DOHA — It was a few years ago when I first visited Qatar’s capital. How impressed I was as we drove from the airport along the city’s striking seaside corniche and Doha’s glittering skyline revealed itself in the distance.
“So many new office buildings,” I exclaimed to my taxi driver at the time.
“Yes, sah,” he replied, “but no one occupies the buildings. They hope in the future many foreign companies will come here and make Qatar the financial capital of the Middle East.”
Fast forward to 2022 and that hope has turned into reality. Doha’s modern glass and steel towers are now being occupied by a Who’s Who of the financial and tech world — Oracle, IBM, PWC, Ernst&Young, to name just a few, have all pitched their tent under Qatar’s blazing sun.
While the financial world is indeed now laser focused on Doha, this year, it will be the eyes of the sports world that will be trained on Qatar as this Persian Gulf kingdom plays host to soccer’s World Cup — Nov. 21 to Dec. 18.

Above: Some fascinating new stadiums have been constructed for the Qatar World Cup.

There’s no greater global sporting event than the World Cup and so there were certainly a few eyebrows raised when oil-rich Qatar was awarded soccer’s premier event. Apparently, though, FIFA, soccer’s governing body, and Qatar’s rulers speak the same language — money.
Controversy has also plagued the coming event, thanks to a number of foreign workers dying of heat exhaustion while, ionically, working on the new air-conditioned stadiums that Qatar has had built for the Cup. Oh, and the cost of those stadiums, at last report, has exceeded $120 billion (U.S.).
Of course, all that will be forgotten once soccer fans start arriving for the great event. However, because this is the first time that the World Cup will be held in a Muslim country that adheres to strict Sunni law, soccer fans, who have a reputation for drunkenness and hooliganism at previous World Cups, are being warned to be on their best behaviour here.
So, with that in mind, my soccer friends are asking things like: “Can I drink alcohol in Qatar when I go to see Canada play in the World Cup?”
Answer: Normally, alcohol is available only at licensed hotel restaurants and bars in the Persian Gulf state, and expatriates living in Qatar can only obtain alcohol with a permit.
Just remember, though, drinking in public — the legal age is 21 in Qatar — or being drunk in public is a crime and they won't bend the rule during the Cup.
As a lead up to the World Cup, though, Qatar has been experimenting with “bar zones” near stadiums where rules will be relaxed during the month-long competition — that will make U.K. fans happy.
What other dos and don'ts do you need to know?  Here's 10 suggestions that will help you blend in at Qatar's World Cup:

Above: Soccer fans won't have to worry about the oppressive heat because stadiums will be air conditioned.

1DO dress modestly. Loose trousers are acceptable for women but avoid short skirts and shorts, low-cut tops and transparent outfits.

2 DON’T get upset if a Muslim refuses to shake your hand. The handshake is usually limited to members of the opposite sex.

3 DO drink more water than other beverages. Temperatures during the World Cup will hover around 40C, so you’ll need to consume at least two litres of aqua a daily.

4  DON’T use your left hand to eat with your fingers when in public. The left hand is kept for personal hygiene in most Muslim countries.

5 DO use plenty of sunscreen with high-quality properties on exposed skin. And don’t forget the soles of your foot when wearing sandals - the desert sand is very hot.

6 DON’T ever sit with the soles of your shoes or feet facing towards your Qatari host. It is considered very humiliating and insulting.

7 DO enjoy Qatar's nightlife. It is one of the safest places in the world and the city is home to some fabulous restaurants and non-alcoholic nightclubs.

8 DON’T wear bikinis on public beaches, as Qataris tend to be more conservative. However, bikinis are fine on private hotel beaches.

9  DO hail a cab in Qatar. The green taxis there are clean and metered and most drivers speak English. There's not many in Doha and they'll be in great demndd during the Cup, so be patient.

10 DON’T go barefoot into the Persian Gulf waters, though, because that's  where troublesome stonefish lie camouflaged along the shoreline and their sting is harmful.