Afghan Voice Agency(AVA)_Monitoring, “From Qatar, from the Arab world, I welcome everyone to the World Cup 2022,” he said in a speech in a tent-shaped stadium. “How lovely it is that people can put aside what divides them to celebrate their diversity and what brings them together all at once.”
A show unfolded on the pitch, featuring three camels, American actor Morgan Freeman and a performance of a new tournament song called Dreamers featuring singer Jungkook of K-pop boy band BTS, alongside Qatari singer Fahad Al-Kubaisi, Reuters reported.
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and the presidents of Egypt, Turkey, and Algeria, as well as the United Nations Secretary-General, are among leaders at the tent-shaped stadium ahead of the first match between the hosts and Ecuador.
For the first time, a direct commercial flight from Tel Aviv to Doha landed in Qatar on Sunday despite the absence of formal bilateral ties, in a deal brokered by FIFA to carry both Palestinians and Israelis to the tournament.
The Gulf state’s Deputy Prime Minister Khalid Al Attiyah, in remarks on state media, said Qatar was reaping benefits of years of “hard work and sound planning.”
On Saturday, FIFA’s Infantino rounded on European critics of Qatar, saying engagement was the only way to improve rights, while Doha has also pointed to labor reforms.