Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Qatar 2022, bidding to host the first ever FIFA World Cup in the Middle East, has unveiled its vision to unite the Arab world and drive better understanding of the region globally through the world's biggest sports event.
And, if the planned 'Friendship Bridge' rail and road link between Qatar and Bahrain is constructed, there may be a golden opportunity for the kingdom to host one of the group matches.
The bid's brand launch took place in front of a 50,000 sell-out crowd at the Khalifa National Stadium in Doha for the Emir Cup Final. Shaikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, President of Qatar 2022, said: "Qatar is a land of action and not just promises. It's what makes us the ideal partner to help FIFA establish with certainty that football, and its virtues, is a tool with which a better future can be built.
"Qatar 2022 is a bid on behalf of the whole region. The first global sports event in the Middle East provides an opportunity for greater understanding and unity between the Arab and Western worlds and can inspire enthusiastic support from football fans young and old across the entire region."
With the world's fastest-growing economy, highest per capita GDP and experience as host of the 2006 Asian Games as well as the impending 2011 AFC Asian Cup, Qatar plans to host the most state-of-the-art, financially robust and hospitable FIFA World Cup in history.
Hassan Al Thawadi, CEO of Qatar 2022, said: "We are immensely proud to unveil the Qatar 2022 brand, which can become a symbol for hope, understanding and inspiration in the Middle East and around the world. Football transcends cultural barriers; in every sense, it is the world game.
"We are serious about winning the right to host the FIFA World Cup in the Arab world for the first time.We are offering FIFA an incredible event, with a tremendous football legacy, but also a legacy for humanity.
"Qatar 2022 can be a watershed moment and our job until December 2010 is to use every day to make the dreams of Qataris and the whole Arab world a reality."
A number of the Bahrain national team play league football in Qatar. An insider involved in the bid described a Bahrain link to the venture as 'interesting' and said there was 'still a long road ahead'.
The proposed Qatar-Bahrain causeway will feature a 40km-long, two-lane dual carriageway motorway between Qatar and Bahrain.
The road will run over a total of 18km of embankments where the sea is shallow and 22km of viaducts and bridges over deep water.
The project went back to the drawing board last year for plans to include an additional rail link. The Friendship Bridge will create a direct link between Qatar and Bahrain, promoting trade and travel between the two countries. At present, the journey by road takes five hours. With the causeway, it will only take about 30 minutes. Once work starts it is set to be completed in 51 months.
