Qatar is about to host the most expensive World Cup ever, costing as much as $300bn. Why has this small, gas-rich kingdom chosen to host football’s most prestigious event, and how does it fit into its broader plans for economic transformation?
00:00 - Why is Qatar hosting the World Cup?
00:57 - World Cups are expensive competitions
01:56 - Qatar’s human rights violations
02:36 - Qatar’s place in the Gulf
04:43 - Qatar distinguishes itself from its neighbours
05:50 - Qatar bids to host the World Cup
07:18 - Qatar’s neighbours issue a blockade
10:12 - What might happen after the World Cup?
Read our defence of Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup: https://econ.st/3XcOC5A
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Read more of our coverage on the Middle East & Africa: https://econ.st/3Xf0nsb
Is Qatar ready to host the World Cup?: https://econ.st/3UMnJDT
Should fans enjoy the World Cup?: https://econ.st/3hSE1gf
Qatar hosting the World Cup shows how football has changed: https://econ.st/3V5KO4n
India’s hospitality workers head to the World Cup: https://econ.st/3tDZHiC
Qatar’s neighbours hope for a hospitality boom: https://econ.st/3gfOSAa