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Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani said public displays of affection are prohibited among heterosexual couples in Qatar, as well as among LGBTQ couples.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani described the negative media coverage of the upcoming tournament as "misinformation" in an exclusive interview with our Middle East organization correspondent Alistair Bunkall.
"Preaching from a distance is not a solution," he said. "Calling to boycott the World Cup, or who does not come to the World Cup, is their decision at the end of the day, but why deprive people and the public from participating and enjoying the World Cup?" .
When asked about competing nations' criticisms of the hosts, she replied: "What kind of message are they sending to their audience?
Honestly, not just me or the people of Qatar, but there are many people around the world who see this as a sense of arrogance.
"A feeling of people who cannot accept a small country in the Middle East has won the race to host the World Cup."
In the 12 years since Qatar hosted the tournament, concerns have been repeatedly raised about its human rights record, the treatment of migrant workers who built the stadiums and the LGBTQ community. The foreign minister's comments come after English and Welsh football officials said they would continue to campaign on human rights issues despite FIFA's appeals to clubs to stay out of politics.
Both teams said they will wear OneLove rainbow bracelets in solidarity with LGBTQ people. FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary General Fatma Samoura wrote to the 32 competing nations last week saying, "Please don't let football get drawn into every ideological or political battle out there."
With seven of the eight stadiums built from scratch, human rights groups have consistently highlighted Qatar's mistreatment of the migrant workers who built them.
In particular, they condemned the country's "kafala system," a set of labor laws that allow Qatari individuals or companies to confiscate workers' passports and prevent them from leaving the country. Reports on the number of migrant deaths vary from a few tens to several thousand during the 12 years of preparation for the tournament.
Asked about the mortality of workers and the compensation fund that has been set up for their families, Bin Abdulrahman al Thani said he had "been working very effectively for a couple of years".
"If there are any problems or gaps with the implementation of the current fund, they should come and talk to us to improve it and not duplicate it," she added.