World Cup 2022: Stars dazzle spectators in the opening ceremony

Hosts
Qatar
will
be
taking
on
Ecuador
in
the
first
match
of
the
tournament
as
the
show
concludes,
where
many
global
singing
stars
showcased
their
talent
in
front
of
a
packed
stadium.

“The
seven-act
programme
will
be
led
by
world-class
talents
that
interlace
Qatari
tradition
with
worldwide
culture
and
will
include
tributes
to
the
32
competing
teams,
previous
FIFA
World
Cup
hosts
and
event
volunteers,”
FIFA
announced
before
the
World
Cup.

The
Opening
Ceremony
at
a
glance:

The
World
Cup
mascot
La’eeb
started
the
countdown
of
the
ceremony.
La’eeb
is
an
Arabic
word
meaning
super-skilled
player.

The
Opening
Ceremony
started
with
a
video
presentation,
along
with
a
voiceover
of
Morgan
Freeman.
Then
it
followed
with
traditional
dance
and
the
message
was
welcoming
the
world
to
Qatar
as
one
big
tribe,
sending
the
message
of
the
world
to
join
in
the
spectacle
with
‘tolerance
and
respect’,
as
Morgan
Freeman
said,
“emotions
that
connect
us
all
now.”

FIFA
World
Cup
Ambassador
Ghanim
Al
Muftah,
along
with
Freeman
gave
an
inspiring
dialogue
on
inclusion
and
diversity,
which
has
been
a
huge
question
mark
on
hosts
Qatar
due
to
their
government’s
anti-LGBTQ+
rules
and
ill-treatment
of
migrant
workers
which
took
the
lives
of
many.

After
that,
it
was
Korean
pop
band
BTS’ performer
and
lead
vocalist
Jeon
Jungkook,
one
of
seven
members
of
the
band,
who
sang
a
track
titled
“Dreamers”
along
with
Qatari
singer
Fahad
Al-Kubaisi.

That
was
it
for
the
curtain
raiser
of
the
World
Cup
as
we
prepare
for
the
first
act
of
play.