齐达内任卡塔尔2022世界杯申办大使

卡塔尔申办2022年世界杯委员会日前发表声明，称前法国球星齐达内已经被聘为卡塔尔申办世界杯的形象大使。目前申办2022年世界杯的国家有9个之多，卡塔尔的主要对手将是澳大利亚、日本、韩国和美国。由于2018年世界杯的举办者基本确定将在英格兰、俄罗斯、西班牙和葡萄牙、比利时和荷兰之间产生，所以2022年世界杯将在欧洲之外举办。如果卡塔尔能够成功申办，那他们将是1930年举办首届世界杯的乌拉圭之后最小的申办国。2018年和2022年世界杯的举办国将于12月2日在苏黎世公布。

Former France midfielder Zinedine Zidane has been appointed ambassador for Qatar's attempt to host the 2022 World Cup, said the Gulf Arab state's bid committee.

Qatar's bid is one of nine for the finals but their main opposition is likely to come from Australia, Japan, South Korea and United States.

"Football is for everyone," Zidane said in a statement. "When I think of all the youth of the Middle East, what they're missing is an event like the World Cup.

"We had [the 2010 World Cup] in Africa and now it is time for the Middle East."

It is almost certain one of the four European bids from England, Russia, Spain/Portugal and Belgium/Netherlands will win the right to stage the 2018 World Cup, meaning a country from outside Europe will stage the 2022 finals.

Qatar would be the smallest host country since Uruguay held the inaugural tournament in 1930.

The head of a FIFA inspection team hinted on Thursday the Gulf Arab state's size, rather than its fierce summer heat or the fact it is an Islamic country, could rule it out of contention though.

FIFA will announce the venues for 2018 and 2022 in Zurich on Dec. 2.