November's FIFA World Cup in Qatar will be unlike any other finals that have previously taken place and the logistical challenges facing organizers, from providing enough accommodation to dealing with unruly fans, will only intensify.
The Gulf state will host the first World Cup in West Asia — the first in a Muslim state — and no other tournament has ever been held in the northern hemisphere winter.
Qatar, which is roughly the size of Jamaica, is also the smallest state to have held soccer's biggest event, with fans from the 32 competing nations set to watch games at eight stadiums clustered around the only major city — Doha.