Doha, Qatar: The impact of the historic FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was one of the highlights of this year’s MISK Global Forum 2024, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from September 18-19. Coinciding with the tournament’s two year anniversary, Qatar 2022 CEO Nasser Al Khater took to the stage to reflect on the success of Qatar 2022 and the impact it had on the youth of the Arab world. The discussion saw Al Khater and Hammad Albalawi, Head of the Saudi 2034 World Cup Bid Unit, engage in a fireside chat to highlight the role of mega sporting events in driving positive change in the Middle East and Arab World.
Al Khater spoke about the importance of youth at every stage of Qatar 2022, from planning and execution to post-event initiatives. He praised the thousands of young volunteers, professionals, and entrepreneurs from across the Arab world who contributed to the event’s success, creating pathways for young people in sports management, technology, hospitality, and cultural diplomacy. He said: “The World Cup was such an important moment for Qatar.
It was more than just an event, it was a matter of national pride for our country and our region. The opportunity to deliver this tournament was inspirational for a young team and organisation that grew into the challenge. We hope it inspires the next generation of people in our region who want to achieve what others say is impossible.
” Two years after welcoming 1.4m visitors to Qatar for the tournament, the legacy of 2022 continue.