Tim Cahill believes players and fans will love the 2022 Fifa World Cup being in Qatar as the tournament will be more compact. He also lauds the economic benefit it offers the region.
The Australia icon has been speaking to the Khaleej Times as an ambassador for the Qatar World Cup. He was one of four global legacy ambassadors alongside Xavi Hernandez, Cafu and Samuel Eto’o that Qatar hired in February 2020 to promote the event and the region.
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Cahill featured at four World Cups with Australia after helping the Socceroos return to the Fifa competition in 2006. The Oceanic nation had not played at any edition since the 1974 edition. Yet Australia have not missed any World Cup since their return to the global stage.
Australia also registered their best finish at a World Cup in 2006 with a Round of 16 match in Germany. Cahill could not help the Socceroos advance beyond the group stage in 2010, 2014 or 2018. He also did not score in 2018 after two goals in ‘06 and ‘14 and one in 2010.
No Australian has scored more often across World Cups than Cahill with five. Mile Jedinak and Brett Holman are the only other Socceroos stars to score multiple goals with three and two respectively. Cahill and Mark Bresciano also share the most World Cup games on nine.
Tim Cahill tips players to ‘love’ Qatar 2022 and fans to enjoy an ‘amazing’ World Cup
Speaking with past experiences of playing World Cups in Germany, South Africa, Brazil and Russia, Cahill tips players to ‘love’ the more compact nature of Qatar 2022. He also expects fans will enjoy the tournament and points to the scheduling of the games during the event.
“The World Cup creates excitement in the region and it opens up hospitality and tourism,” Cahill noted. “Also, it’s going to be a different World Cup. It’s going to be more compact – eight stadiums across 70 miles.
“Players will love it because in other World Cups, you sometimes fly five hours after a game. It will be an amazing experience for the fans, too, as there will be two or three matches in a day.”
Qatar will host four group stage fixtures each day between November 22 and December 2, with just the opening match held on November 20 and three games held on November 21. Three or four group stage games were also played each day at the 2018 Russia World Cup.
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