Why Qatar faces World Cup-sized reputational challenge

MANY governments still perceive that hosting major sporting contests command significant prestige, yet that will be tested this month and next with the reputational challenges facing the football World Cup in Qatar which kicks off on Sunday (Nov 20).

While Qatar is rightly taking pride in the fact that it is the first Arab Muslim nation to host the tournament, the event has become only the latest sporting contest to be plagued by political plus wider reputational risks and controversies. This is not least because of issues including treatment of migrant workers, anti-LGBTQ+ laws, and restrictions on freedom of speech in the country.

Numerous Western capitals have sought to de-emphasise the event. London has declared that it will not host public screenings of matches, as has Paris and several other French cities such as Lille whose mayor described the Qatar tournament as “nonsense in terms of human rights, the environment and sport”.