Fifa World Cup 2022
Special SABC3 (*193) 21:00 Sport
It’s soccer fever across the channels with the FIFA World Cup taking place in Qatar, albeit slightly later in the year than usual to avoid the soaring temperatures in the Middle Eastern country. Did you know that stadiums for the tournament were purposebuilt and didn’t exist even three years ago? Plus, each World Cup stadium has giant pitch-side airconditioning units to keep the players cool during the 90-minute matches.
1The World Cup trophy has three names: The first one, Victory; the second, The Jules Rimet Trophy as tribute to the FIFA president who created the World Cup; and Coupe du Monde.
2The original has been stolen twice, first in 1966 in England, then again in 1983 in Brazil. It was never found after being stolen in the South American country, so a new one was made using the original base that had been stored at FIFA’s headquarters in Switzerland.
3Only two teams have played in every World Cup tournament since it was founded in 1930: Brazil and Germany, who’ve both won the World Cup five times.
3The only host country so far not to have made it to the second round of the competition is South Africa – we hosted it in 2010.
5The four-year event almost became a bi-annual competition (hosted every two years) when the idea was pitched at a 2021 meeting. Only five representatives on the 100-person panel voted in favour.
6German sports brand Adidas has been the official ball manufacturer and supplier since 1970 when it took over from Slazenger.