Qatar row: Diplomatic rift forces venue changes in Asian Champions league

BBC Radio 5 live sports news correspondent Richard Conway

Qatar is one of the world’s richest countries – its vast natural gas resources has given the tiny Gulf nation an incredible level of wealth.

It is building – principally in its capital, Doha – for a time when those resources run dry.

The controversial winning bid for the 2022 World Cup is seen as a catalyst towards largely achieving its social, financial, commercial and infrastructure aims by 2030.

By sponsoring major sporting events and brands Qatar is also looking to extend its “soft power” – a method of influencing how it is perceived and engages with the world.

This diplomatic crisis is a major threat to all those plans though.

Qatar has long had its foreign policy priorities that set it apart – and often against – its neighbours.

Regional powers – such as Saudi Arabia – believe Qatar is destabilising the Middle East through its support of terrorism. That’s an accusation the Qatari government denies. However, an air, sea and land blockade is now in effect.

The longer this crisis goes on the worse it will get for Qatar.

Right now, in terms of sporting ambitions, it has time. The World Cup is still five years away but construction of stadiums and critical infrastructure could be delayed given the blockade. Fifa’s leadership appears calm for now but that may change if the situation continues for a significant period of time.

Finally, Qatar has consistently sent a message that its World Cup will be a unifying event, shared with the entire Middle East. Qatar 2022’s chief executive recently said the tournament will serve “as a platform for enhancing cultural understanding in this era where voices of extremism promote exclusion instead of inclusion, external“.

Those hopes arguably lie in tatters given the current claims against the Qatari government.

Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup is still safe for now.

Despite the many on-going allegations of corruption against its successful World Cup bid – allegations it strenuously denies – it appears it will be geo-politics and influences beyond the reach of the organising committee, or even Fifa, that will determine if it does proceed.