Accessibility and empowerment: key goals of Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup

One of the key goals of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is to make sure everybody has an equal opportunity to enjoy the tournament.

Accessibility and empowerment are hugely important for the organisers of the event and it's hoped that the legacy of this will live on far beyond the referee blowing his whistle at the end of the final on December 18th**.**

Ahmed Habib is an avid football fan who can’t wait for Qatar 2022 to get underway.

"I think that everything is in place for this to be the most accessible edition of the FIFA World Cup. Work began a very long time ago by including members of the disabled community, and by putting in place the highest standards at the tournament venues. But also by making sure that the tournament plays a transformative role in ensuring that the whole country becomes more accessible." 

Ahmed works as a Senior Media Content Specialist for the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, the government body that oversees everything related to the World Cup. He hopes Qatar 2022 will provide a platform to usher in a new era for the country.

"It’s very rare to have stadiums like we do here in Qatar. All eight stadiums are brand new, and provide an opportunity for wheelchair users like me to sit in multiple areas of the stadium, and to have multiple vantage points to watch the games". Says Ahmed.

But making a stadium accessible goes beyond just having a row of wheelchair-friendly seating. The roar of the crowd is one of the many reasons people love watching live sporting events, but it’s not for everyone. 

At Education City Stadium, a sensory room provides a calm and safe space for young fans with autism and other cognitive disabilities, to reduce their anxiety during the world’s largest sporting event.

The Renad