"I had a privilege of visiting Russia many times during the preparations for the 2018 World Cup and I've grown to love and admire the Russian people and preparations Russia is undergoing for the World Cup," Al Thawadi said at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

He added that the importance of the benefits of hosting sporting events like the World Cup was often underestimated, and they are of much more significance for the hosts of the first-ever World Cup in Middle East.

"...It [the World Cup] promotes social change. It's a platform bringing people together... bringing down stereotypes of outsiders... People believe they know and understand the culture and the country... When you come to a country and celebrate 30 days of football... It brings down previous ideas and builds a strong connection and love to a host country," Al Thawadi said.

In April, Qatar and Russia prolonged an agreement on cooperation in various fields for further three years, including in regards to the organization of such major sporting events like the FIFA World Cup.

Russia will host its first-ever World Cup between June 14 and July 15 at 12 stadiums across 11 cities. Qatar will hold the next competition in 2022 between November 21 and December 18.