Qatar’s Big Bet on the World Cup

<p>The World Cup, the biggest single sporting event on the planet, began earlier this month. By the time the tournament finishes, half the global population is expected to have watched. </p><p>The 2022 World Cup has also been the focus of over a decade of controversy because of its unlikely host: the tiny, energy-rich country of Qatar. </p><p>How did such a small nation come to host the tournament, and at what cost?</p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/tariq-panja?smid=pc-thedaily">Tariq Panja</a>, a sports business reporter for The New York Times.</p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>The decision to take the World Cup to Qatar has upturned a small nation, battered the reputation of global soccer’s governing body and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/19/sports/soccer/world-cup-qatar-2022.html?smid=pc-thedaily">altered the fabric of the sport</a>.</li><li>Many in Qatar say the barrage of criticism about its human rights record and the exploitation of migrant workers is <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/25/world/middleeast/qatar-world-cup-criticism.html?smid=pc-thedaily">laced with discrimination and hypocrisy</a>.</li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. </p>