Tag Archives: Qatar

Lausanne, Switzerland | AFP | The 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be played with 32 teams after a proposed expansion of the tournament to 48 sides was scrapped, FIFA announced on Wednesday. World football’s governing body said in a statement that “following a thorough and comprehensive consultation process with the …

Doha, Qatar | AFP | Abdulla Sager al-Khori has little doubt about the significance of a luxury watch when it comes to fashion — and making a statement — even in the thick of Qatar’s diplomatic crisis. “Because we have the traditional dress the only thing we can use as an …

Doha, Qatar | AFP | Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani admitted Monday that Qatar’s inclusion among teams in this year’s Copa America was a “surprise” but backed the Gulf state’s first ever tournament appearance. The 31-year-old, who plays for Qatari-owned French champions Paris Saint-Germain, said allowing the World Cup 2022 host in to South America’s biggest international …

Doha, Qatar | AFP | England’s women football team will hold a winter training camp in World Cup 2022 host Qatar this month, officials in the Gulf and the English Football Association confirmed on Monday. The team will train at Doha’s Aspire Zone from January 14-22, said officials in Qatar, …

Doha, Qatar | AFP | Novak Djokovic was surprisingly defeated in Doha on Friday, beaten in the Qatar Open semi-final by world number 24, Roberto Bautista Agut, 6-3, 6-7 (8/6), 6-4. The Serb fell to his first defeat of the season in a high-quality contest lasting more than two-and-a-half hours, …

Doha, Qatar | AFP | World number one Novak Djokovic won another gruelling battle in Doha on Thursday to continue his unbeaten start to the year and progress to the Qatar Open semi-finals. The Serb came from a set down, just like in his previous match, to beat Georgia’s Nikoloz …

Doha, Qatar | AFP | World Cup 2022 host Qatar is to introduce a 100 percent tax on alcohol from January 1, a government official confirmed on Monday. The “sin” tax is being introduced just weeks after the conservative Muslim Gulf state announced in its annual budget statement that it …

Doha, Qatar | AFP |  World Cup matches in Qatar could kick-off as early as 1000 GMT if it holds four games a day during the 2022 tournament group stage, organisers confirmed Tuesday. The other three games would start at 1300, 1600 and 1900 GMT, Nasser al-Khater, assistant secretary general …

Doha, Qatar | AFP | Qatar is to leave OPEC next month in order for the Gulf state to focus on gas production, Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi announced on Monday. “Qatar has decided to withdraw its membership from OPEC effective January 2019,” Kaabi said at a Doha press conference. He …

Doha, Qatar | AFP | FIFA president Gianni Infantino has warned Qatar that the first World Cup in the Middle East – which begins in four years on November 21 – has to be better than Russia. “The Russian World Cup was the best ever, and the World Cup in …