The Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) unveiled the official logo of the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup on Tuesday.
The unveiling took place in Qatar’s capital, Doha, at 20:22 local time (19:22 CET), with several thousand spectators witnessing the synchronised projection of the emblem onto a number of the country’s most iconic buildings, including Burj Doha, Katara Cultural Village Amphitheatre, Ministry of Interior, Souq Waqif and Msheireb and Al Zubarah Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Numerous major cities around the globe also celebrated the milestone, with images of the emblem seen on renowned locations and outdoor billboards in prominent public spaces.
Some of the world’s most reputed footballers and FIFA World Cup legends are also taking to media in support of the launch and shared the emblem with their millions of followers online.
The emblem’s design embodies the vision of an event that connects and engages the entire world, while also featuring striking elements of local and regional Arab culture and allusions to the beautiful game.
According to the official statement, The swooping curves of the emblem represent the undulations of desert dunes and the unbroken loop depicts both the number eight – a reminder of the eight astonishing stadiums that will host matches – and the infinity symbol, reflecting the interconnected nature of the event.
Besides echoing the shape of the iconic FIFA World Cup Trophy, the emblem’s central form takes inspiration from a traditional woollen shawl. During winter months, shawls are worn around the world and in the Arab and Gulf region in particular by a variety of people and in various styles.
The statement also says how the intricate embroidered detail that often adorns shawls in the Arab world is featured and takes inspiration from various cultures across Asia, celebrating the continent’s second hosting of a FIFA World Cup tournament and Qatar’s diverse population.
The regionally inspired winter garment also alludes to the tournament’s start dates and the fact that it will be the first FIFA World Cup to be played in November and December.
