DOHA: For the last four weeks, the world’s greatest footballers have been on every TV in the world.
In eight years’ time, people in Qatar won’t just be able to watch them on the small screen – they will get to see them in person as the 2022 FIFA World Cup comes to town.
Watching the coverage from Brazil, it’s easy to get excited about the impact of bringing the best players on the planet to Qatar. Having Neymar, Messi and Müller in your living room is one thing. Having them on your doorstep is completely different.
It’s been thanks to the round-the-clock coverage of beIN SPORTS that the people of Qatar – and the rest of the Middle East and North Africa – have had the option of watching every kick of the ball. The beIN crew have broadcasted EVERY game and EVERY goal, live.
The Qatar-based sport network – one of the fastest growing in the world – allowed www.sc.qa behind-the-scenes access to find out just what it takes to put together a World Cup broadcast.
Richard Keys, the main presenter for beIN’s English content, admits the last month has been exhausting, but exhilarating. Yet, he can’t help but look ahead eight years when the action won’t be restricted to the studios.
“This has been a really enjoyable World Cup to cover. We’ve seen some great goals by some of the world’s top players. I have to say I have loved it.
“It gets you thinking about what it will be like to cover a World Cup not just from Qatar, but in Qatar. The appetite for football in the Middle East is something a lot of people don’t understand, but it’s there alright.
“We hear so much negativity, especially from the Western media, but I’ve been here for a year now and you just know everything about 2022 will be spectacular, from the broadcasting to the air-cooling.”
With some of the football’s greatest names on board as expert analysts, the beIN SPORTS green room is more like a changing room for the world’s most glamorous five-a-side team.
Hours before Germany’s sensational 7-1 semi-final win over Brazil, the team was gathering before they went on air.
Former Liverpool and Hamburg star Kevin Keegan was relaxed, cracking jokes. Beside him, cool as ice, just like he was on the pitch, Italy, Parma and Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola was a picture of calm. Real Madrid and Spain star Michel Salgado was next on the scene; still looking fit enough to be playing in front of 90,000 fans at the Bernabéu.
They were watching a bank of TV screens as former Liverpool defender Jason McAteer hosted a daily preview show alongside former Holland star George Boateng, ex-Sunderland manager Peter Reid, ex-Sunderland player Michael Gray and retired English Premier League referee Mark Halsey.
It wasn’t long before Graeme Souness, the former captain and manager of Liverpool, joined the group backstage.
Like most of these guys, Souness now has a long-standing relationship with Qatar. He has seen the country grow, watched it position itself both in terms of sport and media.
The former captain of the Scottish national team – who played in three FIFA World Cups – has already heard first-hand what the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) plans for 2022.
In April, Souness met with Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the SC. Both were re-united last week when the legendary midfielder visited the groundbreaking Brazil 2014 Fan Zone.
Souness said: “I was really impressed with the Fan Zone and the work that has gone into making it work.
“Everyone knows this is a hot time of year, but inside, the Fan Zone was incredible. To experience something like that, to get the temperature so comfortable in an open-air environment when it’s very, very warm outside is a great achievement.
“Each time I have meet Mr Al Thawadi I have been very impressed with the plans for 2022. You can see the technology that’s been talked about works already – and there’s still eight years to go!.” The world could wait 80 years before they ever see a semi-final result like Germany’s 7-1 victory.
That commanding display set up Sunday’s final between Argentina and Germany.
The beIN SPORTS final coverage featured expert analyst and former Everton striker Andy Gray.
Now a full-time resident in Qatar, Gray admits eight years is a long wait to experience the glory of the FIFA World Cup™ in his adopted homeland.
“It really is an amazing prospect. I think anyone involved in football in this country is lucky to be part of something that’s very much once-in-a-lifetime.”
THE PENINSULA
