Putin offers to share World Cup organising lessons with 2022 host Qatar

The president of Russia Vladimir Putin on Sunday offered to give 2022 FIFA World Cup host Qatar the opportunity to share Russia's organising lessons learned through hosting the 2018 World Cup.

Putin spoke to Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani during a ceremony at the Kremlin to symbolically transfer the World Cup hosting powers to Qatar, which was attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, reports Efe,

"I am sure that our friends from Qatar will carry out the 2022 FIFA World Cup at the same level. And of course, we are ready to share the experience we have gained hosting the tournament this year with our friends from Qatar," Putin said.

Putin also gave al-Thani the football to be used during Sunday's final.

Al-Thani expressed his hope that Qatar's national team would repeat the Russian team's success, which reached its first-ever World Cup quarterfinal.

Infantino enthusiastically proclaimed "We have all fallen in love with Russia... in four years, we will all fall in love with Qatar."

Earlier this week, FIFA's president confirmed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is to take place from November 21 to December 18.

--IANS

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