Tag: Qatar World Cup

Messi skips World Cup training session as Argentina fear injuries

DOHA: Lionel Messi, along with six other Argentina players, missed the first training session in Qatar on Friday, just four days ahead of their FIFA World Cup opener against Saudi Arabia in Group C. 

The biggest sporting event of the year is set to kick off tomorrow (Sunday) with host Qatar taking on Ecuador in the opening game after a grand opening ceremony.

Messi, regarded as one of the finest footballers in the world, enters the competition with the optimism to fill the only missing pearl in an otherwise successful sporting career and take Argentina to its first World Cup victory after 36 years.

On Friday, around 400 reporters gathered at Qatar University, where Argentina were holding their opening training session, to catch a glimpse of the 35-year-old star footballer. Yet they returned dejected when he didn’t appear.

Argentine outlet Ole reported that the Paris Saint-Germain star spent the start of Friday’s training session in the gym as part of a ‘special’ programme designed for him to prevent any risk of injury before the megaevent.

Messi was joined by midfielders Rodrigo De Paul and Leandro Paredes, defender Nicolas Otamendi and forward Angel di Maria in separate training from the rest of the team.

Earlier, two Argentinian players Joaquin Correa and Nicolas Gonzalez were sent home due to injuries ahead of the team’s debut, with Angel Correa and Thiago Almada named as their replacements.

Seven-time Ballon d’Or winner has the lost shot to win the biggest glory for his national side since he had already announced that Qatar would be his last World Cup.

READ: FIFA guarantees more accurate offside decisions in Qatar World Cup

FIFA guarantees more accurate offside decisions in Qatar World Cup

DOHA: FIFA’s latest technology developed over the last three years would help make more precise and quicker VAR offside judgements in the Qatar World Cup, affirmed referees chief Pierluigi Collina on Friday. 

The “semi-automatic offside technology” will decide on even the trickiest offside rulings faster than the previous method. A 3D animated rendering of the action will also be shown live to fans in the stadium and on television during the showpiece event starting tomorrow.

“(It) gives us the possibility to be faster and more accurate in terms of decisions about offside,” said Collina, chairman of FIFA’s referees committee.

“Just to be clear, being faster does not mean we will have instantaneous assessment of offside. It will be less than now, certainly, but we cannot have an answer one-second, or basically live.” he added.

The referees head, however, underlined that the final decision always belongs to the match official – on the VAR, the video assistant referee, on the field of play, to the referee.

The innovative system tracks the ball with 12 dedicated tracking cameras that are positioned underneath the stadium’s roof and calculate the precise position of each player on the field using up to 29 data points, 50 times per second.

The optical tracking technology was put to the test at the FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, as well as at the Arab Cup in Qatar in last December.

“It’s the most accurate supporting offside tool at the moment.” said  FIFA’s director of technology and innovation, Johannes Holzmueller. “We analysed the data and the outcome was very positive.”

Collina added that his team held two workshops for all 32 team coaches and visited each side’s camps to bring clarity among the players about the technology.

Referees at the World Cup had been advised to issue red cards for anything that could harm another player’s health, including elbows to the face, studs-up tackles, and dangerously high feet.

“Here are the best players in the world,” stated Collina. “It would be a shame if some of these players would be unable to play because of an injury caused by an opponent.

“So the first message we went through was to protect the safety of the players. Something that may endanger the safety of an opponent, players and coaches should expect… a red card.”

READ: United eyes legal action against Ronaldo for controversial interview – Reports

FIFA WC 2022: Pakistan Army troops leave for Qatar to provide security

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan Army troops on Monday left for Qatar for the security of the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022 — the mega event scheduled from November 21 to December 18.

The Pakistan Army troops comprising officers, junior commissioned officers and jawans will assist the Qatari government during the FIFA WC22.

The Qatari Interior ministry delegation had visited Pakistan in August and requested Pakistan to provide troops for the security of the mega event.

Earlier, an eight-member FIFA team also visited Pakistan and gave training to the Pakistan Army troops before leaving for Doha, Qatar for the security of the mega event.

The approval was given by the federal cabinet to the Pakistan Army-Qatar agreement on providing assistance during the mega football event.

The FIFA WC22 will be played from November 20 to December 18 in Qatar.

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Pakistan Army to assist Qatar for FIFA World Cup 2022 security

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Army will provide security assistance to Qatar to host the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022.

The federal cabinet on Monday approved the Pakistan Army-Qatar agreement to provide the Gulf country with the security arrangements for the extravaganza.

The gulf country will be hosting the mega football event for the first time, scheduled from November 20 to December 18.

The development came as Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif prepared to depart on Tuesday for his first trip to Qatar at the invitation of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The premier’s trip to Qatar will be his first since taking office in April 2022. A high-level delegation, including important members of his cabinet, will accompany him amid his visit.

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New Zealand to face Costa Rica for FIFA World Cup spot on June 14

AUCKLAND: The New Zealand Football (NZF) announced that the Kiwis will lock horns with Costa Rica on June 14 for a spot in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, scheduled to be held in Qatar.

The intercontinental playoff was set to take place in Doha in mid-June, but there was no set date. New Zealand Football, on the other hand, announced the date for the crucial match against Costa Rica on Twitter.

“The date has been set for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Intercontinental Play-Off,” New Zealand Football wrote.

The winner of the match will join former champions Germany and Spain, as well as Japan, in Group E of the World Cup in Qatar.

The Kiwis are striving to qualify for the World Cup for the third time, having previously appeared in the tournament in 1982 and 2010.

The upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar will roll into action on November 21.|

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Eight groups finalized for the upcoming Qatar FIFA World Cup

DOHA: Following the results from Friday’s final draw here, all eight groups for the upcoming 32-team Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 have been determined.

In the final draw, a total of 29 teams were allocated to eight different groups, while three teams are yet to be confirmed for the mega event.

The hosts of the upcoming world cup – Qatar have been placed in Group A, alongside Ecuador, Senegal, and the Netherlands.

Whereas, the defending champions France have got themselves placed in Group D with Denmark and Tunisia and the winner of the Intercontinental Play-offs champion.

On the other hand, Group E comprises two former champions — Germany and Spain, alongside Japan with one team yet to be confirmed.

Taking to Twitter, FIFA shared the results of the draw.

 

It is pertinent to mention here that the 32-teams mega event will roll into action on November 21 with the Netherlands taking on Senegal in the curtain-raiser at Al Thumama stadium.

Whereas, the final of the mega event will be played on December 18 at Lusail stadium.

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