Qatar World Cup delivery team joins FIFA 2026 preparations

Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) has sent a delegation of tournament specialists to support FIFA World Cup 2026 preparations in North America, extending a formal knowledge-transfer programme agreed with FIFA.The deployment covers multiple host cities and venues in the United States and Canada, with the tournament also staged in Mexico, as organisers build operating plans for a 48-team event across three countries.Gianni Infantino said: “The commitment, skill and passion of everyone involved in this project has been absolutely amazing.“We have seen the expertise that Qatar has built over the years in hosting world-class events – from its sporting facilities to hotels, airport, transportation, as well as human skills.”The SC said its staff are applying lessons from Qatar 2022 across tournament operations, workforce readiness, fan engagement and technological innovation, areas that will be tested at scale in a cross-border format.The initiative follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between FIFA and the SC, signed in Doha by SC managing director Hassan Al Thawadi and Infantino, which sets the framework for structured support rather than ad hoc consultancy.From FIFA’s perspective, the programme adds experienced event delivery capacity at a time when host committees and venue operators are under pressure to align standards across three jurisdictions, multiple suppliers and different stadium operating models.Operational consistency has direct commercial consequences, particularly around spectator experience, transport, security and stadium servicing, which influence sponsor activation quality and broadcaster production workflows.The SC’s knowledge base is rooted in a delivery model that integrated venues, accommodation, transport and fan services into a tightly managed tournament cluster, with Qatar also continuing to run FIFA events since 2022.Infantino cited that recent track record as part of FIFA’s rationale for the collaboration, pointing to Qatar hosting the first 48-team U-17 World Cup and staging the FIFA Arab Cup, alongside other competition delivery.The SC said the programme includes an observation element designed to help participants understand the complexity of cross-border mega-events, including the coordination demands across travel, logistics and workforce planning.North America’s organisers have emphasised that the 2026 footprint requires scalable systems and repeatable processes across host cities, with delivery pressure amplified by the expanded match calendar and increased travel load.The SC was established in 2011 to deliver stadiums and host country operations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and has since positioned itself as an event delivery resource for projects in and beyond Qatar.The knowledge-transfer programme gives FIFA an additional delivery lever ahead of June 11, while giving Qatar a formal role in shaping standards and practices for the next World Cup cycle.