New York, May 23 (QNA) - The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), represented by HE Managing Director Hassan Al Thawadi, took part in a high-level reception at United Nations Headquarters in New York to mark World Football Day.

The event showcased the enduring impact of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as the world turns its attention to the global sporting event's next edition.

Hosted by the Permanent Mission of the State of Qatar to the UN under the theme "From FIFA World Cup 2022 to FIFA World Cup 2026: A Legacy in Motion," the event focused on the significance of Qatar 2022 and the legacy it carries onto the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer.

In remarks during the event, Hassan Al Thawadi said that Qatar 2022 had been a source of pride for the Arab world and the Middle East, carrying significance beyond the borders of a single country. He said the tournament demonstrated the region's ability to host the world while reflecting its own identity, hospitality and distinctive narrative.

Al Thawadi added that the tournament had never been viewed as a one-time event. Since winning the hosting rights, he said, Qatar's ambition had been to create a lasting legacy that would extend beyond the final whistle through infrastructure development, institutional expertise and stronger human connections between nations. He said the lessons learned from Doha continue to help shape the future of organizing major international sporting events.

Recently, SC and FIFA announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding on knowledge and expertise transfer aimed at supporting preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Under the agreement, a specialized team of experts from SC has been deployed from Qatar to a number of host cities in the United States and Canada to share their expertise across a wide range of operational areas. Another group of committee staff members and partners is participating in an observation and monitoring program designed to deepen understanding of the management and organization of major cross-border events.

As the first FIFA World Cup held in the Middle East and the Arab world, Qatar 2022 established new benchmarks in innovation, operational efficiency and fan experience through a compact and sustainable hosting model that has since become a source of inspiration for major events around the world.

Since then, Qatar has hosted several major sporting events, including the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023. In 2025, the country made further history by hosting the finals of three FIFA tournaments within just three weeks: the first expanded FIFA U-17 World Cup featuring 48 national teams, the FIFA Intercontinental Cup Qatar 2025 and the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025.

Later this year, Qatar is preparing once again to welcome the world by hosting the second of five consecutive editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, scheduled to take place from Nov. 19 to Dec. 13. (QNA)