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Qatar's $300 bn Fifa World Cup 2022 headed for an epic culmination

The inevitable question is whether the extravaganza was all worth it - even for a host with a seemingly bottomless pit of money

Fifa World Cup, Qatar, Stadium 974
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Stadium 974 was constructed out of shipping containers and will be dismantled after hosting a fashion show and concerts. | Photo: Bloomberg

Giles Turner and David Hellier | Bloomberg
When Qatar was drawn out of the envelope as a future host of the World Cup back in 2010, it was doubtful the majority of football fans would have been able to find it on a map. 
 
A dozen years, $300 billion and a raft of controversy later, one of the most expensive marketing campaigns in history will culminate with the tiny Gulf state hosting a final on Sunday between Argentina and France that’s expected to be watched by half the planet.

The inevitable question is whether the extravaganza was all worth it — even for a host with a