The World Cup could hand Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani his crowning achievement on the global stage or a fiasco to be relished by Arab adversaries who resent Qatar for backing outlawed Islamist movements and for punching above its weight.
The 42-year-old ruler hopes a smooth tournament will cement Qatar as a legitimate global player, display strength to regional rivals and placate conservatives at home who have bristled at international criticism of their country.
