Qatar exports World Cup know-how as 2026 tournament approaches

With less than a month left until the 2026 FIFA World Cup, anticipation is building across the globe. For the first time in history, the tournament will stretch across three countries: the US, Canada and Mexico will host a record 104 matches featuring 48 teams. It will look very different from Qatar 2022, where fans from around the world gathered in the smallest country ever to host the World Cup.

Qatar's size allowed supporters to attend multiple matches in a single day, something many fans still remember fondly. While the 2026 tournament will be bigger in every sense, parts of Qatar’s World Cup hosting playbook are now making their way to North America. Under an agreement between FIFA and Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, staff and key stakeholders have been deployed from Qatar to host cities across the US and Canada to share their expertise in organising a World Cup. According to Supreme Committee CEO Jassim Al Jassim, experts have been working in North America since last month across several areas, including tournament operations, workforce readiness, fan engagement and technology. “This is just a continuation of our partnership with FIFA that is very well known,” Al Jassim said. “We're continuing hosting a lot of FIFA tournaments so that trust will be built and, you know, solidified as we go.” At the signing ceremony earlier this month, FIFA President Gianni Infantino applauded Qatar for their commitment and expertise, stating he can “certainly sleep well at night when he knows a tournament is being played here.” “We have seen the expertise that Qatar has built over the years in hosting world-class events, from its sporting facilities to hotels, airport, transportation, as well as human skills,” Infantino said. For many fans, Qatar 2022 remains one of the most memorable tournaments in recent history. Among them is Mohammad Mirza, a football superfan originally from Iran who attended multiple matches during the tournament. Covered in football pins and memorabilia, Mirza says the ease of movement and hospitality stood out most. And the stadiums were very close together,” he said. “In one day, you could watch two games. It was really the best World Cup.” He also recalled the warmth shown by local residents during the tournament.

Key points

• Qatar's size allowed supporters to attend multiple matches in a single day, something many fans still remember fondly.
• While the 2026 tournament will be bigger in every sense, parts of Qatar’s World Cup hosting playbook are now making their way to North America.
• Under an agreement between FIFA and Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, staff and key stakeholders have been deployed from Qatar to host cities across the US and Canada to share thei…
• According to Supreme Committee CEO Jassim Al Jassim, experts have been working in North America since last month across several areas, including tournament operations, workforce readiness, fan enga…
• “This is just a continuation of our partnership with FIFA that is very well known,” Al Jassim said.