Qatar 90pc ready to host 2022 Fifa World Cup

Qatar says it is '90 percent' ready to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup with exactly two years to go until the start of the tournament's opening match.

This declaration was made Friday by Fatma Al Nuaimi, who is the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy's Executive Director of Communications.

She spoke at a Zoom meeting with selected journalists from around the world and further confirmed that three of the eight stadiums earmarked to host matches were ready.

These are the Khalifa International, Al Janoub, and Education city stadia.

The other facilities, namely Al Bayt stadium - that will host the opening game of this 32-nation tournament on November 21, 2022, plus the Al Rayyan, Al Thumana, Lusail, and Ras Aboud stadia are on course to be completed by mid-next year.

The construction work is being done by some 20,000 workers who now have to undergo temperature tests twice a day as a way of monitoring the workforce amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

"Qatar has already hosted two international competitions including the 27th edition of the Arabian Gulf Games, and the 16th edition of the Fifa Club World Cup to test its preparedness," Nuaimi explained.

The final game of the competition will be played on December 18, 2022.

The committee also predicts that all the matches in the tournament will be played in temperatures ranging between 18-24 degrees Celsius, which is 'ideal'.

"We are encouraged by the Covid-19 vaccination success, we hope to host as many football enthusiasts and visitors as possible."

Qatar is also rehabilitating the Doha rail metro, which when ready will lessen the burden of transporting passengers between the five cities of Doha, Lusail, Al Wakreh, and Al Rayyan that will host the matches.

The metro will operate 24 hours a day during the tournament with fares averaging $0.82, or about Sh90 a trip.

Qatar, with a population of about 3 million people, expects to host a million visitors during the sporting extravaganza, considered the most watch event in the world.

Highways and expressways are also under renovation.

"We were given 12 years to prepare for this tournament. So we have had all the time to be ready. And we will."

France are the tournament's defending champions, following their 4-2 win over Croatia at the 2018 World Cup final in Russia.

Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Ghana and Cameroon are the other big-name teams expected to grace the tournament.

Kenya's Harambee Stars are eyeing a first ever qualification to the World Cup ahead of the qualifying matches which are expected to commence in March next year.

Kenya, now coached by Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee are pooled alongside Uganda, Rwanda and Mali in the opening phase of the qualification matches and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa has severally promised that he was certain the team will play at this tournament.