By Paul Nicholson
May 5 – Depending on which part of the world you ask the questions, you will get different reactions and emotions regarding the Qatar 2022 World Cup. Doha-based Agency 222 conducted a survey that found local feeling was that the World Cup was defining and shaping an emerging nation.
Perhaps not surprising a YouGov survey in the UK found the respondents were majority against a World Cup in Qatar (and Russia), though probably not as significantly high a percentage as would be expected given the anti-Qatar press that has orchestrated public opinion in the country.
Agency 222 found that over 70% of participants in the country (2,820 people from Qatar and the MENA region took part in the online survey) felt great pride that the country will host the world cup, with more than 60% saying that that their sense of belonging had increased as a result of the country hosting the world cup.
More than two thirds of respondents believed the World Cup would have a positive impact throughout the region and that it will provide excellent global exposure for the region as a whole. Three quarters of participants believe that the world cup
will bring more investment to the country and over 60% believe that employment
opportunities in Qatar will improve significantly as a result.
62% of respondents believed that Qatar is on track with its preparations and that construction works will be completed in time. 64% of those who participated in the survey were confident that the world cup in Qatar will be a great success.
More than half of those surveyed expressed a desire to be more informed and updated about the 2022 FIFA World Cup preparations.
In contrast the UK survey found that 58% did not think it was right for FIFA to award Qatar to be host in 2022.
84% of them believe that the het in Qatar is the main issue. Interestingly just 29% said that the Qatari attitude towards alcohol was an issue. A far larger 58% believed that Qatar’s attitude towards social status (eg sexuality) was an issue.
The alcohol debate delivered the surprising result that 58% felt that it was either not very important or not at all important that fans be allowed to consume alcohol at matches. This compared to just 4% who felt it was very important and 19% who felt it was quite important.
Only 27% believed that the tournament should be switched to winter, but 40% didn’t think the World Cup should be held in Qatar at all.
When asked what the maximum you would you be willing to spend for a one-week visit to the world cup in Qatar in 2022, 71% said they wouldn’t consider attending at all.
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