Department of International Relations, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia
Ali Roziqin
Department of Government Studies, Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang
Qatar successfully hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup despite facing criticism for human rights violations and allegations of supporting terrorists. This study seeks to analyse the correlation between sport, economy, politics, and religion in the context of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup. The intricate connection was also utilised to introduce the Islamic status of the country, which frequently implemented sharia law. As a result, two key questions emerged: (1) Why does Qatar use the momentum of sports to introduce Islamic values, and (2) How does the country carry out public diplomacy to counter negative opinions? A descriptive-qualitative method was employed to analyse the initiation of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Pertinent data was gathered through in-depth interviews, news documentation, academic journal articles, textbooks, eBooks, and social media platforms like YouTube. In addition, the data collected underwent analysis using an interactive model that involved stages of information reduction, display, and verification, which incorporated triangulation. The findings indicated that Qatar has implemented a comprehensive set of laws and policies to address national policy criticisms and enhance its public soft power diplomacy. These measures include the establishment of an Islamic identity, the assertion of sovereignty, and the development of economic strength. The potential negative perceptions surrounding the hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup were effectively mitigated, allowing for a successful outcome.