Qatar aims to host COVID-free World Cup - foreign minister

Qatar's foreign affairs minister said on Saturday his country is ready to host the World Cup next year and has been in talks with vaccine providers to ensure all attendees are vaccinated, Qatar's state news agency QNA reported.

"Right now there are programs under development to provide vaccination to all the attendees of the World Cup. We will be able, hopefully, to host a COVID-free event," said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, who is also deputy prime minister.

The president of global soccer body FIFA, Gianni Infantino, said in February that World Cup matches would play to full stadiums in Qatar next year.

Al-Thani said he believed it would be the first carbon-neutral world event, QNA said.

(Reporting by Ghaida Ghantous; Writing by Yousef Saba; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

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