FIFA have reportedly made their latest U-turn on the 2022 World Cup by abandoning plans to stage an opening ceremony before every match due to the instructions of Qatar's Supreme Committee.
Sunday's dazzling opening ceremony for the entire tournament was fronted by Hollywood legend Morgan Freeman and lasted 30 minutes before Ecuador condemned the hosts to a one-sided 2-0 defeat. FIFA were promptly criticised for hypocrisy and tokenism, particularly when it came to their message that "everyone is welcome" in Qatar, despite the Gulf nation's abhorrent human rights record and discriminatory social laws.
The BBC refused to show the opening ceremony on their main channel and broadcasters were set to have the same conundrum ahead of every following game until the final on Sunday, December 18. According to the Mail, however, FIFA have now scrapped their plans for similarly lavish ceremonies which had long been planned and meticulously rehearsed.
Qatar's Supreme Committee are said to have taken over the running of matchday events, resulting in the pre-game showpieces being more limited. Only a brief two-minute ceremony, featuring a large replica World Cup and the flags of the 32 nations competing at the World Cup, will take place ahead of the first match held at each of the eight stadiums in Doha.
Insiders noted that the altered plan could still be subject to a late change - just as FIFA's decision to sell alcohol on stadium premises was reserved a mere two days before the tournament kicked off. On Saturday, FIFA president Gianni Infantino insisted that he was '200 per cent' in control of the event, despite his organisation's many compromises since Qatar won the right to host the World Cup in 2010.
"I feel 200 per cent in control of this World Cup," Infantino during an bizarre press conference in Doha. "Every decision is taken in partnership with the Qatari government. If this is the biggest issue we have for the World Cup, I will sign for it immediately and go to the beach and relax until the 18th of December.
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"Let me just assure you that every decision taken at this World Cup is a joint decision. Every decision is discussed and debated and taken jointly. There will be many big fan zones, eight to 10 fan zones, where you can buy alcohol. Up to 100,000 people can simultaneously drink alcohol."
FIFA also found themselves at the centre of another controversy on Monday morning when seven nations reneged on their plans to support the 'OneLove' campaign. Captains from England, Wales, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Switzerland were to due express their solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and promote diversity within football by wearing a bespoke armband during their matches.
Now, though, the nations' respective skippers won't be wearing the armbands in fear of sporting sanctions. FIFA rules suggest that each captain would receive a yellow card upon entering the field of play wearing the 'OneLove' logo rather than the governing body's standard 'respect' armband.
