One thing is for certain as the countdown starts in earnest for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. This year’s global soccer spectacle will be unlike any other.
For the first time in the quadrennial tournament’s 92-year history, it will be staged in November and December instead of the mid-year months.
The Qatar World Cup is one of the biggest events as strong government support and growing commercial maturity are helping to raise the Gulf’s profile in the sporting world.
It will also be the biggest sporting event ever held in the Middle East, and one of the world’s biggest post-Covid-19 events.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will attract an estimated 1.5 million visitors to Qatar during the four-week celebration, continuing the sport’s longstanding tradition of being one of the most popular worldwide sporting competitions.
Qatar has invested hundreds of billions of dollars in developing infrastructure and building stadiums to host the event. One key organiser estimated that the event could spur a $20 billion boost to the economy, Bloomberg previously reported, but risks of new coronavirus variants could upset projections.
Qatar will permit ticketed fans to buy alcoholic beer at World Cup soccer matches starting three hours before kickoff and for one hour after the final whistle, but not during the match, a source with knowledge of plans for the tournament told Reuters.
The 2022 Qatar World Cup will kick off the tournament a day earlier than originally planned – on November 20, organisers have confirmed.
The new schedule will see the opening ceremony happening as a stand-alone event on the day, prior to the tournament’s new opening match – Qatar versus Ecuador.
Previous World Cup tournaments would typically feature the host nation in the opening match – but organisers initially scheduled Qatar’s first game as the third of four matches on November 21.
Since the beginning of the year, there has been a slew of announcements about ticket prices, travel accommodations, rents and more. In case you missed them, here is a round-up of everything announced so far and a complete overview of the event:
- Air fares skyrocket ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar
- Qatar finalises policy of beer sales at FIFA World Cup 2022
- FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 shuttle flights: All you need to know
- Stays in Doha for FIFA World Cup 2022 could cost $42,000 per night
- Qatar’s real estate market demand surge ahead of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
- FIFA to launch NFT collection with AlGorand blockchain ahead of Qatar World Cup
- FIFA World Cup Qatar set to generate $4 billion in tourism revenue
- Dubai to get spin-off benefits of FIFA World Cup 2022
- Official broadcaster of the FIFA World Cup Qatar teams up with Twitter
- Latest news: SAUDIA to launch ‘match-day’ shuttle flights to Doha during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
- Old Doha International Airport set to reopen to ease traffic ahead of FIFA World Cup
Air fares skyrocket ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar
Back in February 2022 flights from Dubai to Doha on 20 November cost $1,089 (AED4000) nearly five times more than the usual price.
The price rise came at the beginning of the year as the country geared up for the football mega-event set to take place between 21 November and 18 December.
Qatari flag carrier Qatar Airways has ramped up recruitment efforts to meet the anticipated surge in market demand ahead of the tournament. In addition, the airline has expanded its international network and stepped up efforts to restore pre-COVID-19 capacity.
Ticket applications for the FIFA World Cup opened in late January. Prices for a seat for a group-stage match starts at QAR250 for international visitors, although Qatar residents will get discounts to bring the cost down as low as QAR40. Ticket sales are ongoing and will end February 8.
Flights on Qatar Airways to Doha from Dubai during the mega-event have came down in May as the airlines planned additional flights.
In May, five Middle Eastern airlines, Qatar Airways, flydubai, Saudia, Kuwait Airways, and Oman Air, announced that they would also be offering special shuttle flights to Doha during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 for ticket holders.
These flights, which are only available for FIFA ticket holders, will also allow fans to visit Qatar to watch a match and then leave on the same day.
“The convenience of these match day shuttles services will enable football fans to move freely and travel from the UAE, enjoy a football match in Doha and return in the same day. We are dedicated to offering our passengers the best experiences throughout their travel journey to match the excitement,” flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said.
Qatar finalises policy of beer sales at FIFA World Cup 2022
Qatar will permit ticketed fans to buy alcoholic beer at World Cup soccer matches starting three hours before kickoff and for one hour after the final whistle, but not during the match, a source with knowledge of plans for the tournament told Reuters.
The FIFA World Cup will be held in a Muslim-majority country for the first time, with strict controls on alcohol.
The alcoholic beer will be sold exclusively by Budweiser, a major World Cup sponsor, and will be served within the “ticketed perimeter surrounding each stadium, but not in the stadium stands or concourse,” the source said.
“Beer will be available when gates open, which is three hours before kick off. Whoever wants to have a beer will be able to. And then when they leave the stadium as well for one hour after the final whistle,” the source said.
Budweiser will also be allowed to serve beer in part of the main FIFA fan zone in central Doha “from 6:30pm to 1:00am every day of the 29-day tournament,” which kicks off on November 20 until December 18.
The tournament is expected to attract over 1 million visitors during its 29-day run.
The decision about where and when beer will be sold to fans is now finalised, but the price fans will be charged for a beer is still under discussion, the source told Reuters, adding they “are working closely with FIFA, which is managing the relationship with the Qatari authorities, to ensure our activations for the tournament are executed respectfully and in compliance with local rules and regulations.”
Budweiser will also open sales of its non-alcoholic beer, Budweiser Zero, in stadium concourses and stands during games and at other fan sites, the source said.
Qatar’s World Cup organisers, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, did not respond to requests for comment about the World Cup controls on alcohol, Reuters reported.
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 shuttle flights: All you need to know
CEOs of five GCC-based airlines came together on 26th of May to announce an additional 160 daily flights between Doha and major cities in the region.
The announcement included an additional 30 daily return flights between Dubai and Doha, operated by flydubai, 10 daily return flights between Kuwait City and Doha, operated by Kuwait Airways, 24 daily return flights between Muscat and Doha, operated by Oman Air, and 20 daily return flights between Riyadh and Jeddah to Doha.
“The landscape of this tournament gives us the opportunity to spread the business with various regional airlines. Our combined bandwidth with flydubai, Kuwait Airways, Oman Air and Saudia will create travel flexibility that will bridge cultures and give fans the chance to explore multiple places in the Middle East,” Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said.
Eng. Yasir Al Jamal, Director General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, said: “Right from the start, we have said Qatar 2022 is a FIFA World Cup for the entire region – and the announcement of the Match Day Shuttle service will make it even easier for many thousands of fans to be able to attend the first tournament in the Middle East and Arab world.”
“Our digital Hayya (Fan ID) will enable a seamless fan journey for those visiting for the tournament, and with the amazing opportunity of attending more than one match in a day, we look forward to welcoming fans from across the region as they immerse themselves in the exciting football and enjoy our famous hospitality. Our sincere thanks to Qatar Airways and their partners for delivering this special project, which will help us host a memorable and outstanding edition of the FIFA World Cup,” he added.
The new flights, which will massively increase available seats for fans, will arrive into Doha International Airport, in Qatar, and will operate in a similar manner as if they were domestic flights, rather than international.
On 31st May, Flydubai opened bookings for its special shuttle service for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, offering flights to Doha at a fraction of the cost previously seen.
The flights, only available for World Cup ticket holders, are available for as little as $258 for economy and $998 for business class. The airline will be offering 30 return flights everyday between Dubai and Doha between November 21 and December 18 2022. Passengers will need to have registered for their Hayya card (Fan ID) in advance of their flight.
SAUDIA also introduced more than 60 exclusive flights to support the national team and 40 daily flights for fans to conveniently attend the matches.
Saudi Arabia’s flagship airline will operate 60 special daily flights during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 starting 21 November.
The flights will run from both Riyadh and Jeddah to Doha, and are being offered for fans who wish to have the flexibility to fly-in and fly-out on the same day for matches
Kuwait-based budget carrier, Jazeera Airways is geared to offer six shuttle services on match days for the upcoming World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
These flights will be between Kuwait and Qatar from November 20, a day earlier than planned to December 18.
The tickets for tournaments can be booked through the official website of Jazeera Airways in early September with flight schedules to be announced.
Apart from Jazeera airways, several other airlines are offering shuttle services to Qatar alongside rising demands reported by wealthy football fans looking to private jets ahead of Qatar World Cup.
Business jet operator DC Aviation Al-Futtaim also revealed that it is offering special charter flights from Dubai to Doha.
The round-trip flights to the biggest sporting spectacle in the world will offer UAE-based fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see their favourite team in action.
“We understand the power of football and how it brings together people from all over the world. At DCAF we are as excited as the fans who will be travelling to Doha to support their teams,” said Holger Ostheimer, the managing director of DC Aviation Al-Futtaim.
The special charter flights from DCAF can accommodate varying group sizes from individuals, families, groups of friends, or corporates looking to entertain their VVIP clients and partners.
Adding to the memorable experience is the 1,300 square metres of exclusive lounge area offering fans the highest levels of comfort and privacy, spacious conference room, shower areas, and more.
These flights, which have significantly brought the cost of flying to Doha during the tournament down, are only available for World Cup ticket holders.
Alan Holt, managing director of Expat Sport, told Arabian Business that the news of the shuttle service was good news for the fans and will help alleviate accommodation concerns in Doha during the mega-event.
Stays in Doha for FIFA World Cup 2022 could cost $42,000 per night
Football fans heading to Qatar for the World Cup Final are being charged $42,000 to rent a villa for a single night, as prices soar ahead of the tournament.
A single large villa – with nine beds inside and 4.6km from the centre of Doha is being listed for $42,000 on Sunday 18 December, the night of the World Cup final, according to booking.com.
The same site says only one hotel – the Bentley Luxury Hotel & Suites – has availability that night. But fans will have to fork out over $6000 to stay there in a one-bedroom suite (the only available room).
It is understood that several hotels in Doha have already been assigned to the thousands of fans, 32 competing teams, sponsors, FIFA delegates and broadcasters.
“It’s an absolute sell out. From an event hosting point of view, this is already a massive success for Qatar,” said a Qatar-based tour operator.
Despite all the matches being held in Qatar from November 20, it is expected that several hundred thousand fans will also be based in nearby cities including Dubai and Muscat – plus a huge influx of fans from Saudi Arabia travelling to the tournament.
This week UAE announced a $27 (AED 100) multiple-entry visa for travellers to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Holders of the ‘Hayya’ card will be able to avail the multiple entry tourist visa for the reduced price over the 90-day period from November 1.
Dubai is also creating a number of fan zones to cater for the influx of fans from across the globe, including specially dedicated hospitality areas in Downtown Dubai and Media City, where fans will be able to watch matches live on large screens.
Seven airlines announced they would be running shuttle to Doha, allowing fans to watch games before returning to another country in the GCC within 24 hours.
FlyDubai, in partnership with Qatar Airways, will be operating 30 flights a day between Dubai and Doha.
Qatar’s real estate market demand surge ahead of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
Qatar faces a demand shift as a result of the country’s imminent hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Doha recorded an uplift of 23 percent in average rental unit pricing and Al Khor witnessed a 38 percent price rise over the same period, the Property Finder report shows.
According to the report, price hikes are expected to be temporary, and forecasts a slight decrease in demand next year. Currently, demand for apartments – particularly short-term and serviced units continues to rise.
Occupancy of residential units has been reported at 80 percent, mainly due to demand for leases by the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, as well as companies looking for staff accommodation. Ministry of Justice’s Quarterly Real Estate Bulletin reported 1251 real estate sale transactions in the first quarter, amounting to QAR4.85 billion.
“With Qatar being on the forefront of one of the world’s most popular sporting events, investors and first-time buyers are now more confident in investing in the market. The Ministry of Justice is also taking the necessary steps in creating a more transparent market, which will open the doors for even more investment in the near future,” states the report.
Sales demands are attributed to Qatar’s new foreign property ownership, and to investments laws and their inherent advantages as well as an increase in the areas that foreigners are now allowed to invest in, according to Property Finder.
FIFA to launch NFT collection with AlGorand blockchain ahead of Qatar World Cup
Football governing body FIFA is set to launch a new NFT (non-fungible token) collection, ahead of the World Cup in Qatar, later in September.
The ‘FIFA+ Collect’ NFT will be powered by AlGorand Blockchain, FIFA’s official blockchain platform, and will allow global fans to own unique digital collectibles at an affordable rate, “from the greatest game moments to the most iconic FIFA World Cup™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup™ art and imagery,” FIFA said in a statement.
“Fandom is changing and football fans around the world engage with the game in new and exciting ways,” said FIFA’s chief business officer Romy Gai said.
Gai added the announcement makes collectibles available to fans “democratising the ability to own a part of the FIFA World Cup. Just like sports memorabilia and stickers, this is an accessible opportunity for fans around the world to engage with their favourite players, moments and more on new platforms.”
FIFA+ Collect will release a range of initial collections and details of upcoming exclusive and limited-edition collections to be released soon.
The collectibles will be available on the digital platform FIFA+.
“From launch, FIFA+ Collect will be available across all web and mobile devices and in three language editions (English, French, and Spanish), with several additional languages to follow,” the statement said.
Powered by AlGorand blockchain “FIFA’s platform – via a truly decentralised and scalable public blockchain – is the first tangible representation of the technical partnership recently announced between FIFA and Algorand,” AlGorand’s interim chief executive officer Sean Ford said.
Ford added: “The commitment FIFA has made to bridge to Web3 enabled by Algorand, is a testament to their innovative spirit and desire to directly and seamlessly engage with football fans around the world.”
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will run from November 20 until December 18.
FIFA World Cup Qatar set to generate $4 billion in tourism revenue
The forthcoming FIFA world cup in Qatar is predicted to generate about $4 billion revenue opportunity from tourist expenditure in the Middle East, a new research report said.
Hospitality, f&b, sports merchandise and fashion are the key sectors projected to garner the larger share of the spends by the football fans and tourists during the November-December world cup period.
“Though Qatar will corner the lion’s share – about 85 percent – of the projected revenue share from the world cup-related spends by tourists, the UAE, especially Dubai, will be the second most beneficiary of the revenue opportunity during the period,” market research by the Dubai office of RedSeer Strategic Consulting said.
The remaining revenue opportunity is to be split between other neighbouring countries like Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait, RedSeer, the global consultancy specialising in online services said.
The study said digital channels would play a crucial role in spurring tourist spends in the Middle East during world cup period, with two-thirds of consumers expecting significant increase in their spending across sectors like f&b, sportswear, travel, and entertainment.
“Over 60 percent of this spend increase is expected to happen through digital channels,” the study said.
The expected bonanza in revenues during the world cup period has led to a frenzy among the social media channels in the region to draw up innovative strategies to encash on the opportunity.
“This World Cup is special in many ways as it’s the first to be held in our region, first to be held in the winter – but most importantly – the first to be held in today’s user-lead content digital sphere,” Youssef Gadallah, head of business marketing and creative strategy for MENA services, KSA & North Africa at TikTok, told Arabian Business.
“The digital world – the user generated content specifically – has come a long way since the last world cup and we can expect a different world of coverage, highlights, trends, and creative entertaining content around this world cup like we have never seen before,” Gadallah said.
The RedSeer study said though TV still remained the top channel for viewing content related to football, digital media channels like online search, social media, brand and retailer apps will be the top platforms for product discovery, leading to increased spending by visiting fans and tourists.
“About 90 percent of consumers enjoy following updates on football and about 75 percent expect to post about major events on digital media channels. The impact of this large following on social media channels – especially short-form video format ones – will be that two-thirds of consumers expect their spend to increase during the world cup across sectors like f&b, sportswear, travel and entertainment,” RedSeer said.
Akshay Jayaprakasan, senior engagement manager at RedSeer Strategy Consultants, Dubai, said massive spikes in consumption were expected in the region as consumers were eagerly looking forward to this period of celebration.
“I believe the Qatar World Cup will create a strong legacy for the region, which will be looked back upon for many years to come,” Jayaprakasan told Arabian Business.
Qatar is estimated to be spending a massive $200 billion in the lead up to the World Cup.
This is viewed as an investment for the future, building infrastructure as part of their Nation Vision Program 2030.
The RedSeer study also said the world cup could become the springboard to drive tourism growth for Qatar, with over 50 percent of annual foreign tourists to Qatar this year coming during the November-December period.
“The world cup and national plan 2030 together are expected to fuel tourism to help it reach about $35billion by 2030,” the study said.
The study said UAE, especially Dubai, will also be a key beneficiary from the world cup as numerous visitors were planning to stay in the city and use the daily flight shuttles to travel to and fro for the event.
There are as many as 30 daily flights from Dubai to Qatar scheduled to be operated by FlyDubai alone during the world cup.
Similarly numerous shuttles will be operated from Oman, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait during the period.
The study also projected that more than 70 percent of the world population are expected to be engaged with FIFA matches in 2022, much above the 50 percent population which engaged with the cup matches in 2018.
“Besides the fact that this is the first time the event is happening in the MENA region, what will make the world cup in Qatar so unique is the fact that this would be the first time when all 64 games are to be played within a small geographical area,” RedSeer said.
Dubai to get spin-off benefits of FIFA World Cup 2022
Qatar may be the host country for the FIFA World Cup 2022, but Dubai is getting the spin-off benefits in a big way, as a large number of ticket holders are considering Dubai as a base to travel to Qatar – to get the best of both worlds, travel industry executives said.
The move has already led to a 133 percent jump in advance air ticket bookings in the Dubai-Doha route till July, with travel services firms seeing a continued uptick in demand for advance bookings for travel during November-December period.
The surging demand for world cup-related travel between Dubai and Doha has also led to a spike in airfares – almost on a daily basis – between countries such as India and the UAE.
“There has been a 133 percent growth in travel to Qatar from UAE recorded for the month of July [on our booking platform],” Atish Tapa, business head – Middle East at Cleartrip, the leading online travel agency (OTA) in UAE, told Arabian Business.
“Yes, the travel is specific to November – December [2022], so it’s fair to assume these are FIFA world cup-related travel,” he said, responding to the query on whether these bookings are for the football world cup.
Senior executives at a few other leading travel services firms also confirmed the trend of advance bookings for travel between Dubai and Qatar during the world cup season.
“As airfares and accommodation costs in Qatar have gone up significantly, many of our customers are now preferring to travel to Dubai and then plan to shuttle between the city and Doha to watch the world cup matches,” Amit Udani, executive director of Fly Aerolink Travel, a leading Mumbai-based travel and tour services firm, told Arabian Business.
“We are already seeing a big jump in advance bookings to Dubai, as well as onward to Doha for the November-December period,” Udani said.
Thapa said their platform was seeing about 58 percent advance bookings for 60 days and beyond by now and the trend is expected to pick up fast with each passing month.
The Cleartrip senior executive, however, said airfares between Dubai and Doha were seeing a softening trend currently as many UAE-based airlines, including Flydubai and Air Arabia have announced shuttle services to Qatar for the duration of the World Cup.
“This has eased the average price for travel to Qatar,” Thapa said.
Thapa, however, said airfares between the UAE and India have been surging in the recent months, with ticket costs registering a staggering 49 percent between April and July compared to the pre-pandemic levels.
“Airfares have been rising due to factors such as higher jet fuel prices and pent-up pandemic demand. The world cup-related travel demand is now pushing them further up,” he said.
“The airfares for September-November travel in the UAE- India sector have been gradually increasing, with the fares already up by almost 8 percent compared to current levels,” Thapa said.
He said though travel restrictions continued to ease around the world, higher operating costs like higher jet fuel prices, shortage of staff and reduced capacity were leading to price increase..
“Consequently, ticket prices are near all-time highs at the moment,” he said.
“Travel demand has returned in full force, but seat capacity is still down compared to pre-pandemic numbers,” Thapa pointed out.
Official broadcaster of the FIFA World Cup Qatar teams up with Twitter
beIN media group’s flagship channel beIN sports, has partnered with Twitter to share bespoke content throughout the world’s biggest football event, which kicks off in Qatar on November 20, this year.
beIN sports is the official broadcaster of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
“When Twitter talks sports, the world listens. From firing up fan excitement to meeting fans on their home turf, Twitter is the best place to connect to the moments that get the world talking — right where it’s happening,” Twitter’s global partnerships MEA and Turkey director Kinda Ibrahim said.
Ibrahim added by working with the region’s biggest sports broadcaster, “near real time match highlights” will be provided to fans who “drive the intensity and build community around one of the most watched global sporting events.”
beIN sports will be responsible for sharing content for regional audiences across Twitter, highlighting the biggest moments of the 28-day tournament.
Brands and marketers will be provided association opportunities via Twitter Amplify sponsorship, the statement said.
“Each match will be highlighted through content clips, one match recap and an in-studio analysis, aired through the beIN sports official handle, @beINSPORTS for a total of 320 videos.”
“Our teams will be working night-and-day to deliver the best content and insight – using the latest cutting-edge technology,” beIN MENA’s director of digital Faisal Mahmoud Al-Raisi explained.
Latest news: SAUDIA to launch ‘match-day’ shuttle flights to Doha during FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA) has announced plans to launch shuttle flights to Doha from multiple Saudi cities during the world cup match period.
The announcement followed an agreement signed between SAUDIA and the Qatar Airways to provide easy and convenient travel services to attend the world cup for soccer fans from Saudi Arabia as well as from other countries.
The airline said it would operate ‘match day shuttle’ shuttles from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam to the Qatari capital during the world cup period to enable fans to watch their favourite matches.
The airline has already started taking bookings for the same-day world cup special flights to Doha.
Besides targeting football fans, the same-day shuttle service by SAUDIA also plans to woo tourists from Qatar who would be pouring in from around the world during the world cup season.
The FIFA World Cup is scheduled to be opened on November 20 in Doha, though the first match will be played on the next day only.
Old Doha International Airport set to reopen to ease traffic ahead of FIFA World Cup
azeera Airways, flydubai, SalamAir and Pegasus Airlines have begun selling tickets to the Doha airport, starting September 15.
Doha International Airport was replaced by the Hamad International Airport in 2014, which has since become a major hub along with the growth of Qatar Airways.
Ahead of the World Cup, Qatar is expecting to attract more than one million visitors, Jazeera Airways announced on their website that starting next Thursday “all of our regular Doha flights will be temporarily moved to Doha International Airport.”
In a message to passengers, the airline said the change was “following the instructions of Qatar Civil Aviation Authority” and would last until December 30.
Hamad International Airport was used by three million passengers in June alone and over 8.42 million passengers in the second quarter of 2022, 18 percent higher than the first three months of the year.
It is also undergoing an expansion that will see capacity increased to 58 million passengers a year.
Organisers announced earlier this year that several Gulf airlines from Dubai, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia would run more than 100 shuttles into Doha Airport during the tournament, passengers of those flights will go through immigration checks on departure to reduce delays in Doha and asked to return the same day after the end of the match.
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