When Qatar became the host of the FIFA World Cup 2022, many countries were surprised. How will such a country with extreme weather and lack of infrastructures host the World Cup? Defying all odds, Qatar opened the middle east’s first FIFA World Cup for global leaders. FIFA has already earned an unprecedented amount of $ 7.5 billion revenue via commercial deals that are linked with the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

However, the host nation has drawn lots of criticism from human rights groups, social activists, political activists for a wide variety of reasons.

The latest controversy happened when an intruder waved the rainbow flag, a symbol of the LGBTQIA+ community on the field. The person was wearing a T-shirt with messages- “Save Ukraine” and “RESPECT FOR IRANIAN WOMAN”.

This is not the sole act of defiance in the World Cup. Qatar has faced heavy condemnation for its LGBTQIA+ laws. With several laws that criminalizes LGBTQIA+ people, particularly gay people in Qatar several LGBTQIA+ activists have voiced their concern about the rigid laws existing in the country.

Similarly, several people are protesting against the ongoing condition in Iran. Iran is witnessing massive protests after the death of Mahsa Amini. Arrested for allegedly breaching the Islamic Republic’s dress code, Amini died in police custody.

How significant is the World Cup in terms of revenue for host Qatar? How are the protests dominating this year's World Cup? How does this World Cup stand out? Listen in.

Tune in to BL Podcast for more such stories.

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businessline Podcast is a daily series of podcasts from The Hindu businessline newspaper. In this series, we take a look at news that matter from around the world and stories to provide quick, critical analysis.  Our reporters, analysts and experts provide context to help you understand what happened, why is it important and how it impacts you. Listen in as we decode a wide range of topics from politics, policy, Indian economy and the world of business