Match-fit – the logo for 2022’s World Cup

FIFA’s World Cup 2022 is many things, first and foremostly a football tournament, of course. But it’s also a masterclass in marketing. With that in mind, this week here at mustardMD we’re taking a look at that most important part of the World Cup – the design of its logo, the all-important brand must-have.

Each World Cup has its own distinctive design, and this year is no exception. 2022’s effort is distinctive and gives a respectful yet colourful nod to the culture of the host country Qatar.

September 2019 saw the Grand Emblem Release Ceremony take place around the globe, and at that point the World Cup 2022 received its identity. This big fan moment was synchronised in 25 cities including London, Mexico City, Paris, Johannesburg, Mumbai, and Seoul. The Qataris projected the emblem onto some of their most famous buildings including the Burj Doha, the Katara Cultural Village Amphitheatre, Souq Waqif and Al Zubarah Fort, whilst it was simultaneously christened on all of FIFA’s social media accounts.

This led to a knock-on effect of logo sharing – from football pros to fans, the emblem was everywhere.

But its distinctive look wasn’t the whole story, because it turns out that the logo also subtly broadcast a meaning in its design. Created by Lisbon-based studio Unlock, the team made sure that the emblem encapsulated not only the tournament’s spirit but also the local Qatari culture and regional identity.

At first glance, the logo seems simple and eye-catching, but on closer inspection more things spring out at you.

If you can’t quite see them yet, then here’s the FIFA press release to help spill the beans: “The emblem’s design embodies the vision of an event that connects and engages the entire world while also featuring striking elements of local and regional Arab culture and allusions to the beautiful game. The swooping curves of the emblem represent the undulations of desert dunes, and the unbroken loop depicts both the number eight – a reminder of the eight astonishing stadiums that will host matches – and the infinity symbol, reflecting the interconnected nature of the event.”

Sounds complicated, but broken down, there are a few “aha” moments.

Number one – the shawl. The traditional Arabic woollen shawl to be precise. This garment makes an appearance on every street in the Arab world during the winter and is the chief inspiration behind the swooping curvature of the design. At the same time, the maroon pattern draws attention, as well as being the colour of the Qatari flag.

Those beautiful swooping curves represent the ever-undulating desert dunes so characteristic of the region. These of course also blend into the infinity symbol which represents the interconnected nature of the World Cup through fans and competing nations from around the world.

Next up, can you see a number eight in there, because you’re certainly supposed to? Eight is important, okay, because it represents not only the eight stadiums where the matches are happening, but also eight is a unique number with a consistent flow that has no end to it. A bit like the infinity symbol, in fact. So, you get where the designers were going with this then. Yes, very convenient, but clever too, we must admit.

And we have more on flow and curves. They’re also reminiscent of Arabic script, so there’s another nod to the region right there.

Last up, we’d be very remiss if we didn’t point out the colours and pattern again. Both white and maroon are the two colours of Qatar’s flag, while the floral patterns are found on traditional shawls – we told you those shawls were the primary inspiration.

In all, this seemingly simple motif is an absolute star in its class, and rich in cultural detail to boot; match-fit and ready to go. You don’t need to know all this to enjoy the World Cup, just sit back, relax and take it all in!