Qatar is bustling with life even as the first World Cup to be organised in the Middle East enters its final lap. (Image: AP)

At Katara beach in Doha, children play soccer on the golden sand during the day, while others go for a swim at night in waters lit by the capital's glimmering skyline. (Image: AP)

Men follow the call to prayer at a nearby Ottoman-style mosque. (Image: AP)

Members of the Qatar Armed Forces Band Regiment march in formation as boats with sails in the national colors of the four remaining World Cup teams hover in the harbor. (Image: AP)

Qatar expected some 1.2 million visitors for the tournament. Many fans have returned home but for those who remain, there’s still plenty to do. (Image: AP)

The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra has been playing on the Corniche, a 7-kilometer (more than four-mile) crescent walkway around Doha Bay that stretches from the pyramid-shaped Sheraton Hotel at the northern end to the Museum of Islamic Art at the south. In between are parks, restaurants and cultural attractions along the waterfront promenade. (Image: AP)

Those who venture to Doha's labyrinthine Souq Waqif bazaar will find stores hawking spices and perfumes, scented oils, silk scarves and shimmering crystal chandeliers. (Image: AP)

A woman with a mask holds a flag from Qatar at Katara Cultural Village in Doha, Qatar. (Image: AP)

People walk through the floral arch at the Al Masrah Park on Doha corniche, in Doha, Qatar.

FIFA World Cup 2022: Qatar bustles with life as tournament enters final lap

The first semi-final will be played between Argentina and Croatia on December 14 and a day later, Morocco will take on France in the second semi-final