Both the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games are sporting events that represent the participating countries. They both take place every four years. For the host countries, it is their time to show off to the rest of the world. Beyond making themselves known for who they are, they take advantage to give off a certain image, in what is known as Sportswashing. In other words, using sports competitions to improve the public image and reputation of the organizer. This tactic is widely used after a controversy or crisis to clean up the image or create a new perception of the region.
A positive example of this is what happened after the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. There was a huge increase in tourism. People who were not familiar with the country were given a different outlook and became curious to visit the country after watching the event on television. It is now one of the most visited places in the world. Subsequently, the same growth was seen in the World Cup in Italy in 1990 and in France in 1998. Although these places have historically always been dream destinations for travelers, these World Cups greatly boosted their tourism. Korea, Japan and South Africa, host countries of other World Cups, have benefited in the same way, becoming very attractive for international tourism.
Of course, not everything has been smooth sailing. There are some places that have been involved in corruption scandals or sensitive political issues. Back in 2014 in in Brazil, the disorganization, delays, protests, corruption and social unrest were striking. Russia and Germany were also singled out for corruption.
Qatar 2022
Who would have ever imagined a World Cup in the Middle East? It was announced 12 years ago and is now a reality. It is Qatar’s turn, an Arab country with a little less than three million inhabitants, to inaugurate the 2022 World Cup in just a few hours. Despite several controversial issues, such as their handling of Human Rights, high temperatures and the non-traditional timing, it is a great opportunity to show the world its culture, traditions, religion, history, language, geography, gastronomy and technology.
It will be a great showcase to learn about a society that to many parts of the West still remains a mystery. It is important for Qatar to be a great ambassador for its country. According to the government, about 1.2 million tourists are expected during the month of the tournament.
If we look at the numbers, the economic benefits of hosting a World Cup are impressive. This year’s World Cup comes as a result of a $220 billion investment, making it the largest investment to go into any World Cup. Second place goes to Brazil with $15 billion, followed by Russia with an investment of $11.6 billion.
In total, the World Cup is estimated to add $20 billion to its economy. The IMF (International Monetary Fund) forecasts that Qatar's GDP will increase by 3.4%. The event will also give a new impetus to the Gulf Cooperation Council economies, especially Dubai. The effect this event has on the world economy is remarkable. It doesn't matter if you're a soccer fan or not, an entire productive chain is already moving, and it's in everyone's interest for it to be an economic and commercial success.
We should learn from what Qatar does this month. We can use it to our advantage and reflect on the adversities and controversies for the next World Cup which will be held in three countries that are not only united by a trade agreement: Canada, USA and Mexico. These three countries together form what the world knows as North America. They are the most important regions on the American continents and one of the most important regions in the world.
