African expert backs Qatar to get 2022 World Cup

Djabga wants World Cup in Qatar

Africa football expert Foussena Djagba is strongly backing the clamour in Africa to get Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup.

The Middle Eastern country is among the nations being considered for the 2022 World Cup by football's world governing body Fifa.

 
Eleven candidates have now formally registered their intention to host the tournament when Fifa observes the bidding countries for 2018 and 2022.

 
But the Qatar bid has generated most interest on the continent because of the close ties between the Middle East and Africa with several African countries found in the Arab region.

 
Caf recently reached an agreement with the Qatar 2022 bid to ensure that the Middle Eastern country had the sole right to address the Caf congress in Angola in January.

 
The congress brought together the four African FIFA executive committee members who will have a crucial say on which country wins the vote to host the tournaments.

 
With Africa the only FIFA confederation without a candidate nation bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, the votes of Issa Hayatou (Cameroon), Amos Adamu (Nigeria), Jacques Anouma (Ivory Coast) and Hany Abo Rida (Egypt) are considered vital when decisions are made in December on where the tournaments will be played.

 
Djagba, who has been behind innovative ideas in Africa football like the Africa Player of the Year awards ceremony, says Africa is right to back Qatar's bid.

 
"Africa has to back Qatar because we come from a similar position as the Middle Eastern country. Some countries in Africa are in the Middle East," Djagba said.

 
"This region has contributed so much to world football that it is right for the global tournament to there on fairness ground as it was done to South Africa.

 
"But it is not based on emotion because I have been to Qatar and they have the excellent world-class facilities and stadiums already in place to host the world.

 
"They have also got the experience in hosting international sporting events so they are very well qualified to host the tournament. Crucially they have got the finance to do it."

 
Qatar hosted the Asian Games in 2006 and is due to host the Asian Cup in 2011.

 
Qatar and South Korea have applied only for the 2022 World Cup finals.

 
The other nine candidates are bidding to host the 2022 and 2018 tournaments.

 
They are Japan, Mexico, the United States and four European countries - England and Russia and, as joint bidders, Spain and Portugal, and Belgium and the Netherlands.