The development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Qatar in the field of sports was discussed

On November 30, 2019, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the State of Qatar HE Mr Rashad Ismailov met with the Secretary General of the Qatar Football Association (QFA) Mr Mansur Mohammed Al-Ansari.

Ambassador Ismailov noted the dynamic development of relations between Azerbaijan and Qatar, noting the great potential for cooperation between the two countries in the field of sports. He spoke about the care and attention paid to sports and athletes in Azerbaijan by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan HE Mr Ilham Aliyev, and briefed on Azerbaijan's sporting successes, as well as the prestigious sports competitions organized in the country. The Ambassador said that the steps taken in recent years to develop sports in Qatar are commendable, adding that it is a great achievement for the country to host the 2022 World Cup.

In turn, welcoming Ambassador Ismailov, Secretary General M.Al-Ansari expressed his country's interest in expanding cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of sports, especially in field of football.

During the meeting, Ambassador Ismayilov said that there was a great interest in the sport in Azerbaijan, and informed the counterpart on the Azerbaijani football and the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA). The ambassador said that Azerbaijan and the Qatar national teams have played two matches as yet.

In his turn, Al-Ansari said that cooperation between AFFA and QFA would be an important contribution to the development of Azerbaijan-Qatar relations and the expansion of cooperation between the two countries in the field of sports.

The meeting continued with a discussion of issues of mutual interest.