Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation and Sheikh Hamad al-Thani, president of the Qatar Football Association. (Supplied)
Qatari Football Federation officials are looking to use Iran’s Kish Island to host Qatar 2022 World Cup teams, Iranian media reported on Sunday.
According to Iranian website Iran Front Page the Iranian Football Federation invited the president of the Qatar Football Association, Sheikh Hamad al-Thani, to visit Kish Island in southern Iran to see the possibilities of setting up camps for 2022 World Cup teams.
Sheikh Hamad has welcomed the proposal, the website reported, but due to a lack of direct flights from Qatar to the island, the Qatari official may travel to Kish with a dedicated flight or a ship from Doha.
As soon as the dates for 2022 World Cup are confirmed, Iran would be informed about the details, the Varzesh3 news website said in a Farsi report.
Sheikh Hamad al-Thani also promised to send a high-level delegation representing the 2022 World Cup executive committee to visit Kish Island in a bid to take care of any possible lack of facilities.
Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation and his deputy Ali Kaffashian on Thursday made a trip to Qatar. During the visit, two MoUs were signed between Iran’s Football Federation and Qatari Football Association.
Based on one of these MoUs, Kish Island could be a tourist destination for the 2022 World Cup spectators. At the same time, it seems that a direct flight from Doha to Kish will be provided so that the island could accommodate spectators.
The Qatari side also agreed to provide Iran’s men and women national teams at all levels with special facilities and equipped academies.
