January 22 – Qatar and FIFA have jointly published a comprehensive strategy covering sustainability ahead of the 2022 World Cup, including pledges on workers’ rights and environmental issues.
December 23 – Nigeria have lost their bid to become the first African country to host a global women’s tournament after FIFA chose Costa Rica and Panama as joint hosts for next year’s Under-20 World Cup.
December 20 – The head of Qatar’s World Cup organising committee hopes visiting fans will change their views about his country in the same way misconceptions about Russia were altered at the 2018 tournament.
December 20 – Volkswagen is targeting the 2022 World Cup to showcase its self-driving electric vehicles. The German carmaker has been working with the city of Doha, Qatar to provide a fleet I.D. Buzz autonomous vehicles for the start of the world finals.
December 12 – South Africa have pulled out of the running to stage the 2023 Women’s World Cup saying they will not be submitting a bid book and other proposed hosting documentation by Friday’s deadlineThe South African FA has been on a collision course with Sports Minister Nathi Mthethwa over the future of football in the country which would need government guarantees to stage the tournament.
December 11 – Liverpool are backing calls by human rights groups for thorough investigations into the deaths of migrant workers in Qatar – before the club flies out next week for the Club World Cup.
December 11 – FIFA were the target of spying and hacking by the United Arab Emirates as US intelligence agents helped the Emirate to build a secret surveillance unit, a Reuters report has revealed.
By Andrew Warshaw
October 31 – The murky business of World Cup bidding has been thrust back into the spotlight by leaked emails which claim to offer a blueprint of how Russia could bribe FIFA’s most senior officials to vote for them to stage the 2018 tournament.
October 25 – English football has started planning for the mid-season 2022 World Cup with the prospect of its top two divisions playing right up until nine days before the start of the tournament in Qatar.
October 25 – The host nation for the 2030 World Cup will be chosen in 2024, giving the winner just six years to prepare, following a decision by the FIFA Council.
October 17 – In a key move that provides a significant political and psychological boost for Qatar’s World Cup organisers, the Gulf state has pledged to fully eliminate the antiquated and controversial kafala sponsorship system that ties foreign workers to their employer.
September 19 – New research conducted by Amnesty International suggests migrant workers in Qatar continue to be mistreated despite promises to improve their rights ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
By Samindra Kunti
September 11 – Zimbabwe’s Khama Billiat broke Somalian hearts with a late strike on Tuesday to end East Africans dreams of progressing to the group phase of World Cup qualifying for the first time. At the end of the emotions, Guinea-Bissau created history, progressing for the first time with a 2-1 aggregate win over Sao Tome e Principe.
September 4 – African nations kick off their long road to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar today with the continent’s 28 lowest-ranked sides playing for a place in the second round group phase qualifying that begins next March.
September 4 – Qatar 2022 World Cup organisers have launched the event’s Official Emblem in an unveiling that was timed for 20:22 local time in Doha and projected simultaneously on some of Qatar’s most iconic buildings, as well as in a number of major cities around the world.