The long-awaited Qatar 2022 World Cup officially commenced yesterday, with a colourful opening ceremony and eye-catching folkloric shows, blends of music with magnificent lighting inside the Al-Bayt stadium.
Veteran Hollywood actor, Morgan Freeman, who kicked-off the opening ceremony in front of the country’s royals, narrated the event’s opening segment titled: ‘The Calling’, telling viewers ‘we all gather here in one big tribe’, as fans descended on Doha city centre for the opening game.
Morgan Freeman spoke with Qatari entrepreneur, Ghanim al Muftah – a FIFA World Cup Ambassador who was born with the disease, Caudal Regression Syndrome, a rare disorder which impairs the development of the lower spine – who said: We sent out the call; because everyone is welcome. This is an invitation to the whole world.
Freeman replied: I remember, even after hearing the call, instead of seeing another way, we dismissed it and demanded our own way. And now the world feels even more distant and divided.
A show then unfolded on the pitch featuring hordes of dancers, a light show, camels and a performance of a new tournament song called Dreamers, featuring singer, Jung Kook, of K-pop boy band BTS, alongside Qatari singer, Fahad Al-Kubaisi.
This years edition will run from 20th November to 18th December 2022.
This is the first World Cup to be held in the Arab world, and the second World Cup held entirely in Asia after the 2002 tournament in South Korea and Japan.
The opening match was between host Qatar and Ecuador.
