2022 FIFA World Cup: Controlling football fans in Qatar’s capital will be biggest security challenge

World football governing body, FIFA believes that controlling hundreds of thousands of football fans in Qatar’s capital will be the biggest security challenge of 2022 World Cup.

The global showpiece is scheduled to take place in Qatar from 21 November to 18 December 2022. This will be the first World Cup ever to be held in the Arab world,

Unlike previous World Cups, where only two teams and their supporters would generally converge on one city at any given time, all the games will take place in and around Doha. The most geographically compact World Cup therefore represents the tournament’s biggest “challenge”, FIFA security director Helmut Spahn told a security conference for the tournament in Doha.

“You have to manage that,” “But we can create history and I am pretty sure that we will manage it.” Spahn said.

Major General Abdulaziz Al-Ansari, head of Qatar’s World Cup security operation, also acknowledged that the numbers were the main concern.

“But we are very much confident that we have reviewed this over and over again,” “Of course there are going to be challenges, but the challenge is going to be part of the enjoyment.” Ansari noted.

Qatar has predicted that 1.4 million people will visit during the 28 day tournament with “approximately 350 000” attendees in Doha at the same time.