QF Students Prepare for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 with Their Own ‘International’ Tournament

As Qatar gets ready to stage one of sport’s greatest showcases, students from a Qatar Foundation school will bring their own ‘international’ football tournament to a close this week at the Education City Stadium.

The venue will witness the finals of the Qatar Academy Doha Road to 2022 competition, where students from kindergarten to Grade 5 will represent 10 teams from the nations who have qualified for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ - and conclude a journey of sport, wellbeing, interaction, and cultural discovery. Over the past months, 1,080 matches have been played during the tournament, with the finals being held on June 1-2.

According to Elizabeth Kennedy, Assistant Principal at Qatar Academy Doha Primary School, the competition – as well as reflecting the football fever that is sweeping Qatar – has also aimed to help students reconnect with each other after the long period they spent studying remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It is a global experience for our students, and we are proud of the enthusiasm they showed for the tournament, which has highlighted their passion for football and their desire to support the upcoming FIFA World Cup™. here in Qatar," said Kennedy.

Miller Green, Lead Teacher at Qatar Academy Doha Primary School, says the tournament has contributed to increasing the students' sporting ability, and lifted their football skills and physical fitness. "The tournament has created an atmosphere of excitement for staff and students alike, and also introduced the students to new friends,” he said.

Green explained that the tournament has also helped drive students’ enthusiasm for learning, as it includes lessons in which the students learned about the culture of the countries who have qualified for the FIFA World Cup™. "The students were placed in different groups, and this helped them to make new friends across all school levels and ages,” he said.

“It has given the students a broader understanding of the historic nature of the first FIFA World Cup™. in the Middle East and they have worked as ambassadors in their homes and social surroundings to promote the diverse cultures of the countries participating in the tournament."

The hosting of the Education City Stadium for this event will create special memories for the students at the school – which is part of Qatar Foundation’s Pre-University Education – with Grade 5 student Sultan Al-Suwaidi saying he will always remember that he played in a FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadium.

“I learned a lot through this tournament. as I have played for the Belgium team,” he said. “I got familiar with the culture and language of this country through the presentations and classes held during this mini-championship.”

Al-Anoud Al-Thani, also a Grade 5 student, said her participation in the tournament taught her the importance of working as a team, and as she has played for the US national team, she learned more about the history of football in the US and about the tournaments in which American teams have played.

"I am very excited [about Qatar's hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™],” she said., “Participating in this tournament has helped us to become more prepared to help host the World Cup as a society, where we can show our Qatari civilization and culture to the world as we host people from different countries and cultures."