Qatar: Emir Sheikh Tamim talks football with Blatter

Fifa president Joseph (Sepp) Blatter was in Doha on 23 July at the invitation of Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad, to discuss preparations for the controversial 2022 World Cup. A report into the bidding process by Fifa’s Ethics Committee had been expected in July, but has now been delayed until September, and seems unlikely to be made public. State news agency QNA quoted Blatter – who has in the past said awarding the tournament to Qatar was a mistake – as saying it was “great to see [Sheikh Tamim’s] and Qatar’s commitment to use the 2022 Fifa World Cup to achieve positive social change and to promote the host country and the region”.