Qatar to be 'guest team' in European qualifiers for World Cup
RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT
VIDEO SHOWS: QATAR TEAM ON OPEN-TOP BUS DRIVING THROUGH STREETS OF DOHA BEING CHEERED BY FANS AFTER WINNING THE ASIAN CUP, FILE FOOTAGE OF 2022 QATAR WORLD CUP STADIUMS, FILE FOOTAGE OF QATAR
SHOWS:
DOHA, QATAR (FILE - FEBRUARY 2, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
1. VARIOUS OF THE QATAR TEAM ON OPEN-TOP BUS DRIVING THROUGH STREETS OF DOHA BEING CHEERED BY FANS AFTER WINNING THE ASIAN CUP
2. FANS WAVING QATARI FLAGS AND SINGING
3. QATAR TEAM ON OPEN-TOP BUS SINGING
4. MEMBER OF QATAR TEAM HOLDING ASIAN CUP WHILST SITTING ON OPEN-TOP BUS
5. QATAR TEAM ON OPEN-TOP BUS WITH QATAR TEAM BEING CHEERED BY FANS
6. MEMBER OF QATAR TEAM HOLDING ASIAN CUP WHILST SITTING ON OPEN-TOP BUS
7. MORE OF QATAR TEAM ON OPEN-TOP BUS BEING CHEERED BY FANS LINING THE STREET
DOHA QATAR (FILE) (SC 2022 - FOR EDITORIAL PURPOSES ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE) (MUTE)
8. WORLD CUP TROPHY IN EDUCATION CITY STADIUM
DOHA, QATAR (FILE) (SC 2022 - FOR EDITORIAL PURPOSES ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE)
9. KHALIFA INTERNATIONAL STADIUM IN DAYLIGHT
10. VARIOUS OF KHALIFA INTERNATIONAL STADIUM AT NIGHT
11. AERIAL OF KHALIFA INTERNATIONAL STADIUM PITCH
12. FIREWORKS OVER KHALIFA INTERNATIONAL STADIUM
AL KHOR, QATAR (FILE - OCTOBER 7, 2020) (SC - FOR EDITORIAL PURPOSES ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE)
13. FIFA PRESIDENT, GIANNI INFANTINO, ENTERING AL BAYT STADIUM
14. INFANTINO INSPECTING LUXURY SUITE
15. INFANTINO LOOKING OUT ONTO PITCH
17. INFANTINO SPEAKING WITH ORGANISERS FROM LUXURY SUITE
18. AERIAL OF AL BAYT STADIUM WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO LOOK LIKE A TRADITIONAL ARAB TENT
DOHA, QATAR (FILE) (SC 2022 - FOR EDITORIAL PURPOSES ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE)
19. KHALIFA INTERNATIONAL STADIUM
AL WAKRAH, QATAR (FILE) (SC 2022 - FOR EDITORIAL PURPOSES ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE) (MUTE)
20. VARIOUS OF AL WAKRAH STADIUM
21. FIREWORKS OVER AL WAKRAH STADIUM
AL RAYYAN, QATAR (FILE) (SC 2022 - FOR EDITORIAL PURPOSES ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE) (MUTE)
22. VARIOUS OF AL RAYYAN STADIUM
DOHA, QATAR (FILE) (SC 2022 - FOR EDITORIAL PURPOSES ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE.) (MUTE)
23. VARIOUS OF AL THUMAMA STADIUM, WITH CONSTRUCTION CRANE
24. EXTERIOR OF QATAR FOUNDATION STADIUM
25. VARIOUS AERIALS OF QATAR FOUNDATION STADIUM PITCH
26. VARIOUS OF QATAR FOUNDATION STADIUM AT NIGHT WITH LIGHTS
LUSAIL, QATAR (FILE) (SC 2022 - FOR EDITORIAL PURPOSES ONLY. NO COMMERCIAL USE.) (MUTE)
27. VARIOUS NIGHT-TIME AERIALS OF THE LUSAIL ICONIC STADIUM WHICH IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
28. DAWN AERIAL OF LUSAIL ICONIC STADIUM UNDER CONSTRUCTION
29. AERIAL OF LUSAIL ICONIC STADIUM SHOWING PITCH UNDER CONSTRUCTION
30. AERIAL OF LUSAIL ICONIC STADIUM UNDER CONSTRUCTION
DOHA, QATAR (FILE - DECEMBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
31. DOHA SKYLINE
32. VARIOUS OF WOODEN BOATS IN HARBOUR
33. VARIOUS OF CAMELS WITH THEIR CAMEL TRADERS
DOHA, QATAR (FILE - DECEMBER 19, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
34. VARIOUS OF FANS DRINKING BEER IN CLUB WORLD CUP FAN ZONE (THREE SHOTS)
35. FANS WALKING THROUGH FAN ZONE
36. FANS IN ARAB DRESS DANCING IN FRONT OF CAMERA
37. FANS DRINKING BEER IN FAN ZONE
DOHA, QATAR (FILE - SEPTEMBER, 2019) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)
38. VARIOUS OF DOHA SKYLINE AT NIGHT
STORY: Qatar will be included as a guest team in one of the European World Cup qualifying groups as part of their preparation for hosting the 2022 tournament, UEFA has confirmed.
As hosts, Qatar qualify automatically for the 2022 World Cup and so would have to rely on friendly games to get ready for the finals.
The Gulf nation will be placed as a 'shadow' team in Group A - one of the five-team groups in UEFA's qualification process - and play friendly games against whichever team has a free date on a given matchday.
The Asian champions will face Portugal, Serbia, Ireland, Luxembourg and Azerbaijan.
The Qatar games would all be played in Europe but not count in any way towards the qualification process and would be categorised as friendly matches.
The move mirrors the approach taken by France for the 2016 European Championship that they hosted.
(Production: Kurt Michael Hall)
