FIFA has plans for 2022

by Magnus Leonard
edited by Patrick McDonough

(Photo: Forbes.com)

Gianni Infantino, the president of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association, plans to host some of the 2022 world cup games in Oman and Kuwait, according to a March 6th New York Times article.

While most of the 2022 soccer matches will be held in Qatar,  which holds the rights to a 32-team event, other games will be played in Oman and Kuwait. This is going to create a wider geographical spread for the world cup.

A final decision is expected to be made next week in Miami, but may be pushed back until June.    

Infantino recently visited both countries where he discussed the ideas. Infantino said, “Sharing games with Qatar’s neighbors would help heal rifts in the region.”

The two countries have remained neutral during the Gulf crisis, making them good fits for the games.

The only hurdle that might appear is a ban on serving alcohol in Kuwait.