DOHA: Qatar Football Association (QFA) and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) have formed a new strategic partnership with Concacaf, the governing body for football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
The partnership includes Qatar’s participation as a guest nation in the region’s top football competition – the Concacaf Gold Cup – in both 2021 and 2023. The reigning AFC Asian Cup champions will make their Gold Cup debut in July next year after their second appearance as a guest nation at the Copa America, South America’s top football competition, next year.
The national team’s appearance marks another important football development milestone on the road to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and will help further prepare the team ahead of their first match as host nation on Qatar on 21 November, 2022.
Long-term involvement
The partnership also includes long-term involvement in the region’s football for development initiatives through SC’s flagship human and social legacy programme, Generation Amazing, and the Concacaf NextPlay programme.
In particular, the partnership will have a significant focus on community coach development, which will benefit thousands of young people across the region, and help ensure a lasting human legacy for the FIFA World Cup 2022.
“The Concacaf Gold Cup is a prestigious tournament. Qatar’s participation in the tournament next year takes place just 17 months before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 kicks off, so it will be a great opportunity to help further prepare the national team ahead of their opening World Cup match on 21 November 2022,” said QFA President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani.
He added: “Winning the 2019 AFC Asian Cup marked an important milestone in our development plan and so we head into the Gold Cup confident that we can compete with Concacaf’s best teams. We look forward to the competition.”
Legacy project
SC Secretary-General Hassan Al Thawadi said: “Generation Amazing uses the power of football to create sustainable social development in communities around the world. Since it was launched as part of Qatar’s bid to host the FIFA World Cup, it has positively impacted the lives of more than 500,000 people around the world.”
He added: “Looking to the future and the further expansion of this important legacy project, we are excited to announce this strategic partnership with the Concacaf’s own football for development programme to ensure the growth of both initiatives and deliver a greater impact on the lives of even more people in even more countries.”
Al Thawadi added, “From a footballing perspective, it will be great to see Qatar’s national team take on some of the world’s best when they meet in the 2021 edition of the Gold Cup, ahead of their historic participation on home turf at the FIFA World Cup 2022.”
Concacaf President and FIFA Vice-President Victor Montagliani said: “The Qatar national tam will be a guest participant in the Concacaf Gold Cup, the flagship men’s international competition in our region. We look forward to welcoming them and we know that as reigning AFC Asian Cup Champions, they will provide stern opposition for our national teams.”