Saudi Crown Prince Pledges Support for Qatar During FIFA World Cup

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman has ordered his government to provide support for Qatar in the course of the FIFA World Cup 2022, the Saudi Sport Ministry said on Sunday.

The international football tournament is being held from November 20 - December 18 in Qatar.

"Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud has instructed the ministries and government bodies to provide additional support or funding for the Qatari counterparts to endorse their efforts in holding the FIFA World Cup 2022," the ministry said in a statement.

In 2017, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of meddling and sponsoring terrorism. Doha has consistently denied the accusations, insisting that the neighbors' discontent with its economic successes was behind their hostile policies.

The impasse was overcome in January, when the Saudi-hosted 41st summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council adopted a declaration on restoring unity among the Gulf countries.

The first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and the Arab world is expected to be the most expensive in the history of football competitions. The Qatari authorities have previously said that hosting the World Cup would cost the country about $200 billion, taking into account the construction of stadiums, subways, new roads, hotels, and large-scale reconstruction of the entire infrastructure in the country.