Qatar has received an avalanche of bad publicity ahead of hosting the World Cup in November and December. The football extravaganza has prompted Western media and NGOs to decry the desert nation’s human rights record, notably concerning the treatment of migrant workers. But while this may dent Qatar’s soft power, its abundant natural gas reserves are a more formidable tool of influence than ever as the energy crisis racks Europe.
Qatar’s ruler was at once jubilant and determined back in 2010 when FIFA made it the 2022 World Cup host. “Today we celebrate, but tomorrow, the work begins,” said then emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.
