The selection of Qatar to host this year's FIFA World Cup brought cheers to the streets of Doha in a celebration of the first edition of the tournament to be held in the Arab world.

But the choice, made in 2010, also sparked instant criticism – over the logistics of holding a sporting event in a country where summertime temperatures regularly top 100 degrees; over allegations of bribery and corruption among FIFA officials who voted for Qatar; and over concerns about human rights abuses that have persisted in the years since.

Now, with the World Cup days away, the Gulf country is expecting the arrival of more than a million fans. And billions more will tune in to watch the tournament's 64 games. Yet the controversies have not subsided.

Recently, even the former head of FIFA called the selection of Qatar a mistake.

"It was a bad choice. And I was responsible for that as president at the time," said Sepp Blatter, whose term as FIFA administrator ended in 2015 amid a bribery scandal.

A lack of infrastructure and deaths of migrant workers

Qatar is the smallest nation to ever host the World Cup, a complex international sporting event that draws huge numbers of visitors and requires the infrastructure to accommodate them.