FIFA 2022- Qatar-The Offical Guide
A journey that focuses on one of the world’s largest athletic events might be challenging to plan.
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Deciding on flights, accommodations, transportation, activities, and meals becomes a task.
Around 1.5 million spectators from all around the world are expected to travel to Qatar in November for the FIFA World Cup 2022.
The biggest and most awaited tournament in football.
So, if you are planning to visit the UAE for the experience of your lifetime, read the article to know things to expect and visit the tourist places like Dubai, Abu Dhabi, etc.
Things To Keep In Mind Before Travelling To Qatar:
- Get your Hayya card before traveling.
- Remember to fill out the mandatory Qatar pre-entry registration form – Ehteraz.
- With rampant resales, beware of fake tickets. Check veracity, buy from the official FIFA website, and FIFA’s ticket resale platform.
- Dress appropriately, and avoid PDA.
- For the elderly and challenged, in a first, helping people with mobility issues, tickets are being sold at discounted rates, with an additional accessibility ticket for a care companion free (subject to rules).
Things To Know
Match Days
The first FIFA World Cup to ever be held in an Arab country, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, will take place from Monday,
November 21, to Sunday, December 18, which is Qatar’s National Day. 64 matches will take place over 28 days.
Ya, we know what you are thinking. You won’t be home for Thanksgiving.
Sure, you’ll miss the turkey dinner you’ve eaten countless times, but after you try Majboos, Qatar’s national dish of slow-cooked lamb or chicken, you won’t long for green bean casserole.
And you’ll return home just in time for Merry Christmas with a ton of stories to share about your travel adventures in Arabia.
Which teams are taking part in FIFA2022?
The World Cup will feature 32 teams and will begin with a group stage, with teams divided into eight groups of four.
* Group A: Qatar (hosts), Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands
* Group B: England, Iran, United States, Wales
* Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
* Group D: France, Australia, Denmark, Tunisia
* Group E: Spain, Costa Rica, Germany, Japan
* Group F: Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia
* Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
* Group H: Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay, South Korea
Staying Options
Wrap your head around this Qatar and FIFA have 130,000 hotel and apartment rooms on offer, with unique cruise ship hotels, and even desert camps for fans if the need arises.
All of these are registered by the government. Average prices on Airbnb are between 30,000 to 1 lakh INR per night.
In Qatar, lodging options for all price ranges are available.
The Four Seasons Hotel Doha is one option in the area. It has seven restaurants, a three-story spa and wellness center, extensive business amenities, and a private beach.
The Ritz-Carlton Sharq Village’s opulent villas combine classic design with contemporary conveniences, and the St. Regis Doha offers a private beach, tennis facilities, and rooms with panoramas of the Arabian Gulf.
The Curve Hotel Qatar, which is located at the center of the city’s skyline and overlooks the sea, is one of the best-value hotels.
Its design resembles the curving of the Doha Corniche, the waterfront boulevard that runs beside Doha Bay.
Centro Capital Doha is also another option, offering accommodation in the heart of the famed Old Doha neighborhood.
The Weather (Temperature Checker)
Medical professionals in Qatar began to declare the country’s summers unplayable in 2010 when temperatures exceeded 50 °C.
Five years later, despite widespread opposition from the football community, it was decided that the tournament would be held in the colder months for the very first time to lessen the impact of Qatar’s very hot climate.
Qatar averages 29 degrees Celsius (day) to 19 degrees Celsius (night) temperature in the months of November and December.
This will be the first FIFA WC held in the winter, with air-conditioned stadiums.
Venue (The Stadiums)
Where will the World Cup games be held, at the stadiums? Qatar will be hosting the World Cup games at eight stadiums.
According to the Daily Mail, all eight sites are located within a 21-mile radius of the center of Doha and will be connected by a metro system.
You can walk to the stadium from the shuttle drop-offs (about 10 minutes to 25 minutes), or use the metro which is free on match days.
The eight stadiums are mentioned below:
- Al Bayt Stadium.
- Stadium 974
- Lusail Stadium
- Al Janoub Stadium
- Khalifa International Stadium.
- Al Thumama Stadium.
- Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
- Education City Stadium
* The final of FIFA 2022 will take place on Sunday, Dec. 18 at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.
Qatar Laws and Traditions
Qatar has quite different local laws and traditions. If you don’t want to get in trouble with the law or the locals, try to stay away from the following situations:
- Irrespective of your sexual orientation or gender identity, representations of intimacy are unacceptable.
- Using vulgar language or signs (even if the opposing team just scored)
- Photographing locals, especially women.
- In addition to that, Qatar forbids relationships involving the same sex. It’s important to note, though, that the hosts won’t be putting any limitations on single friends, couples of the same sex, or the LGBTQI+ community.
Visa and Currency
It is good to know the following details before you start planning your trip.
- The Qatari Riyal (QAR) is the official currency, where 1 QAR is equal to 21 INR.
- Indian citizens visiting Qatar may apply for a visa upon arrival if they have a hotel reservation made for the full stay. These visas are good for single or multiple entries for 30 days after the date of approval and can be extended for an additional 30 days.
- A mandatory Hayya Card is also needed to enter the Republic of Qatar and the listed eight World Cup stadiums.
- Travel insurance, including COVID protection, should be kept handy in case of flight cancellations or other complications.
Purchasing Tickets
On a first-come, first-served basis, fans over the age of 18 can purchase tickets. You can buy tickets from the competition page’s ticketing section.
The window has already opened. The 2022 FIFA World Cup official website also shows the ticket prices.
As can be seen time is running out to buy your world cup tickets! If you’re planning on heading to Qatar to watch the World Cup, you must book your tickets ASAP. It is simply now or never.
Knockout games are in huge demand. Semis and finals match tickets are selling out fast.
If you don’t have match tickets? You can still experience football fever.
If you are among the many who will travel to Qatar but have no match tickets, the classy uber fan zones are a great place to join in the footie madness, with alcohol, entertainment, concerts, and fun.
There are around 280 artiste performances, DJ nights, and concerts.
Drinking in Qatar
Alcohol sales and usage are completely prohibited in Qatar. Government officials are drafting new regulations to make it easier to sell alcohol solely during the World Cup.
Alcohol is only offered to tourists at legally operating hotel bars and restaurants in Qatar, where the legal drinking age is 21.
It is really against the law to consume alcohol anywhere other than these premises. It’s best to avoid drinking in public altogether because it’s illegal in Qatar.
So, go easy on the liquor. Remember
- Qatar has zero tolerance for drinking and driving or drinking in public, so be cautious as violators can be fined or even jailed.
- This WC, stadiums will be alcohol-free, with beer sold outside stadiums, before and after a few matches. But, do not carry alcohol.
- Expect to shell out a pretty packet – a pint of beer costs INR 1000 or more, as Qatar levies a sin tax on alcohol.
How to Get There
Take the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the A380 superjumbo having two floors operated by Qatar Airlines.
Book a Qsuite in business class for a plush seat and privacy. Additionally, you can meet other soccer enthusiasts at the superjumbo’s upper deck.
Otherwise, reserve an economy ticket on the ground level, which also offers lots of room and excellent service.
Qatar Airways operates daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Doha’s Hamad International Airport. Various other domestic and international airlines also connect major Indian cities with Doha.
Moreover, Qatar Airways has also created World Cup Travel Packages, which include round-trip flights from your departing city to Doha, lodging, breakfast, and tournament tickets with confirmed seats for your favorite team’s matches.
Get The Hayya Card, Or Fan ID And E-Visa
Qatar has banned non-event visitors from entering during the tournament duration.
Only Hayya Card holders will be allowed from November 1 to December 23, with e-visas tied to match tickets and hotel bookings.
A new initiative is also finding many takers- Hayya card or fan ID holders can nominate three friends, who will be able to apply for an e-visa.
What does a Hayya card do?
The card acts as a personalized ID for any fan watching a match. It aids entry, and free travel across respective stadiums, and is a mandatory travel document to visit Qatar during the entire period of the world cup.
A Hayya card and applicable match ticket have the match dates, and yields access to stadiums, public transport, and free metro rides.
Where can you get a Hayya card?
Electronic registration can be made only on the official Qatari website -Home-Hayya-Portal (Qatar2022.qa).
First thing to remember hospitality customers who have booked accommodation can apply for a Hayya card after payment in full online.
Also one can apply for a FAN ID in Qatar at the FAN ID distribution centre at Doha Exhibition Centre (DEC) near Katara, and Hamad International Airport.
Did You Know?
Incidentally, FIFA WC Qatar 2022 is also the 22nd world cup since FIFA began hosting the tournament.
The Digit Game
- 08M Tickets have been sold. Over 1.5M visitors are expected to be in Qatar.
- 1300 Expected number of flights a day at Hamad International Airport, Doha during the duration of the World Cup.
- 20 direct flights to Doha announced by AIR India during the World Cup.
Don’t Miss The Fan Festival
The FIFA Fan Festival will be held at Al Bidda Park, accessible via Doha Metro.
Especially it offers walking trains or sites like the Arched Monument, The Water Plaza, the Natural Rock, and Watchtower, and the Wadi Al Sail historical site.
Beyond Footie: Things To Do In Qatar
- Take a helicopter tour
- Opt for dhow boat sunset cruises
- Visit the Banana islands
- Go on a desert safari
- Visit the Katara cultural village
- Walk on the Pearl Waterfront
- Visit stunning sights such as the Doha Gold Souq, Al Zubarah, Al Koot Fort, and a host of fascinating museums.
- Visit the Falcon Souq, near the Souq Waqif.
FIFA World Cup 2022 To Have The Fastest Ball
The Al Rihla Pro by Adidas, the official match ball for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is designed to be the fastest and most accurate world cup ball to date.
Most important, Rihla in Arabic means journey or travelogue documenting one.
The Mascot: LA’EEB
Inspired by the Arab attire, the mascot La’eeb meaqning, “skilled player” in Arabic signifies a world where ideas and creativity form the basis of characters.
At last, La’eeb has had its fair share of mixed reactions. It is fashioned like the Arab headdress or ghutrah (meaning “to cover” in Arabic) originating in Bedouin culture.
