Doha: The opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 kicked off on Sunday, at Al Bayt Stadium in the capital, Doha.
As host of the Middle East’s first World Cup the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, gave the signal to start the opening activities of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said during the opening of the World Cup 2022, “May these days be inspiring goodness and hope, and welcome to the world in Doha for everyone.”
He added, “How beautiful it is for people to put aside what separates them, in order to celebrate their diversity and what brings them together. We will follow with us the world this great football festival for cultural communication.”
He also said, “We worked with many people and invested in the good of all humanity.”
A number of world leaders participate in the opening ceremony of the World Cup, most notably Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad, UAE Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and other Arab and foreign leaders.
Fireworks erupted in dazzling shapes from Al Bayt Stadium with the launch of the opening ceremony badge, in magical moments shared by hundreds of thousands on social media.
Amidst an enthusiastic and festive atmosphere, the concert was presented by international superstar Morgan Freeman and Qatari champion Ghanim Al Muftah.
The ceremony began with the recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, and included a number of cultural and heritage performances.
The song of the Korean pop star Jungkook and the Qatari singer Fahd Al Kubaisi (Dreamers) witnessed a great interaction from the audience at the opening ceremony.
The opening ceremony included a program consisting of 7 paragraphs, performed by international artists, blending Qatari traditions and international culture, and the rapprochement between all peoples of mankind through football.
The ceremony witnessed a review of the previous editions of the World Cup competitions during the opening ceremony of the Qatar World Cup.
In an interview with the Qatari sports channel Alkass, which broadcast the opening activities, one of the Arab fans expressed his joy and happiness at the impressive organization of the World Cup opening ceremony.
Here’s a look of the opening of World Cup Qatar 2022
Start of the Qatar and Eucador match
The opening match between Qatar and Eucador kicked off after the opening ceremony.
This will be Qatar’s very first appearance in a FIFA World Cup. Although, they had played their first FIFA World Cup qualifying match back in 1977.
This will be the fourth time Ecuador will be playing in the FIFA World Cup. They suffered group-stage exit in 2002 and 2014 and made it to the round of 16 in 2006. Overall, they have a 4-5 record in the tournament history.
Here’s the team nanes for the two side
- Qatar XI: Al Sheeb, Al-Rawi, Khoukhi, Hassan, Miguel, Hatem, Boudiaf, Al-Haydos, Ahmed, Ali, Afif.
- Ecuador XI: Galindez, Preciado, Torres, Hincapie, Estupinan, Plata, Mendez, Caicedo, Ibarra, Estrada, Valencia.
Watch: Valencia scores the first goal for Ecuador from a penalty kick in the 16th minute
Watch: Valencia scored the second goal for Ecuador in the 31st minute
