2024 U23 Asian Cup at Qatar - A key step in establishing the legacy of the 2022 World Cup

One of the striking aspects of the upcoming World Cup in Qatar are the stunning venues. The World Cup is set to feature about eight terrific stadiums, with the 80000-capacity Lusail Stadium being the crown jewel.

While the designs of these stadiums are astounding, so are their features like the Advanced Cooling Tech which will control the temperature and humidity inside the venues.

No doubt that Qatar has invested a lot in setting up the infrastructure for the World Cup. And rightly so because 2022 World Cup is momentous in many ways.

It is the first-ever World Cup in the Arab region and only the second-ever World Cup to be held in Asia. The tournament is also vital for Qatar's National Vision 2030, the objective of which is to turn Qatar into an advanced society capable of sustaining its development and providing a high standard of living for its people.

The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) has already planned for the 2022 World Cup to leave a lasting legacy on the country and the Arab region as a whole.

One of the important aspects of which is to turn Qatar into an all-weather footballing (and sporting) destination in Asia. Part of that plan is the endeavour to turn the 2022 World Cup venues into sustainable projects.

SC

Many of the 2022 World Cup stadiums will see a reduction in capacity, with the seats and modular sections donated to other countries and spaces around the stadiums converted into community projects. In fact, one of the stadiums (974 Stadium) will be completely dismantled after the World Cup. However, the stadiums that remain will also be put to use post 2022.

The recent announcement from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) that the U23 Asian Cup in 2024 is set to be hosted in Qatar is a welcome step in that regard.

The existing stadiums will host such high-profile tournaments and provide a world class setting for continental football. It must be noted that the U23 Asian Cup has seen future stars of Asian football make a name in the past. To have top-notch facilities for such a tournament would be great exposure for the talented stars.

It must be noted that Qatar has already bid to host the 2027 Asian Cup and have been awarded the rights to host the 2030 Asian Games.

It is quite clear that the SC aims to sustain and grow the footballing revolution that has been sparked in Qatar in the run up to the 2022 World Cup.

The U23 Asian Cup, set to be one of the first major events in Qatar post the 2022 World Cup, will be the start of the lasting legacy of the global extravaganza.