3 February 2019

Qatar Wins Asian Cup

Thousands of fans turned out for a victory parade along Doha Corniche after the Qatar national squad were crowned champions of Asia for the first time.

In the final at Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Qatar beat four-time Asian Cup winners Japan 3-1. Back in Doha, the extraordinary result created a party atmosphere as fans attended special screenings of the match at Katara Cultural Village, Aspire Park, Souq Waqif and Sheraton Park.

Qatar won all seven of their matches and conceded just a single goal during the tournament. The side also swept the board in tournament awards, receiving accolades for the tournament's most valuable player and best goalkeeper, and striker Almoez Ali winning the golden boot for scoring a tournament-record nine goals.

This win means that Qatar will follow in the footsteps of Japan by hosting the FIFA World Cup™ as the reigning champions of Asia. And if the celebrations are anything to go by, fans across the globe can expect a fever pitch atmosphere when they travel to Qatar for the first FIFA World Cup™ in the Arab world in 2022.
 

February 2019

Challenge 22 Startup Accolades

Stefano, who is recognised as one of the top student entrepreneurs in the world at the Global Student Entrepreneurship Awards, raised over USD 125,000 in funding to support Fallound, an app and software that connects to car navigation systems for perfectly timed audio podcasts based on commute time and personal interests. In 2022, it could be used to follow team and match news.

6 - 7 April 2019

Challenge 22 Winning Idea Funded

The ViaVii team was also named one of the Top 100 Arab Start-Ups during the World Economic Forum in Jordan. ViaVii is a personalised app that allows people to travel like a local. Its artificial intelligence-powered travel recommendation engine and chat bot curates experiences that are being widely spoken about, creating a personalised itinerary based on the user’s details. The in-app booking system simplifies planning and allows travellers to make the most of their time.

13 April 2019

Leeds United and Sheffield FC Partnership

Football has always brought communities together, so when Generation Amazing signed a four-year agreement with Leeds United and Sheffield FC, the initiative did just that. The two English teams have a long and illustrious footballing history, and now the programme will be supporting communities in both cities for the coming four years. Using football to help people learn a variety of life skills is the foundation of what Generation Amazing does globally. 

16 May 2019

Al Janoub Stadium Opens

The first completely new FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadium opened its doors and hosted its first match – the Amir Cup final 2019. After spectacular pre-match activities featuring local music, poetry, performance and stunning visual effects – all paying homage to Al Wakrah’s seafaring past – the stadium hosted its first match in front of a capacity crowd, between local sides Al Duhail and Al Sadd.

Challenge 22-winning team Fanera were also present to pilot their successful social networking app: like Snapchat but for football – allowing fans to view posted photos and short videos.

June 2019

StayQool Suits for Workers

The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) worked with TechNiche to develop a bespoke range of cooling workwear – one of a number of initiatives to safeguard the health and wellbeing of workers on our projects. 

In 2019, after extensive pilots, the SC started distributing 30,000 revolutionary StayQool cooling suits to workers across our projects.  

These garments are capable of reducing skin temperature by up to 15C. Polymer fibres within the fabric hold the water layer for slow evaporation over several hours, delivering constant cooling for the wearer. The wearer stays dry due to quilted layers of absorbent fibre on the outside and waterproof fabric on the inside.
 

14 June - 7 July 2019

Qatar at the Copa América

The Copa América is the world's oldest football tournament for national teams and is watched by hundreds of millions of fans.

The 2019 tournament was hosted in Brazil, where the Qatar national team took part for the first time, coming up against the superstars of world football, like Messi and James Rodríguez.

During the tournament, we celebrated the Copa América with a very special Qatar @roadto2022 Exhibition in São Paulo.

Qatar @roadto2022 Exhibition

Unique memorabilia took thousands of visitors on a trip through football history, marking some of the game's most unforgettable moments. Guests enjoyed seeing match-worn shirts, footballs, tickets, mascots and more.

People from all over the world came to the exhibition and interacted with exciting football games, experienced Qatari culture firsthand, and saw the designs and progress of Qatar's FIFA World Cup 2022™ stadiums.

We also introduced our fourth ambassador, Cafu, one of the game's most respected and iconic stars. The two-time FIFA World Cup™ winner's new role was announced in a special ceremony in his home city of São Paulo. Cafu officially joins Xavi Hernández, Samuel Eto'o and Mohammed Saadon Al Kuwari as an ambassador.
 

August 2019

Workers’ Support Study

3 September 2019

FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar™ Emblem Launch

The emblem will serve as a beacon to fans across the globe – drawing them to the Middle East for the first time in this tournament’s history. The emblem was inspired by traditional woolen shawls worn during the winter months, when the FIFA World Cup 2022™ will take place. The lettering celebrates traditional Arabic calligraphy through other global languages by bringing in elements like the kasheeda – a lengthening of the lines that connect letters, enhancing the flow and elegance of the written word.

14 September 2019 

Football for Development in Belgium and Italy

1 October 2019

70 Schools Receive Generation Amazing Training

Thousands of children will benefit from the initiative, which teaches teamwork, communication, respect and leadership, using the power of football as a learning tool. PE teachers and coaches in 70 schools across Qatar and Oman were trained in how to deliver the football for development educational programme to pupils aged eight to 12 years old.

9 October - 1 November 2019

Challenge 22 Winner Accolades

26 November - 8 December 2019

Arabian Gulf Cup

The tournament opened on 26 November 2019 with an unforgettable show, worthy of the tournament's glorious history and its past champions. The evening told the story of the cup – hosted by Qatar for the fourth time – and its importance to past and future generations in the region. Fans enjoyed a wonderful display of our rich traditions, reminding us of our close bonds and our shared heritage.

Each match of the tournament was a thrilling display of the region's passion for football. Khalifa International Stadium, Al Janoub Stadium and Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium played host to some memorable, high-scoring encounters.

At the family-friendly Fan Entertainment Areas, local communities alongside fans from across the region enjoyed cultural and football-themed activities, tasty food and fantastic shows before heading into the stadiums.

The long-awaited final of the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup in Qatar saw Bahrain win 1-0 against Saudi Arabia on 8 December 2019. Thousands of fans from both countries supported their teams inside Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium, creating an electric atmosphere.

9 - 21 December 2019

FIFA Club World Cup™

The 16th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup™ marked an important step on the road to hosting the FIFA World Cup™ in 2022. Naturally, Qatar pulled out all the stops to host an incredible international tournament and an exciting festival of football.
 
The Fan Zone in Doha Sports Park was the location for plenty of on and off-pitch action. Fan fever took over from 9-21 December – people from all around the world turned out to enjoy live matches on the big screens, music from an array of great artists and DJs, fun football-themed activities and delicious food and beverages.

The run up to the FIFA Club World Cup final was a thrilling display of football from the world’s best clubs, including Qatar’s Al Sadd SC, Saudi Arabia’s AI Hilal FC, Brazil’s CF Flamengo, Mexico’s CF Monterrey, New Caledonia’s Hienghène Sport, England’s Liverpool FC and Espérance Sportive de Tunis.

The gripping final was hosted at Khalifa International Stadium, where Liverpool took home their first world title after beating tough opponents Flamengo in extra time.