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Football Fans Can't Believe The Actual Size Of World Cup Host Qatar

Home> Sport

Updated 09:38 2 Apr 2022 GMT+1Published 09:36 2 Apr 2022 GMT+1

Football Fans Can't Believe The Actual Size Of World Cup Host Qatar

The Middle-Eastern nation is home to just 2.8 million people, with all stadiums being within a 40-mile radius

Tom Fenton

Tom Fenton

As football fans everywhere get ready for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, some on social media are just coming to terms with the size of the Middle Eastern nation.

Set to host the tournament in November, Qatar is spread across just 11,437 square kilometres of land – which makes it roughly the same size as Yorkshire.

To further demonstrate the scale, with just over 2.8 million people it has a population akin to that of Merseyside, which is virtually unheard of for a World Cup host in the modern era.

Some fans who haven't been paying attention have therefore been shocked to discover this reality.


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As well as the obvious question marks over human rights abuses, critics also point to issues with the oil state's overall infrastructure.

As one Twitter user observes, there are currently only 90,000 hotel rooms in the whole of Qatar, with a stay in Saudi Arabia difficult due to strained political relations that make travel across the border troublesome.

Infrastructure on the whole has been called into question, with Independent journalist Miguel Delaney labelling Qatar as 'Doha super-city'.

Qatar is the smallest nation to ever host a FIFA World Cup, with only Uruguay running them close with a population of 3.5 million people.


The 2022 World Cup gets underway on 21 November, with the final to be played just before Christmas on 18 December.

Gareth Southgate's England will be aiming to go one better after reaching the final of last year's European Championships.

The Three Lions were beaten on penalties by Italy, but will attempt to win a first World Cup since 1966 later this year, and a first-ever tournament on foreign soil.

Southgate has had to field several questions of late regarding Qatar's human rights record.

Asked whether England would boycott this year's World Cup due to such concerns, the former Aston Villa player responded: "I don't know what that achieves – it would be a big story but the tournament would go ahead."

"It's possible, but it's not a decision that the players or myself would make."

According to The Guardian, more than 6,500 migrant workers have died in Qatar since it was announced as the host nation 10 years ago, with 37 deaths directly linked to the construction of stadiums for the tournament.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: World Cup, Sport, Football

Tom Fenton
Tom Fenton

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