This archive report was first published on 9 October 2019.
Published on October 9, 2019, the track world championships in Doha, Qatar, highlighted concerns about the country's ability to fill stadiums for the 2022 World Cup.
Despite Qatar's breakthrough on the field in February, when it won the Asian Cup for its first major football title, the event saw thousands of empty seats at the Khalifa Stadium.
Organisers were left trying to explain away the low attendance, with vice president of the local organising committee Dahlan Al Hamad stating, 'In every event there are lessons learned. You cannot build the fan in one day, you have to engage them in the sport, they have to know the system of the sport, they have to have their athletes and know about their lives.'
Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez, a World Cup-winning midfielder with Spain in 2010, defended Qatar's football credentials, saying, 'People love (football) here. They are crazy for (soccer).'
However, the low attendance at the track world championships has reignited concerns about Qatar's ability to fill the eight stadiums built or renovated for the 2022 World Cup.
