The first-ever winter soccer World Cup in the Northern Hemisphere kicks off in Qatar on November 20.
This year’s event has been marred by controversy since the victory of the Persian Gulf monarchy, including several reports that thousands of migrant workers have died on World Cup construction sites, to environmental criticism of the air-conditioned stadiums and issues of human rights abuses. Right to host the tournament in 2010.
Despite several calls for a boycott, this year’s ticket sales have been very successful, similar to the sell-out rate of previous editions. So, with nearly 3 million tickets already sold by mid-October, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said excitedly about the tournament: “We’ve always said that Qatar will make this World Cup the best ever. Walk across the country. […] To realize that everything is ready and everyone is welcome.
Ticket demand was strong in Qatar, USA, Saudi Arabia, UK, Mexico, UAE, Argentina, France, Brazil and Germany. A step Census Realized last year, only 30% of respondents in France were of the opinion that matches should not be held in Qatar due to human rights violations.
