Doha, October 20 (QNA) – Football fans worldwide, particularly Arab fans, are strongly eager for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 due to kick off Nov. 20 and runs through Dec.18. This is the first-ever World Cup to be held in the Arab region since the tournament came into existence in 1930. As the world’s most prestigious tournament draws near, fans worldwide became further interested in all details about the host country, the State of Qatar, from travelling to Doha, flight tickets, access to stadiums, and in-stadium fan experience.
In a safe country with pleasantly warm winter weather, fans will definitely enjoy an amazing fan experience from watching matches at stadiums and visiting tourist destinations and natural landmarks to learn about Qatar’s culture and traditions.
So far, 2,890,000 tickets have been purchased for the tournament’s 64 matches due to be played in eight stadiums built according to the highest international standards.
The list of countries that purchased the most tickets included Qatar, the US, Saudi Arabia, England, Mexico, the UAE, Argentina, France, Brazil and Germany. Also, World Cup Qatar 2022 set a record in hospitality ticket sales.
Speaking at a panel session at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland in May, FIFA President Gianni Infantino put the total number expected to watch the tournament at 5 billion people. This number, covering in-stadium fans and spectators on TV and in public viewing areas, will exceed half of the world’s population.
“The last FIFA World Cup was watched by four billion people, the last FIFA Women’s World Cup by 1.2 billion people. This World Cup in Qatar will be watched by five billion people, way above half of the worlds population. All these people who follow and pursue the same passion, they all feel the same way and they all know that football has this uniting force,” Infantino was quoted by FIFA.com.
Infantino said that more than 4 billion people watched the 2018 World Cup in Russia, while 1.2 billion people watched and the women’s football World Cup. The upcoming world cup edition will be the best in history and will contribute to unifying the world.
Before the kickoff of the championship, fans from all over the world came to Doha, and expressed their admiration for the advanced level of infrastructure and preparations to host the tournament, stressing that Qatar will organize a historic world cup. They also expressed admiration for Qatar’s culture and its tourist and recreational attractions, which predict an exceptional fan experience during the highly anticipated global event.
The fans are expected to have a lot of fun while knowing lifestyle in Qatar and in the Arab Gulf region in general, as well as visiting Qatar’s entertainment attractions and advanced facilities. They will easily move from the place of their residence to the stadiums, entertainment attractions and fan centers, due to the smooth transportation including public buses, taxis and the Doha Metro, as well as the traffic signs on all roads and smart phone apps. They can watch more than one match in the same stadium in a single day, which is a unique feature of Qatar 2022 edition.
Qatar has many tourist attractions, including the Doha Corniche, the Pearl Island, Souq Waqif, Aspire Park, the Museum of Islamic Art and Qatar Water Park. Qatar also has many cultural and tourist attractions, most notably the Katara Cultural Village, the courtyards of the Sheikh Abdullah bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Center, Qatar National Library, Katara Opera House and Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra. Added to these attractions is the experience of safari trips in the charming Qatari desert, which gives an exciting experience of driving in the golden sand dunes overlooking the sea, in addition to camel riding and sand boarding.
Arab fans will have the opportunity to enjoy camping trips where they will have matchless experience of the details of the islands, dunes and sandy beaches, full of entertainment and comfort. Also, night trips represent an unparalleled opportunity to spend a special time on sail boats or dhows.
The next World Cup will be one of the most distinguished tournaments for Arab fans, particularly owing to geographic proximity and Qatar’s atmosphere and culture that are similar to all other Arab countries.
In May, Qatar Airways announced its cooperation with major airlines in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and Oman, allowing fans to visit Qatar to attend the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 via daily roundtrip flights in a bid to motivate Arab fans for an enthusiastic in-stadium experience.
The fans will have a lot of fun at FIFA Fan Festival 2022 at Al Bidda Park, with the West Bay as a charming background, while enjoying live broadcasts of all matches on giant screens in the open air. The festival also has musical and cultural shows and various delicious foods.
In addition, fan zones will be held in Al Khor City, the Industrial District and other places. Fans will be able to enjoy various games and activities on Al Maha Island in Lusail City, including Ice skating and circus shows, concerts, shows and performances relevant to visitors of all ages.
As for music lovers, they will have a special experience during the Arcadia Spectacular Music Festival, which will be held near the Ras Bu Fontas Metro Station, and will host up to 15,000 people. Another musical event, hosted by Middlebast entertainment company will be held in the city of Al Wakrah, and it is expected to attract 5,000 fans.
The 5,000 square meter Al Bidaa Park will host 170 hours of live broadcast of world cup matches and 100 hours of live music by international and regional stars. During the group stage (from Nov. 20 to Nov. 28), the shows will be held from 10 am to 2 am, while during the play-offs (Nov. 29 to Dec.18) from 3 pm to 2 am. During the days when no matches are played, namely Nov. 7, 8, 11, 12, 15 and Dec.16, the events will be from 5 pm to 2 am.
Many tourist attractions nationwide such as the museums, Souq Waqif, Katara Cultural Village, and Msheireb Downtown Doha will hold various cultural and recreational activities. The Doha Corniche, extending 6 km from the Sheraton Hotel Park to the Museum of Islamic Art, will see roaming artistic performances. The “Welcome to Qatar” program will include food and beverage shops and other activities that include daily shows. The attendees will enjoy charming daily water and pyrotechnics displays interspersed with music from the Qatar 2022 Official Soundtrack, as well as pieces by Qatari composer Wael Binali and compositions performed by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra.
The fans, who will attend the tournament matches, will enjoy a range of entertainment shows to be held in the vicinity of the eight World Cup stadiums. The program will include more than 6,000 shows and performances in 21 different locations, and the list of shows includes many forms of art, most notably artistic performances, handicrafts, heritage, fashion, design, performing arts, music and film screening.
Fans will be the backbone of the success of hosting the first World Cup in the Arab world and the Middle East in the State of Qatar, which leads the Middle East and North Africa in the Societal Safety and Security index.
Football fans from all over the world will enjoy many wonderful initiatives such as the “Be the Host” initiative, which urges Qatari citizens as well as residents of all nationalities to host football lovers who will visit Qatar to watch the World Cup. The initiative aims to encourage the exchange of cultures and helps fans be informed about the culture of Qatar in particular and the region in general and enjoy the authentic Arab hospitality and its ancient customs while enjoying the sporting event.
This initiative is the first of its kind, and will contribute to enriching the experience of Qatar’s guests during their stay, and introduce them to the country’s great cultural diversity.
The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) issued a 54-page fan guide containing details of the venues and timetables of the events associated with the tournament. Titled “your matches, events, celebrations and residence in Qatar”, the fan guide shows that the tournament’s activities will be full of enthusiastic atmosphere, exceptional and dazzling experiences with the participation of famous stars, international shows, amazing destinations, heritage markets, and much more awaiting the fans in Qatar during the World Cup.
The guide highlighted the 12 archaeological sites, castles and 23 museums, which will be available for visitors; the 33 km-long Olympic Cycling Track on Al Khor Road, the longest track in the world, for cyclists; and more than 3000 restaurants and 30 shopping centers. The guide also reveals that the farthest distance between two stadiums in the tournament will be 75 km.
In an atmosphere of enthusiasm and suspense, football fans will experience the World Cup in Qatar with an Arab character and a Qatari touch. The football celebrations will not be confined to stadiums, with various cultural and entertainment events spreading throughout the whole country amid Qatari hospitality, which makes the World Cup in Qatar the best in history. (QNA)