History was made in Qatar yesterday when the Qatar Football Workers Cup kicked off at Al Rayyan Club as part of the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee’s community outreach programme that aims to demonstrate how companies and their employees can work together to improve overall health and wellbeing through participation in sport.
The tournament is being held in co-operation with the Qatar Stars League and QSports Leagues and will continue until April 13 when the final will be played.
“We are continuing to use football as a tool to improve people’s lives across every segment of society,” said Saud al-Attiyah, legacy director for the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee.
“This tournament is a pilot programme and a small part of our legacy planning that shows the power of football to improve individual livelihoods,” he said.
“We hope companies encourage their workers to practise and play internal matches in order to have even more competitive teams for next year’s edition.”
Al-Attiyah added that the World Cup could be a tool for positive change in Qatar.
“By fostering healthy lifestyles through football, the 2022 FIFA World Cup is acting as a catalyst for positive change all over the country,” he said.
Abdulrahman al-Dosari, chief commercial officer for the Qatar Stars League, called it “an initiative that could transform the way people feel about football in Qatar”.
He said: “This is part of an inspiring programme aimed at getting more communities in Qatar involved in football. This is something we really believe can work. It is important we focus on people who are here in Qatar already and people who will arrive in the future. We must work hard to build relationships all the time.”
The tournament features 16 teams of 18 players each and gives those involved an opportunity to represent their company in the first event of its kind in the region.
While companies had to put up an entry fee of QR6,000, the workers themselves paid none of that amount. They do, however, have the opportunity to win prizes of up to QR18,000 for the winning side, to be divided equally between each of the players, with QR9,000 and QR6,000 respectively being the prizes for second and third place. The best player and best goalkeeper will each receive QR1,500.
The Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee described the tournament as “an example of the comprehensive way in which the organisation aims to engage with and integrate Qatar’s community”.
“We value greatly and believe that positive relations between companies and their employees are a crucial part of the road ahead towards delivering an outstanding and unforgettable experience during the FIFA World Cup,” said Yasir al-Jamal, technical director for the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee.
“Moreover, we have already completed a Workers’ Charter that enshrines both the health and wellbeing, and safety and security of all workers that will be implemented across all our projects. It has the support of all relevant government stakeholders and will be introduced to the public in the coming weeks.”
With the semi-finals scheduled for April 12 at Al Rayyan Club, the tournament reaches a grand finale on April 13 with the third place playoff and final. Both are expected to be played around a Qatar Stars League match, which will further enhance the interaction between professional footballers and the rest of the community.
“We believe the Qatar Workers Football Cup is an amazing opportunity to partner with the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee and the Qatar Stars League in delivering a unique and pioneering tournament, which creates the chance for all segments of Qatar’s society to participate in an exciting sporting event,” said Ghanim al-Mohannadi, chairman and founder, QSports Leagues.