Doha: The man in charge of organising the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has labelled this month's club equivalent a "great success" as a test event but admitted the Gulf state has plenty still to learn over the next three years leading up to the controversial tournament.
Hassan al Thawadi, secretary general of the supreme committee for the World Cup, also insisted the tiny country will be able to handle an influx of huge numbers of supporters and sought to reassure fans used to western culture that they will be made to feel welcome.
"Our plans were previously theoretical and today they are being applied on the ground. Overall I think the Club World Cup has been a great success as a test event," Al Thawadi told media in Doha ahead of Saturday's final. "There are three more years to go to learn, so I have no doubt that by 2022 we will be ready." Al Thawadi was speaking at Education City, one of eight proposed venues for 2022.
The 40,000-seat stadium -- which will be partially dismantled after 2022 -- was due to be inaugurated during the Club World Cup, but delays postponed its opening.
