Pavegen, a UK-based tech company renowned for its kinetic energy-generating floor tiles, turned dance moves into electricity, engaging the audience in the sold-out UEFA Champions Festival Friday Night Show in Trafalgar Square on May 31.

The event, held in collaboration with the Champions Innovate Programme and Rockstar Energy Drink, marked the first time a music performance in Trafalgar Square was powered by the kinetic energy of the audience.

The highlight of the festival, the Friday Night Show, headlined by BRIT Award-winning band Rudimental, blended the excitement of football and music, drawing a diverse crowd. Over 6,300 attendees danced on Pavegen’s kinetic tiles, generating energy that powered Rudimental’s DJ booth and microphone during their electrifying set.

Festival-goer Daniel, a Londoner, said, “I really like this dance floor, it’s great, it feels so responsive - it’s cool that it’s the first time ever something like this has been done in Trafalgar Square!” Amir from Surrey added, “It’s amazing how the floor is making electricity for the show. It makes me want to dance more!”

“Our participation in the UEFA Champions Festival has been a phenomenal success,” said Laurence Kemball-Cook, CEO of Pavegen. “It's so simple, you just need to dance to generate power on our technology. Feeling the energy and enthusiasm from the crowd and seeing Pavegen in action, powering such an iconic event, was truly inspiring. We’re proud to partner with UEFA and Rockstar Energy to demonstrate how innovative solutions can drive sustainability and community engagement.”

Bart LaCount, Vice President of International Beverages Marketing at PepsiCo, highlighted the collaborative effort. “The collaboration between Rockstar Energy Drink and Pavegen allowed us to take energy to another level,” he said. “Fans danced the night away while also contributing to power the event – thanks to the kinetic dance floor.”

Looking ahead, Pavegen plans to continue its partnership with Rockstar Energy Drink, repurposing the kinetic energy dance floor for future events to sustainably fuel a summer of music experiences.

The UEFA Champions Festival welcomed attendees from over 100 countries.

Host City: Why did USA Swimming want to host the Trials in an NFL Stadium?

Tim Hinchey: At USA Swimming, we are always looking for ways to innovate and advance the sport of swimming. Hosting the Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will make history, as this is the first time swimming pools will be built in an NFL Stadium. We’re very excited to push the boundaries of our sport.

USA Swimming is fortunate to have a loyal and passionate fan base. The Olympic Trials will be a unique opportunity to simultaneously engage our loyal fans and showcase our sport in an iconic venue to an audience that will extend beyond existing swimming fans. New creative opportunities like these will allow us to pave the way for growing both the sport and its popularity.

Host City: What are USA Swimming’s goals for the Trials and beyond?

Tim Hinchey: Our priority remains to execute a technically flawless swim meet and ensure the operational success of the Olympic Trials. We want the viewing experience to be different from any other swim meet and to create an overall fan experience that exceeds any previous Trials. We’d love to sell out opening night, and we hope this event will break the record for the largest attended swim meet in the world. We have also set a goal of 45 million viewers across nine nights of prime coverage on NBC. We will capture real-time data during the Trials in the venue and the Toyota Aqua Zone to help digitally market the sport.

Beyond the Trials, we want to win the medal count at the Olympic Games in Paris, expand the sport’s reach, build an even bigger fanbase, and inspire young athletes to make swimming their sport of choice.

Were there a lot of cities that bid for the Trials? What stuck out about Lucas Oil Stadium/Indianapolis?

We received numerous bids from cities nationwide as part of the bid process. Indianapolis is no stranger to hosting major sporting events and is one of the significant sports destinations in the United States. This will mark the sixth time Indianapolis has hosted the Olympic Trials for swimming, so the sport has a rich history and deep roots there. And, of course, the community is fantastic and has a strong reputation for being home to passionate fans who come out in full force to support events.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the 1924 US Olympic Swimming Trials, which took place in Indianapolis at the Broad Ripple Park Pool. Indianapolis also hosted the 2004 FINA Short Course World Championships at what is now the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, and together with the Indiana Sports Corp, we created the Swim IN Safety resource program to grant funds to organizations and pools hosting water safety classes in their community. So, these are just more examples of how vital swimming is to this community. We are proud and grateful to be able to build on the sports legacy here. Not to mention, the city has significant civic infrastructure, including premier hotels and restaurants, all within walking distance of its major sporting venues.

Sustainability is another essential aspect of our work, which is why the pools at the Olympic Trials will be filled with water from the White River and then returned to the river after cleansing treatment.

Host City: How will USA Swimming look to elevate the sport domestically with LA28 on the horizon?

Tim Hinchey: While our team is busy preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and anticipates continued success in competition, we are excited for the Games to be on home soil. We are engaged in numerous initiatives to increase domestic excitement and support for the sport. One example is our #GogglesOn Campaign, which aims to grow grassroots participation in the sport. We have also signed an MOU with the City of LA and other local recreation and park programs to provide access to swimming pools and lessons for kids across the country, which aligns with our efforts to ensure people from all backgrounds have equitable access to the sport. Additionally, we’ll continue forming Community Swim Team partnerships and giving Community Impact Grants.

Also, the ability to watch and stream the sport is highly beneficial to our existing and growing fanbase. Watching competitions and meets beyond the Olympics and learning more about our athletes keeps fans engaged, which is why, in 2023, we launched the first free NGB-supported video-on-demand destination, USA Swimming Network, for event live streams, athlete content, exclusive training and nutrition videos, and 40 years of archived race footage.

Host City: What are the priorities for USA Swimming from a governance perspective?

Tim Hinchey: We are continually growing and evolving as an organization. USA Swimming is taking the necessary steps to ensure athlete safety through our dedicated commitment to SafeSport.

We also know how important representation is, so we are working tirelessly to increase multicultural representation in our membership and elevate more women to elite coaching and governance positions.

Our nearly 400,000 members are the core of this organization, and we are rapidly increasing the number of tools and resources to help clubs recruit and retain their members. We also provide coaches with resources to aid athlete development from the grassroots level to the highest level of international competition.

Lastly, public engagement with the sport of swimming is a top priority for us. The Olympic Games are an incredible opportunity to showcase our sport and our country’s best swimmers on the global stage. We look to keep that engagement and momentum going after Paris and in the lead-up to LA28 through new and creative marketing and communications tactics.

[Source: FIFA] FIFA has revealed the match schedule for the FIFA World Cup 26™, with the final to be held in New York New Jersey on Sunday, 19 July 2026 and the opening match featuring the Mexican national team scheduled to be played at the iconic Estadio Azteca Mexico City on Thursday, 11 June 2026. Like Mexico, the national teams of Canada and the United States will each play their three group-stage matches on home soil. Canada will kick off their campaign in Toronto on Friday, 12 June 2026, while the United States will begin their journey on the same day in Los Angeles. The schedule for the tournament was revealed live on Sunday and can be reviewed on FIFA.com and FIFA+. The match schedule can also be accessed here.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “The most inclusive and impactful FIFA World Cup ever is no longer a dream but a reality that will take shape in the form of 104 matches in 16 state-of-the-art stadiums across Canada, Mexico and the USA. From the opening match at the iconic Estadio Azteca to the spectacular final in New York New Jersey players and fans have been at the core of our extensive planning for this game-changing tournament.” “I would like to thank our three host countries and 16 Host Cities for the unwavering commitment to staging a FIFA World Cup that will not only set new records but also leave an indelible legacy.”

FIFA Vice-President and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani said: “The FIFA World Cup 26 will be a watershed moment and one that will trigger massive football development in our region and worldwide. While each Host City is unique, they all have something in common – they are passionate about football and cannot wait to welcome the world in June and July 2026.” The tournament’s innovative match schedule will serve to minimise travel for teams and fans alike, while the number of rest days between fixtures will be maximised. Having been drawn up in consultation with key stakeholders, including national-team coaches and technical directors, the schedule will also increase the prospect of matches being played in the best possible conditions and ensure that fans have shorter travel times when following their teams. Match pairings and kick-off times will be confirmed following the Final Draw for FIFA World Cup 26, which is expected to take place towards the end of 2025.

FIFA World Cup 26 match schedule – summary:

• FIFA World Cup 26 to kick-off at the iconic Estadio Azteca Mexico City on Thursday, 11 June 2026, with the final scheduled for Sunday, 19 July 2026 in New York New Jersey.
• Toronto, Mexico City, and Los Angeles to host the opening matches of their respective national teams.
• Canada, Mexico, and the United States guaranteed to play their three group-stage matches on home soil, with Guadalajara, Vancouver, and Seattle also selected to stage host countries’ group-stage matches.
• Miami to host the bronze final, Dallas and Atlanta to stage the highly anticipated semi-finals, while Dallas will host nine (9) matches – the most of any Host City at the tournament.
• Innovative match schedule ensures that three days of rest for teams is observed for 103 of the tournament’s 104 matches. Majority of matches to be played in three regionalised zones (east, central and west) to reduce travel for teams and fans.
• Group stage:

- First matchday of the tournament to feature two matches, including the tournament curtain-raiser in Mexico City and a match in Guadalajara. - Day two to feature two matches involving hosts Canada and the United States respectively. - The final four matchdays of the group stage will feature six matches per day. Matches in the same group will be played simultaneously to maintain the integrity of the competition. - All other group-stage matchdays will feature four matches per day across four kick-off times.

• Estadio Azteca Mexico City set to host opening match for the third time, making FIFA World Cup history as the first stadium to do so.
• Canada will host its first FIFA World Cup, complementing its proud history of hosting top FIFA women’s and youth tournaments, including the successful FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015™.
• USA to host FIFA World Cup for the second time, following record-setting 1994 edition. USA has also hosted two successful editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup (1999 and 2003).

Fans can pre-register for FIFA World Cup 26 tickets at fifa.com/tickets. Pre-registration for information about hospitality packages is available at fifa.com/hospitality.

Further details on the match schedule are available in the FIFA World Cup 26 match schedule Q&A.

[Source: OnePlan] The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games is a major event like no other, powered by innovation. For the organising committee and its stakeholders, this includes how the planning of the Games is being done, including operations, security, transport, workforce management and so much more.
OnePlan is the Official Supporter of GIS Mapping and Digital Twin Software for Paris 2024, and our award-winning software is being used to plan the Games. It includes a 3D digital twin view, Venue Twin, that any user at Paris 2024 and its stakeholders can access to provide life-like visualisations of how the venues will look – simply accessible via a web browser.
Our digital twin solution leverages some of the latest computing and processor technologies of Intel, worldwide partner of the Olympic Games. Read on and watch below how venues in central Paris are being transformed virtually by organisers of Paris 2024 to streamline its operational planning.

Eiffel Tower Arena
The Eiffel Tower Arena will be a magical setting for the Beach Volleyball and Blind Football at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. With a capacity of 12,860 spectators, this temporary stadium will provide unique sporting moments during the Games.
As with all the temporary venues for Paris 2024, this venue currently only exists in Venue Twin. It gives the organising committee and their stakeholders a hyper-realistic way to plan and visualise all aspects of the operational plan for this arena, including security, transport, crowd management, workforce planning, and more.
The 3D digital twins wins we’re creating with Paris 2024 are fully interoperable with the 2D map views in the same system. When a plan is changed, however big or small that change, it’s instantly shown in the 3D view. This gives organisers hands-on access to real-time plans for every venue so they can plan collaboratively with whoever needs access.

La Concorde
Place de la Concorde is being transformed for Paris 2024 into an open arena to host urban sports in their natural environment at the heart of the city. Temporary venues will host Skateboarding, Breaking, BMX Freestyle and 3×3 Basketball, with these spectacular sports taking place virtually non-stop for the duration of the Olympic Games.
In planning Concorde, organisers have to take into account a myriad of factors to ensure the events are safe and successful. This includes how the existing city infrastructure needs to change to accommodate these temporary venues, security scenario planning, traffic management, workforce positioning and responsibilities, fan experience, optimizing for peak sporting conditions and so much more.
This is all being visualized in our state-of-the-art Venue Twin software, which can be viewed by any stakeholder any time, from anywhere. It’s reducing the time and costs of planning the next Games, thanks to our powerful cloud-based solution that’s easy for anyone to use.

Invalides
The Esplanade des Invalides is one of Paris’ preferred leisure destinations where locals and tourists enjoy sport, music and walking. For the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it’s being transformed into a show-stopping venue for Archery, Para-Archery and other sports.
The Invalides Venue Twin that we’ve created with Paris 2024 shows how event organisers are planning with temporary infrastructure on existing city environments. The centimetre-accurate placement of crowd infrastructure includes how fans with additional access needs will be able to easily access the venue and have excellent views of the action.
When planning operations at Invalides using the Venue Twin visualisations, organisers are able to view how the venue will look at different times of day and in different weather conditions. This is an innovative way in which the Paris 2024 organising committee is able to plan the Games with multiple scenarios in mind, and plan for any potential scenario.

[Source: Zwift] – Zwift, the global online training platform for cyclists, has confirmed plans for its latest world, Scotland. The all-new map is being built specifically for the UCI Cycling Esports World Championships and will take inspiration from the Scottish landscape and the city of Glasgow, which alongside other venues across Scotland will play host to the inaugural 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in August next year. The map will first be made available to ride for Zwifters on stage eight of the Tour de Zwift. This special stage will feature the full course branding of the 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships.

The new world will feature three distinct courses designed to animate the new multi-format UCI Cycling Esports World Championships that will take place on 18th February 2023. Designed to further differentiate Cycling Esports as a cycling discipline, and to further improve fan engagement, the event will feature three short and explosive events - The Punch, The Climb and The Podium.

The new Scotland world builds on Zwift’s status as the Official Virtual Fitness Platform of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, taking place in Glasgow and across Scotland from 3 to 13 August 2023.

This is the first time a virtual destination has been created specifically for a cycling esports competition. The virtual world will act as an extension of the host country of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, Scotland, and the City of Glasgow. The virtual world will further serve the purpose-led vision of defining and demonstrating that Scotland is a key cycling destination for reasons, including being a sustainable way to travel, enjoy leisure time, and find the power of the bike to improve both mental and physical health and wellbeing.

Trudy Lindblade, Chief Executive Officer of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, said: “Having Zwift take inspiration from Glasgow and Scotland’s awe-inspiring scenery to create its next all-new online map will inspire current and would-be cyclists from around the world to immerse themselves in Scotland’s stunning landscapes. 

“By joining forces with Zwift and putting Glasgow and Scotland on the world map in an innovative way, will further strengthen our ambition to reach a global and engaged audience to share our vision about the power of the bike being a catalyst for change.”

The City of Glasgow will also play host to nominated participants where five men and five women will be located as they take part in the 2023 UCI Cycling Esports World Championships, bridging the gap between the real-world physical efforts of the riders and the virtual race. The race broadcast will feature the Glasgow event as a key hybrid feature, further improving on format and fan engagement. Details and ticketing for this event are due to be shared in January 2023

Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life, adds: “It is exciting to see Glasgow portrayed in this way, virtually, as a new location within the Scotland World. This course gives the Zwift community across the globe a feel for our city, iconic locations and terrain. Glasgow is keen to be at the forefront of technological innovation within sport and the growth of esports and online cycling platforms broadens the appeal of sports, such as cycling, to a wider audience and, in this instance, introduces them to regions that they may be inspired to visit in the future.”

More information about the new Scotland World on Zwift will be unveiled in early 2023.

[Source: SMG] SMG launched a rocket with the introduction of AR (Augmented Reality) in 2021, once again distinguishing itself as a pacesetter in the industry.

And now the company is igniting the second stage of this future-oriented application, which will make technical support much easier in the future.

Excellent service is not based on standards, but on the customer's individual requirements, as CEO Tobias Owegeser explains. "Our intention is to be there for customers with a complete full service as long as they use our products. And that's usually decades.”

SMG customers have always appreciated the high availability of original SMG spare parts across the entire range of machines. And now they also benefit from the use of "augmented reality". This not only boosts the perception of reality with computer support, but also represents an extremely useful tool for service assistance that is self-explanatory.

The example of the TurfCare TCA1400 shows how SMG supports its customers and creates real added value. The new AR application, instruction manual video and brochure provides even more information about the product. Whether in person on site, online or via the service hotline, service experts from SMG can now train even more clearly, and quickly clarify problems or uncertainties. And customers can optimize their current use of the TCA with SMG Service 4.0.

For more information visit: www.smg-machines.com

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9J0lFh_cm2k

AR: https://smg-gmbh.to/turfcare_tca1400

Brochure: https://www.smg-gmbh.de/uploads/attachment/translation/download/58/SMG_Taktik-und-Technik-2022-EN-web.pdf

[Source: Paris 2024] Following initial validation by the Executive Board on 23 June, Paris 2024 is continuing its efforts to optimise the Olympic and Paralympic venues master plan, which ensures enhanced competition conditions, helps keep control of the budget, and preserves the legacy of the Games for local residents and regional authorities. The Board of Directors of Paris 2024 has approved the potential solutions identified, and granted a mandate to the organisation to continue working with the stakeholders involved, before the propositions are  officially presented to the IOC and IPC for final validation.

Châteauroux identified as a venue for shooting and shooting Para sport

The Board of Directors of Paris 2024 has confirmed that the shooting and shooting Para sport events are to be moved and the venue in Châteauroux as the favoured option offering the best conditions for the organisation of the competitions in 2024. Drawing upon the positive exchanges with the Fédération Nationale de Tir (National Shooting Federation), and the enthusiasm of the elected regional authorities, Paris 2024 is continuing discussions with the actors involved to finalise the technical and financial matters relating to this new host territory.

The “Terrain des Essences”, in La Courneuve, which was initially identified to host the shooting and shooting Para sport, will remain a competition venue. It will serve as the starting point for the Para marathon and the Mass Event Road cycling; there is less temporary infrastructure required for these two events. The large-scale decontamination and renaturing work will continue on the 13-hectare site, meaning the Games leave a lasting legacy that will benefit the area and its residents.

With Villepinte, new competitions will be hosted in Seine-Saint-Denis

The Board of Directors has approved the site of Villepinte, in Seine-Saint-Denis, to host the boxing preliminaries, the fencing ranking round of modern pentathlon and sitting volleyball during the Paralympic Games. The venue is subject to validation by the relevant international federations. The final stages of the boxing events will be held in Roland Garros, on the Philippe-Chatrier court, after the Tennis competition.

With Villepinte, and with the para cycling events being held at Clichy-Sous-Bois, in addition to all the sites that are already on the venues master plan, Seine-Saint-Denis is, even more than before, at the very heart of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Lille has been selected to host the basketball preliminary rounds

Following discussions with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the IOC, the Board of Directors has mandated Paris 2024 to propose the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Lille for the organisation of the preliminary phase of the basketball events.

Stade Pierre Mauroy has a history of hosting major international competitions. The record attendance for a basketball match in Europe was broken at Stade Pierre-Mauroy at the EuroBasket final in 2015 (27,372 spectators).

This new arrangement has the benefit of providing greater coherence between different team sports. With the basketball preliminaries being held in Lille, the handball preliminaries can be staged in Paris, in Hall 6 of the Parc des Expositions at Porte de Versailles. Thus, handball players will have the possibility of competing in Paris. From the quarterfinals onwards, the basketball competition will take place at Arena Bercy in the heart of Paris. This option also helps optimise the use of existing competition venues and keeps the budget under control thanks to the exceptional capacity of the competition site in Lille.

Next step

The IOC will  provide a final approval of these venues after full completion of the technical assessments as to the Pierre Mauroy Stadium's compliance with FIBA’s requirements.

Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games planned to take place in the very heart of the city

The Board of Directors has officially mandated Paris 2024 to present to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) the alternative concept of a Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony in the heart of the host city, Paris. Organised on the iconic Place De La Concorde, the Ceremony would be offering Paralympic athletes a unique experience.

Discussions will be held in the coming weeks with the IPC to agree on areas such as spectator capacity, accessibility, athletes' experience and budget, to define the most appropriate scenario for the Paralympics Games Opening Ceremony.

The two closing ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place at the Stade De France, in Saint-Denis.

[Source: Explore Edmonton] The City of Edmonton has today confirmed its full support for ambitions to host matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026™.

The news comes with the formal signing of an agreement with FIFA, the final step in the process of FIFA’s Official Host City selection. The agreement includes investment guarantees irrespective of FIFA’s allocation of matches, and a shortlist of firms to assist with the advancement of facilities at the stadium and training facilities.

An announcement by FIFA on the host cities is set to be made on 16 June in New York, completing a thorough two-year process. For Edmonton, this included a visit by FIFA delegates in November 2021, during which the city hosted Canada’s FIFA World Cup 2022™ qualification match against Mexico, selling over 51,000 tickets despite winter temperatures of -9˚ Celsius.

Edmonton is one of three Canadian cities awaiting confirmation as a host city, alongside Toronto and Vancouver. Should FIFA decide to allocate host cities according to the United 2026 bid, all three would become host cities, along with three in Mexico and ten in the United States.

The City’s ambition to become a 2026 host city also enjoys vast local support, with public surveys showing a 93% favourability for the event. Community and business leaders have also been an active part of the process, including via the FIFA Champions Committee, which advises and promotes the work of the candidature. The Committee is chaired by Chief Billy Morin, chief of the Enoch Cree Nation, which forms an especially key part of Edmonton’s candidature given the city’s location on Treaty Six territory.

Edmonton has successfully hosted a range of FIFA tournaments in the past, including the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship 2002, the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2007, the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2014 and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015. With such experience, the city has shown unwavering commitment throughout the 2026 process.

Upon signature of the final documents, Traci Bednard, CEO of Explore Edmonton, said: “We are more excited than ever by the partnership between FIFA and the City of Edmonton. We have had tremendous experiences in hosting FIFA tournaments in the past, not only in delivering great matches and events, but also in inspiring future generations of soccer players and fans. In 2026, Edmonton will be ready to deliver once again.”

In a recent interview with Inside World Football, Canadian soccer player Alphonso Davies, who grew up in Edmonton, said: “Whenever an international soccer event has come to Edmonton, people have supported the events very well. Edmonton is a beautiful, diverse place, and I have no doubt they will accept the rest of the world exactly how they accepted me and my family when we moved here. Edmonton has some great facilities and there are a lot of things happening in the city, especially in the summer seasons.”

More information of the vision of Edmonton’s plans for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ can be seen via their website here.

Register for Host City Americas, online on 29th June, for free here: https://www.hostcity.com/events/host-city-americas/register

This was the first year of a significant move from Olympia, where the show had been hosted for 49 years, to ExCel, with an increased capacity of 1,500. Arena started planning the design in February with clients Clarion and HPower Group and the venue’s operational team. The design was based on the mezzanine layout of Olympia, accommodating the VIP hospitality boxes and the Royal Box above the rear of the grandstand audience seats. The West stand also incorporated the entrance arch for the horses, dogs, performers and media commentary boxes, with multiple updates to the CAD drawings undertaken by Arena’s technical team to arrive at the final design at the beginning of November.

The organisers delivered eleven spectacular shows across the five days, with a fabulous range of equine and canine performances and competitions thrilling the live and broadcast audiences.

HPower Group Operations Director Nick Brooks-Ward states: “Arena has delivered an unbelievable seating and dining experience for the brand-new London International Horse Show at ExCeL. Martin and his team were simply wonderful to work with. The attention to detail is second to none and they created a fabulous experience for all our guests.”

Arena’s Project Director Martin Clark, along with Site Manager Dan Butler and Project Manager Nathan May led Arena’s experienced team, to transform the multiple halls of ExCeL in just 12 days. Construction of the 78m x 33.5m audience seating and hospitality infrastructure required a strict timeline, from the delivery of the equipment from the yard to the on-site team to the precise build schedule achieved in ExCeL.

Martin commented: “The build has been a good challenge with Arena’s whole team, on-site and in the offices, delivering an impressive looking, expanded arena - maximising the capacity, whilst maintaining the sense of intimacy and building on the amazing atmosphere at previous years at Olympia. The first time doing anything of this scale is always going to be testing but we planned out every detail, to eliminate mistakes, and there was a great collaboration.”

Clark continued: “The team at Excel has been extremely helpful and provided me with an office and parking. The main liaison at ExCeL, Jamie Harvey, has been on the ball and kept a very good level of communication. Matt Constance, health & safety manager for the venue, was very happy with how we managed the site, health & safety-wise. It’s been enjoyable working alongside Clarion, ExCel, and H Power Group to successfully produce a show that is a very popular part of London’s Christmas tradition for so many families.”

[Source: Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy] Qatar reached yet another FIFA World Cup™ milestone on Friday night when Al Thumama Stadium became the sixth tournament-ready venue to be inaugurated.
The stadium follows Khalifa International, Al Janoub, Education City, Ahmad Bin Ali and Al Bayt in being declared ready to host matches during the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup™, which will kick off on 21 November 2022. Al Thumama’s inauguration ceremony took place prior to the Amir Cup Final, which was won by Al Sadd, who defeated Al Rayyan 5-4 on penalties after the match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes. The match was held in the presence of His Highness, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Amir of Qatar.
H.E. Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani, President of the Qatar Football Association, congratulated the Al Sadd board of directors, technical and administrative staff, players and fans for winning the 49th Amir Cup.
Sheikh Hamad said: “Qatar has been a pioneer in hosting major football matches during the pandemic. The inauguration of Al Thumama marks yet another milestone on the road to 2022 and the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world, while providing another opportunity to welcome fans back to the stands as we continue to overcome COVID-19.
“I would like to express sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone in the medical sector for their outstanding efforts over the past two seasons. With their support, we have been able to host a capacity crowd for this evening’s final and send a strong message to the world that we are overcoming this pandemic.”
H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, said: “We are incredibly proud to have inaugurated the sixth tournament-ready stadium ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup. Al Thumama is a very special venue for everyone in Qatar. It pays tribute to an important piece of clothing that is proudly worn by men and boys across the Arab world and its unique design showcases the talent and innovation of our people.”
Al Thawadi continued: “We are now within touching distance of the World Cup. Soon we will pass the one year to go milestone and host the FIFA Arab Cup – which will give us a major opportunity to test all our plans for Qatar 2022. We stand ready and prepared to host a memorable World Cup for the benefit of Qatar, the region and the world.”
Nasser Al Khater, CEO, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC, described Al Thumama’s inauguration as another important step on the road to 2022.
“The milestones are coming thick and fast as we get ever closer to the World Cup,” said Al Khater. “The inauguration of Al Thumama is another important step as we ramp up preparations for the biggest sporting event ever to be held in our country and region. We look forward to inaugurating Al Bayt and Ras Abu Aboud before the end of the year, with our eighth and final stadium, Lusail, set to be launched in 2022.”
The 40,000-capacity Al Thumama will host matches during the upcoming FIFA Arab Cup™, which will take place in Qatar from 30 November to 18 December. It will then host eight matches during the FIFA World Cup™ up to the quarter-finals stage. Designed to resemble the ‘gahfiya’ head cap worn by men and boys across the Arab world, Al Thumama was designed by Ibrahim M. Jaidah, who is the first Qatari architect to design a FIFA World Cup™ stadium.
Al Khater said many important lessons were learned during the lead-up to Al Thumama’s inauguration.
“Every major match we organise helps us to fine-tune our plans for 2022,” said Al Khater. “The FIFA Arab Cup – involving 16 national teams from across the region – is yet another golden opportunity to test all our functional areas. In relation to the Amir Cup specifically, we will compile a vast number of lessons learned in the coming days and weeks, particularly in relation to ticketing, Fan ID, travel, health and safety, and others. Every event we organise between now and the World Cup is an opportunity to test our readiness and confirm our plans for the tournament.”