CAIRO - Egyptians were delighted when Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 World Cup. It's great that the smallest country in the Middle East in terms of population has been given this opportunity to show the world what the Arabs are made of. "Qatar's bid was very professionally organised," says Samir Zaher, the Chairman of the Egyptian Football Association (EFA). The Middle East has never before hosted a major global sporting event. “Our Qatari brothers prepared their bid very well and they are capable of doing something great, not just for themselves, but for all the Arabs," stresses Zaher. Qatar will be the first Arab and Muslim country to host the World Cup. In the bidding, they thumped the competition from the United States, Australia, South Korea and Japan. Zaher says that the Egyptian friendly against Qatar on the 16th of this month will be a great game and a great chance to celebrate our brothers' achievement. “We will support them, we are all with Qatar in this event,” he explains. EFA set up the friendly between Egypt and Qatar, one day after the cancellation of the Pharaohs' clash against Jordan, that was supposed to be held in Jordan on the same date. The African champions have moved back into the global top 10 in FIFA's latest rankings, while Qatar are ranked number 113. "I hope that all the Arab football federation chiefs will attend this game in order to celebrate with Qatar,” Zaher adds. FIFA's President Sepp Blatter, who visited Qatar last April, endorsed the first-ever bid by a country in the region to host World Cup. "The Arabs deserve a World Cup. They have 22 countries and have never had an opportunity to organise the tournament," he said, after touring Qatar last April. Hani Abu Reda, a FIFA Executive Committee member, a member of the CAF Executive Committee and EFA's Vice-Chairman, praised the Qatari side, pointing out that Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak encouraged him to support the Qatari bid. "I am really delighted with this emphatic victory. The Arabs deserve this," he comments. Tiny Qatar, with an area of about 11,400 square kilometres (4,400 square miles) is smaller than the Pacific Island of Vanuatu and the US State of Connecticut. Hassan Shehata, the technical coach of the Egyptian team, is also delighted, pointing out that the Egyptian-Qatari game will be a good, but tough workout for his side. "I think that the game has become more significant, now that Qatar has won the bid to host the 2022 World Cup," he says. Shehata, who has led the Pharaohs to three successive titles at the African Cup of Nations in 2006, 2008 and 2010, adds that the Qatari win hasn't just come out of the blue. "They prepared well for a long time, having organised many big events, such as the Asian Games in 2006 and more than 30 championships," he explains. Qatar, a major oil producer and enormously rich in gas reserves, but with a population of just 1.7 million, has emerged in recent years as a major host of international sports and cultural events. Expatriates, many of them European, comprise about 80 per cent of Qatar's 1.7 million residents. Hani Ramzi, the technical coach of the Egyptian Olympic team, agrees with Shehata, adding that Qatar's victory shows that nothing is impossible. "The Qatari officials have proved that they have what it takes to organise this huge event. This is reflected in the good arrangements with other countries to ensure their support," Ramzi stresses. The ex-Egyptian international defender adds that persistence and determination are key to Qatar's success. Hossam el-Badri, Ahly's ex-coach, has praised the Qataris for the way they presented their bid, saying "they know what they're doing". "They have a goal and they have achieved it. We should learn from them,” comments el-Badri, explaining that they planned their bid in a scientific way, exploiting their huge wealth and their global contacts. Egypt's captain Ahmed Hassan is also very happy for Qatar."Although they have faced some difficulties, such as temperatures that soar to above 50 degrees Celsius, they have convinced FIFA that they can overcome such obstacles," Hassan stresses. Egypt and Al-Ahly star Mohamed Abu Treika agrees. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar and the head of Qatari delegation in Switzerland, along with his wife Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser al-Masnad, gave FIFA his personal assurance in his presentation that the emirate can handle the big event. "I promise that the sports facilities will be the very best, the pride of all Arabs," Sheikh Hamad said at the presentation for the Qatari bid last week. "We started off being written off, being the unconventional bid. And no-one thought we had a chance of winning. On behalf of millions of people living in the Middle East, thank-you FIFA for having such a bold vision," said Qatar 2022 bid's President Mohamed bin Hamad al-Thani, after his country was awarded the right to host the 2022 World Cup. Ahly's player Mohamed Barakat is also very happy, adding that every Arab should be proud of what Qatar has achieved. "I'm glad that Qatar took the initiative as they have put all the Arabs in the driving seat after winning the bid," Barakat continues. Arab fans were out on the streets last Thursday, celebrating the victory of an Arab country. "Finally something joyous has happened. Finally something happy has happened to us," said Amm Mohamed Sayyed, dressed in a galabia, speaking for all Arabs. "I can't describe my feelings," said 55-year-old Mohamed bin Ali al-Fayyed, a Qatari citizen who was in Cairo last Thursday, walking round the street of Mohandiseen, carrying the Qatari flag. "This is one of the happiest days for me in a very long time.” "All of us Arabs are happy. Congratulations to our brothers in Qatar. We will support them," Wael Mohamed, 26, an accountant at a private hospital in Cairo, told the Egyptian Mail. Qatar, under the proposals submitted to FIFA, will renovate three stadiums and build nine new ones, with the 12 stadiums divided among seven host cities. The total cost of the construction and renovation will be around $3 billion, the bid estimates. It submitted a budget of $645.5 million to run the Confederations Cup in 2021 and the World Cup the following year. It projects total ticket sales of 2,869,000. Qatar hosted the Asian Games in 2006, and will host the AFC Asian Cup, which will take place on January 7-29 next year.
