The Qatari 2022 World Cup organisers have insisted that matches will be staged in stadiums operating at 100 percent of capacity even as the global fight against coronavirus drags on. In Tokyo, organisers of this year's rescheduled Olympics have insisted their tournament will go ahead, but infectious diseases experts question the safety of hosting it before the virus is comprehensively defeated and speculation is rife that they could be called off.

If the Olympics fall, the 2022 World Cup being staged in the Middle East for the first time would be the next major global sporting event to face scrutiny of its virus strategy and safety plans. "Qatar started this matter gradually by hosting matches for the AFC Champions League without fans," said Yasir al-Jamal, chairman of the Operations Office of Qatar's Supreme Committee charged with organising the 2022 tournament.