Qatar is spending almost $500m (£400m) a week on major infrastructure projects as it prepares for the 2022 Fifa World Cup, its finance minister has said.Ali al-Emadi expected spending to continue at that level for three to four years as new stadiums, motorways, rail links and hospitals are built.

More than $200bn (£160bn) will be spent in total by the gas-rich emirate.But Mr Emadi denied that the plans would make the 2022 tournament the most expensive World Cup yet.The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is reported to have cost $11bn (£8.8bn) to host, while Russia increased government spending on the 2018 World Cup by $321m to $10.7bn.