The opening ceremony of the world championship, the first in the desert, the first in winter, lasted 30 minutes.

Between tradition and innovation.

The values ​​of football, inclusion and friendship between peoples were the leitmotif of the show.

The protagonist at the Al-Bayt stadium is the American actor Morgan Freeman, narrator of a film with Bedouin tents and "vegetarian" whale sharks, and then in a dialogue on inclusion with a young Qatari, Ghanim Al-Muftah, suffering from a disease which deprived him of his lower limbs at birth.

"With mutual respect we can live together", the core of their words, because "with tolerance and respect we can live under one roof".

Made by the Italian Marco Balich, with a long experience in major sporting events such as the Olympic Games, the ceremony went ahead with flags,


lights and choreography that also saw the flag-wavers of Faenza on the field. 

Above all, the silhouettes with the shirts of the 32 national teams that will compete for the trophy.

And more music, emotions and amarcord with the journey among the mascots of past editions - there is also 'Ciao' from Italia '90 - and the most famous soundtracks, from Ricky Martin's anthem to Shakira's, only for give two examples. 

And then comes 'La'eeb', the symbol of Qatar 2022: the gutra, a classic Arab headgear transformed into a character complete with drawn eyes and mouth, while the voice of Jeon Jung-Kook, lead singer of the South Korean band BTS, author of the anthem 2022. 

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Morgan Freeman

The video of a match played in the desert over 50 years ago is projected on the big screen, in which among the protagonists was the one who would later become the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani: "We worked hard to ensure a successful tournament- his statements - For the next 28 days we will follow the great football festival in an environment of human and civil communication. People from many different countries will come to Qatar: it is nice that peoples share and celebrate diversity and what unites them. May they be days that can inspire goodness and hope".

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The World Cup mascot