With under a year and a half to go until the next FIFA World Cup™, Qatar is focused on delivering an exceptional fan experience for everyone who travels to the country in 2022. And to help achieve this objective, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) and Qatar Football Association (QFA) have teamed up to establish the Qatar Fan Leader Network.

The Fan Leader Network will comprise fans from across the world. ‘Fan Leaders’ will be involved in creating and sharing key information about Qatar and the tournament with their networks, leading to further excitement amongst a global network of fans ahead of the first World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world.

Fan Leaders will be granted access to information in order to answer questions posed about Qatar by their peers, and be provided regular updates about the tournament to ensure a quick, efficient and timely transfer of information from the host country directly to supporters and vice-versa. It is hoped the network will provide crucial insight to assist Qatar in shaping the fan experience in 2022.

Fatma Al Nuaimi, the SC’s Communications Executive Director, said: “From the moment Qatar won the bid to host the World Cup, we believed in the power of football to inspire innovation, build bridges between cultures and peoples, and accelerate positive social change. Fans are the top priority for us as the host country, and to get the experience right for fans, we need to engage football lovers everywhere.”

The Fan Leader Network will recruit 500 fans from across the globe, with their selection based on their passion for their national team and their role as influencers in their local community. Those selected should have experience of traveling abroad to watch their team play and be connected with fan groups, associations and societies.

On a monthly basis, Fan Leaders will be challenged to generate content related to Qatar 2022, with the best examples featured on the SC’s social media platforms. Fan Leaders will also be invited to Qatar for milestone events, in addition to taking part in monthly focus groups, surveys and questionnaires to help Qatar plan an exceptional experience for fans in 2022.

Mansoor Al Ansari, QFA General Secretary, said: “The Fan Leader Network will help football fans around the world learn more about Qatar’s passion for football and our rich history in the game. By creating this open dialogue with fans, we will reveal more about the next World Cup host nation and showcase our ambitions to deliver a world-class squad for 2022 and beyond. We look forward to working closely with the SC on this project and building connections with this global community of fans.”

To learn more about the Fan Leader Network, email fanleader@sc.qa.