New York, May 24 / QNA / Her Excellency the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations, Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani, hosted a high-level reception on the theme “From the FIFA World Cup 2022 to the FIFA World Cup 2026: an evolving legacy” at the United Nations headquarters in New York on the occasion of World Football Day. This reception highlighted the importance and legacy of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, the first World Cup organized by an Arab country in the Middle East region, and underscored how Qatar has harnessed the power of sports to unite people and countries across cultures and continents. While the international community eagerly awaits the FIFA World Cup 2026, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, this reception also emphasized the growing role of football as a platform for economic development, youth empowerment, and strengthening multilateral cooperation. Distinguished dignitaries participated in the reception, including Her Excellency Mike Waltz, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations, Her Excellency Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, Her Excellency Hassan bin Abdullah Al Thawadi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), Her Excellency Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026, Her Excellency Mrs. Gabriela Cuevas, Mexican Federal Government Coordinator for the FIFA World Cup 2026, and Her Excellency Mr. Adam van Koeverden, Canadian Minister of State for Sports and Personal Representative for the FIFA World Cup 2026, along with a wide participation of their Excellencies the Permanent Representatives of member states to the United Nations and senior UN officials.
In her welcome address, Her Excellency the Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the UN highlighted that the World Cup embodies the values that make football a universal means of uniting people and promoting understanding among men. She noted that Qatar’s organization of the 2022 World Cup, the first tournament held in the Middle East and the Arab world, was a historic milestone that strengthened dialogue between cultures and established a new concept of organizing major sports events through a sustainable and interconnected model based on innovation, accessibility, and long-term impact. She added that the tournament provided a platform to bring together individuals of different races, cultures, and religions to celebrate common human values. She cited His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who declared at the end of the tournament that Qatar had fulfilled its promise of hosting an exceptional tournament among Arab countries, offering people from around the world the opportunity to discover the richness of Qatari culture and the authenticity of its values. In his speech, the Secretary-General of SC emphasized that the real legacy of the 2022 Qatar World Cup extended beyond the tournament itself, noting that it was a historic moment that brought the world together for the first time in the heart of the Arab region, indisputably demonstrating football’s unique power to bridge cultures, challenge stereotypes, and unite peoples under a common humanity.
He added that the true measure of success of the World Cup was not the matches played, but rather the lasting impact the tournament had on people’s lives after the final whistle. He also explained that the 2022 World Cup contributed deeply to cultural understanding by embracing differences and common human values through football, highlighting that one of the most enduring legacies of the tournament is the human capital, expertise, and institutional know-how that Qatar is proud to share with future host countries and the global football community. The SC Director-General also expressed Qatar’s pride in perpetuating this legacy in solidarity with the United States, Mexico, and Canada, expressing confidence that the 2026 World Cup will mark a new chapter in football’s contribution to development, dialogue, and peace.
Furthermore, the Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN stated that fans coming to attend the 2026 World Cup would see the real United States, not only through the stadiums but also through the workers who built, maintain, secure, and operate them. He emphasized that teams of laborers, small business owners, hotel employees, taxi drivers, restaurant staff, and first responders, as well as streets, neighborhoods, churches, local restaurants, highways, farms, beaches, mountains, and city horizons, would showcase the United States standing tall, working hard, raising the flag, and welcoming visitors from around the world. The FIFA President declared that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar had been an exceptional event in every way, the best edition ever organized that had helped solidify Qatar’s position on the international stage in an unprecedented manner. He was confident that the world would witness this effect once again in North America in 20 days, successfully uniting the world once more. Lastly, the Executive Director of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 also highlighted football’s exceptional ability to unite people worldwide, noting that President Donald Trump had established a strong partnership with FIFA to showcase American hospitality and celebrate the spirit of competition. He noted that the World Cup is not just a sporting event but a symbol of global unity, where fans from around the world would create unforgettable memories during humanity’s greatest sporting event while the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary.
The Mexican Federal Government Coordinator for the FIFA World Cup 2026 expressed her country’s pride in hosting the World Cup for the third time in its history, stating that Mexico is ready to welcome the world with a spirit of unity, passion, and a shared vision for the future, reflecting the best of its people and culture, as well as the power of sports to bring nations together and strengthen their bonds. Similarly, the Canadian Minister of State for Sports and Personal Representative for the FIFA World Cup 2026 emphasized that the tournament is a global celebration that helps bring people and countries closer. He stressed that as the world remembers the lasting legacy of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and looks forward to the 2026 edition, Canada is proud to contribute to preserving this legacy based on unity, inclusion, and cooperation. He added that Canada, in cooperation with its partners, is striving to harness the power of sports to strengthen ties between communities, inspire people, and showcase what can be achieved through collective action. The high-level reception concluded with a special visual performance on the facade of the United Nations Secretariat building, a symbolic initiative embodying the continuity of the World Cup legacy and its contribution to promoting common progress and international cooperation through the universal language of football.
