Seven years from now, when the Qatari national anthem will ring around the 80,000-seater Lusail Stadium, one man will feel the goosebumps with particular intensity. Nasser al-Khater, Assistant Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), has been there for the entire journey. From the early days of Qatar’s ground-breaking 2022 Bid Committee, to the present day where he continues to be one of the key figures in bringing the tournament to life. It’s a journey that still has a lot of miles left, but al-Khater looks as excited today as he was when Qatar won the 2022 bid.
In an interview to www.sc.qa, he reflects on his journey and amazing experience so far. Excerpts...

With exactly seven years remaining for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar to kick off, what is the current state of progress on the stadium construction sites?
Great progress has been made so far. Since winning the bid in 2010, incredible amounts of work have gone in. We have planned, strategised and put together a strong team, currently over 420, working in the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC).
A lot of people look at stadiums as a sign of progress. We do agree that stadiums are the largest chunks of work that the SC has undertaken. However, it is important to understand that a lot of other work has taken place. To host a World Cup many organisations need to work together delivering on a national vision and political will of staging the best World Cup ever.
Coming specifically to stadiums, we are pleased about where we are seven years from kick-off, with six stadiums including the final venue under construction and the first one—Khalifa International Stadium—set for completion by the end of next year. Locally and internationally, stadiums are the thermometer for measuring progress as the most visible signs.
But a lot of work has happened in other sectors as well. The transport ministry is working diligently to make sure infrastructure requirements are in place for the World Cup. Our partners Qatar Rail are delivering on the rail infrastructure. Lots of work has been undertaken by the public works authority. Kahramaa, the water and electricity authority, is putting in a lot of work. We are very pleased with the progress.

With the digital age there is a transformation in how fans consume football. How are you targeting a next generation fan experience in 2022?
We initiated a project over a year ago, which we have internally called the Hosting Concept. As part of this, we look at our target audiences and charts out their journeys even before they get on an airplane to Qatar. We want to start influencing their experiences before they get on the plane. We want to anticipate the feelings and emotions we want them to feel when they get to Qatar. It is about mapping out their experiences from their arrival at Hamad International Airport, to the transportation to their accommodation and from there to inside and outside the stadiums. We are mapping out that journey for all the audiences—FIFA officials, players, media and fans—and we want to make sure we optimise their experiences.
Has this been undertaken before in any previous World Cup?
I cannot speak for other World Cups. However, what I can say is that this will be the most compact World Cup ever and we’ll make sure it will be the most connected as well. People will have everything at their fingertips—tournament, transportation and entertainment. We want to integrate everything into one smart tournament.

Qatar 2022 comes with a lot of firsts—the timing, sustainability elements, technological innovations such as modular stadiums and cooling technology. But what are the operational challenges arising out of delivering such a ground-breaking tournament and how confident are you of meeting these challenges?
All big tasks come with challenges. The compact nature of the tournament comes with advantages but also gives rise to challenges. We need to maximise the positives and mitigate the challenges. When we won the bid in 2010, we felt 12 years is good enough time to prepare. But we are aware that we do not have extensive time to work at a leisurely pace. Hence work is progressing at a rapid pace even now with seven years still remaining. We are preparing for the World Cup simultaneously with a country building its infrastructure in accordance with a national plan and this puts a lot of stress on infrastructure whether it be human or ports. A lot of stress is felt by people living in Qatar on a day-to-day basis, and all this is related to building the national infrastructure and preparing for the World Cup.
 
This is the first World Cup ever in the Middle East and only the second in Asia. Which are the
regional and Asian countries you are targeting during the lead up to 2022 and why?
Asia is passionate about football. It is true that South America and Europe have a bigger presence in the World Cup. However, if neighbouring countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia qualify for the tournament it will greatly enhance the experience. There is great passion for football in both the countries which are in close geographical proximity of Qatar. Saudi Arabia is even connected through land. Turkey is another country which can enhance the flavour. It is only four hours by flight from Doha. The first time they qualified for the World Cup in 2002 they put on a fantastic show and clinched third place. We hope the Asian World Cup will also be a good one for them. A huge portion of people visiting Qatar in 2022 will be from the Middle East, other Asian countries and Turkey.

Seven years is a long time and many technological innovations are bound to happen between now and 2022. How are you keeping pace with that development?
We are making sure that we are keeping pace with the latest technology in terms of the broadcast and various other platforms which fans use to engage with football action. We are going to make sure we’ll visit all major tournaments between now and 2022 so that we are at the cutting edge and deliver the most technologically advanced World Cup.

We are talking at a time when the SC's Community Engagement Roadshow has started in Qatar. How important is this message of inclusivity for you?
This World Cup represents the Middle East and therefore the tournament will reflect the flavour of the Middle Eastern culture and traditions. As such it will reflect Qatar, which has people from so many nationalities including from most other countries of the Middle East. It is important to reflect that inclusivity from now at an early stage in the lead up to the World Cup. It is important to engage with the different communities in Qatar and inform them about the progress of the various programmes, not merely about stadium delivery. We are reaching out to the community to keep them informed and to build on our database of volunteers. The roadshow is to reflect on what we are doing and to enlist the support of the people of Qatar.

Some critics claim that Qatar has no football culture. How do you answer these critics now and going forward?
I would first question if these people have been to Qatar. Secondly, I would encourage them to watch some national team games or even some big Qatar Stars League matches here. That will answer their doubts. The whole region is passionate about football, not just Qatar. A lot of effort is being put in by the Qatar Football Association, and by the Aspire Academy in youth development. The results are showing—the skills are improving and as excitement builds the passion is going to swell.
 
Do you think the fans of Al Rayyan coming to the stadium in big
numbers is a reflection of this growing passion?
Al Rayyan arguably has the biggest fan base among all QSL clubs. Al Arabi also has one of the biggest. There is competition between them as to who has a better fan base. The fact that these clubs are playing well in the league this year and doing a lot of things to engage with the fans has really increased the passion and following in the league this year. It has created a competition with other clubs trying to match them thereby giving rise to a different atmosphere this year in the league.
 
Finally, what emotions will you personally bring to the opening ceremony and kick-off of the inaugural game involving Qatar at the Lusail Stadium seven years from now?
I cannot imagine what the feelings are going to be like. It is going to be the culmination of a journey, looking back and self-reflection. I can’t put it in words as the feelings would be something I have never experienced before. Maybe we’ll talk about this again in 2022.