It is the most controversial World Cup in history, with Qatar dogged ever since it was named host in 2010 by accusations of vote-buying – which were hotly denied – and questions over the country's suitability.
DOHA - The draw for this year's World Cup takes place in the shadow of Doha's skyscrapers on Friday, with the focus for the evening on the actual football after a build-up dominated by the many off-field issues surrounding the awarding of the tournament.
The move away from the usual June and July slot was forced upon Fifa by the heat in the region at that time of year, but the competition is finally approaching and excitement about the draw itself is inevitable. That also means Germany, after their surprise group-stage exit at the 2018 World Cup, are the biggest name in Pot Two, which also contains the Netherlands and Croatia, runners-up four years ago.
There are also two intercontinental play-offs to come in Qatar in June, with either Australia or the United Arab Emirates getting to face Peru for one berth and Costa Rica playing New Zealand for the other. Over 800,000 tickets have already been snapped up, and by the time the matches get underway construction should be finished on the promenade on Doha's Corniche.However, concerns remain over the treatment of gay and transgender supporters coming to a country where homosexuality is illegal, as well as over the working conditions of hundreds of thousands of migrant labourers in the country, including those who built stadiums.
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