll see you next time. Bye for now.
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