Qatari government employees to work from home during World Cup

Qatar has ordered most government employees to work from home during next month's World Cup while schools will have reduced hours two weeks before the tournament before shutting as the country prepares for a big influx of visitors.

Qatar is the first Middle East country to stage the World Cup that kicks off on 20 November with the final set for 18 December.

It hopes the tournament will attract roughly 1.2 million visitors, or almost half of the conservative country's population, posing a logistical and policing challenge.

Qatar was a controversial choice as World Cup hosts due to the heat, which has forced a change from the traditional summer slot, the death of hundreds of migrant workers in the construction of the stadiums and infrastructure and the country's stance on LGBTQ+ rights.

Small to be hosting such a tournament, there are also questions around Qatar's ability to cope with the influx of people, having already called up hundreds of civilians, including diplomats summoned back from overseas, for mandatory military service operating security checkpoints at World Cup stadiums

For this reason, the government said late on Wednesday that 80% of its workforce would be working from home between 1 November and 19 December.

Public and private schools will have shortened classes only until noon between 1 November and 17 November and will then be closed for the entire period of the World Cup and until at least 22 December.

Mohammed Al Hajri, spokesperson for Qatar's Government Communications Office, said in a video the measures had been decided after "taking into consideration the public interest and in line with the state's preparation for hosting this event".

A total of 32 teams have qualified and matches will be played at eight