Karachi – Qatar will get the first action of the FIFA World Cup it hosts in about three-and-half years’ time on June 11 after it was announced that Pakistan will play the home leg of its first-round qualifier for the 2022 showpiece against Cambodia in Doha.
The announcement came in the early hours of Thursday by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) faction that is recognised by global football body FIFA.
“We can confirm the venue for the match has been approved by FIFA,” a FIFA spokesperson told Dawn on Thursday, referring to the Hamad bin Khalifa Stadium — the 12,000-seat venue that is home to Qatari clubs Al-Ahli and Al-Sailiya. The venue is not among the eight venues for the 2022 World Cup, which FIFA said on Wednesday will remain a 32-team event.
