MOSCOW: The Russian president Vladimir Putin on Sunday offered to give 2022 FIFA World Cup host Qatar the opportunity to share Russia’s organising lessons learned through hosting the 2018 World Cup.
Putin spoke to Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani during a ceremony at the Kremlin to symbolically transfer the World Cup hosting powers to Qatar, which was attended by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, reports Efe.
“I am sure that our friends from Qatar will carry out the 2022 FIFA World Cup at the same level. And of course, we are ready to share the experience we have gained hosting the tournament this year with our friends from Qatar,” Putin said.
Infantino enthusiastically proclaimed “We have all fallen in love with Russia… in four years, we will all fall in love with Qatar.”
Earlier this week, FIFA’s president confirmed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is to take place from November 21 to December 18.
Meanwhile, Putin said Russia could be “proud” of its hosting of the World Cup, judging it a success “in every respect” after Sunday’s final.
“We can surely be proud of how we organised this tournament,” Putin said in televised comments after France’s victory against Croatia.
“We have made this grand event a success in every respect.”
He added that foreign visitors holding “fan ID” cards for the World Cup could have visa-free entry to Russia for the rest of 2018.
“Foreign supporters who currently have fan IDs will be able to benefit from multiple entries into the Russian Federation without a visa until the end of the year,” Putin said.
