RIYADH: Arab News claimed Gold and Silver awards at the fifth International Newspaper Design Awards for its coverage of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The first- and second-place honors were presented in recognition of the design of the exterior and interior of a special commemorative wrap that adorned the print edition of the newspaper on Nov. 20, the opening day of the tournament.
In the category “Best of Qatar World Cup,” the Gold prize was awarded for the design of the interior of the wrap, which included a chart with the full fixture list and tables that readers could fill out as the group stage and then the knock-out phase progressed, leading up to the final. It also featured a host of facts and figures about the stadiums hosting the games, and “12 players to watch” during the tournament.
“We have seen this concept in every newspaper, every sticker album for each World Cup, and this is may be the most practical I’ve seen,” said one of the judges.
“This is the double spread you keep, fill during the World Cup and find between your things 30 years later when you visit your parents’ house.”
The Silver award was presented for the exterior design of the wrap, which featured a collage of some of the world’s best footballers in action, surrounding the FIFA World Cup trophy.
“If ever there was a keepsake, something to frame and put on a wall, then this double-truck presentation from Arab News is it,” said another of the judges. “The attention to detail is impressive.”
The gold-winning illustration was created in-house by the design team at Arab News while the silver finish was the result of a collaboration with “The Sporting Press”, who had contributed work for ESPN, Time magazine as well as the England and Chelsea football teams.
Arab News Sports Editor Ali Khaled said: “It’s a great honor for us to win these two awards. A lot of work went into the designs and coverage of the 2022 World Cup, and we are proud of the final results.
“Credit goes to the Arab News design team for overseeing these and other designs, and to The Sporting Press for their seamless collaboration on the project.”
Omar Nashashibi, the head of design at Arab News, added: “To win both the Gold and Silver awards for our World Cup inside and outside wraps is a remarkable achievement.
“A lot of design and editorial work went into this coverage, so it’s wonderful to see that effort recognized. I hope our readers enjoyed it as much as we did.”