Day before FIFA World Cup, Qatar faces overcrowding troubles
Doha, Qatar (CNN) – In a country where more than a quarter of the population lives in conditions considered unacceptable by the World Health Organization, the World Cup will bring an estimated 10 million additional people into the city.
But it may not be enough to handle what Qatar is facing this year.
As the country prepares to host the 2022 World Cup, the Qatari government has faced criticism over inadequate infrastructure in the city.
The World Health Organization says there are more than 10 million people living in conditions deemed “unacceptable” by the group. Qatar itself ranks only 74th on its overall health ranking.
A recent census ranked Qatar as having the least developed infrastructure of any country in the world.
It has an extremely sparse housing stock, with one-third of homes lacking adequate water, sanitation and shelter.
Doha’s population of around 1.8 million represents one quarter of the country.
Qataris also complain of high levels of pollution — the World Health Organization has rated the situation as “prevalent or widespread” in the past — as it has for years, and has the highest levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions across the world.
The world champion soccer team, as well as its players and staff, will take part in a two-day friendly tournament against Egypt and Jordan, before a friendly against the Netherlands.
Qatar’s bid for the World Cup was awarded to the tiny Gulf nation on Tuesday, after a vote that saw it beat out rival India in a vote held at the UN.
In a statement, the World Cup’s organizing committee said the decision was based on “the most advanced bidding process since the tournament’s inception in 1994.”
Qatar has said it had been preparing for the World Cup since 2004, and that the tournament would be “a celebration of the region’s diversity and diversity of cultures.”
But some experts say the tournament will be less about celebrating the country’s culture and more about showcasing Qatar’s wealth.
“It doesn’t matter whether you’re the Queen of England
