Qatar’s preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup are on track, while the country’s legacy work is progressing well, a top official from football’s global governing body has said.

Speaking at the World Stadium Congress in Doha, Jürgen Müller, head of Planning and Infrastructure at FIFA, praised the work being carried out by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC).

“Qatar’s infrastructure and stadium preparation is well on track,” he was reported as saying by the SC. “We are very happy with preparations. Everybody knows it’s not only towards 2022, they are working towards longer plans for 2030, so this step is only one step in the bigger picture.

“This World Cup is adapted to their overall time planning and we believe it will be an outstanding tournament.”

FIFA and the SC were among a range of industry leaders present at the World Stadium Congress in Doha. Qatar’s progress ahead of the 2022 event was at the top of the agenda during the conference, which was held on May 17, 2016.

During his speech, Müller was quick to point out that the country has developed an “exemplary approach” to legacy planning for the tournament from the earliest stage.

“Qatar’s legacy planning was very clear to see from the bidding stage,” he continued. “They showed that they do not need such large capacities post-tournament and proposed modular elements to stadia, which is an excellent concept. There is already demand to the Supreme Committee for the demountable parts of their stadiums, so it is a very good approach.”

Furthermore, FIFA’s head of Planning and Infrastructure said that the Gulf state would be employing the latest technology to give fans a ‘futuristic match-day experience’.

“Qatar has always proven that they strive for excellent quality and state-of-the-art technology, and I think we can expect in 2022 an exciting World Cup with very high levels of services and fan engagement.”

Also speaking at the Congress was Othman Zarzour, the SC’s Competition Venues deputy executive director, who provided attendees with a progress update for the venues.

“The SC is currently working on eight stadiums for the tournament, and we have launched the designs of five stadiums. We are planning to launch the designs of the remaining three within this year,” he said.

“By the end of this year the Khalifa International Stadium will be the first proposed host venue to complete major construction, and will be among the first stadiums in the world to provide field lighting using LED technology. All of these projects will leave a lasting legacy for Qatar and the region for years to come.”