Vancouver, June 17 (QNA) - HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Canada Tariq Ali Faraj Al Ansari affirmed that the Qatari diplomatic mission secured all its logistical and service capabilities to provide comprehensive support to the Qatari national football team and the Qatari fans who will travel to Vancouver for the anticipated match between Qatar and Canada on Friday morning (Qatar time), which comes as part of the second round of Group B matches.
In an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA), His Excellency explained that the embassy made intensive efforts around the clock to ensure the best experience for Qatari fans. He stressed that the main goal was to ensure everyone's smooth arrival in Vancouver and to provide full support to the national team for this important upcoming match.
HE Ambassador pointed out that facilitating the entry procedures for official delegations and Qatari fans was done through high-level protocol and security coordination. Extensive and important discussions were held with the Canadian Minister of Immigration in Ottawa, as well as direct meetings with the Minister of the Interior responsible for the security and safety sector. The aim of these meetings was to ensure the smooth entry of Qatari fans and official delegations, and to overcome all procedural obstacles.
Coordination has been made to provide all necessary facilities, whether for those arriving via dedicated flights or for fans arriving via land borders from the US through Seattle, His Excellency added. In addition, direct communication lines have been established with local authorities in Vancouver to ensure the smooth movement of fans within the city.
Regarding fieldwork and consular services, HE Ambassador indicated that the embassy had taken proactive steps to ensure the comfort of fans. He pointed out that the embassy sent a team to Vancouver two weeks prior for on-the-ground preparations, and that HE the Ambassador was present to follow up directly. The embassy also opened permanent communication channels with the Qatar Football Association to coordinate all procedures related to the fans.
Regarding the presence of Qatari personnel within the organizational and security teams for the 2026 World Cup, following the exceptional success of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, His Excellency expressed pride to be the only country providing direct and on-the-ground security support for this tournament, benefiting from the extensive experience gained in organizing the 2022 edition, in close cooperation with the federal and local authorities in Canada.
The Qatari Ministry of Interior and the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) are participating with highly trained personnel at the highest international levels, supported by all advanced technical mechanisms and equipment, and their field duties extend from the start of the tournament until its conclusion, HE pointed out.
HE Ambassador expressed pride and appreciation for the historic performance of the national team for achieving its first ever point in the World Cup in a 1-1 draw against Switzerland. He said that the players' performances provide great optimism about the possibility of following the same pattern and achieving a satisfactory result in the match against Canada.
Concluding his interview with QNA, His Excellency praised the pioneering initiative of the Qatar Football Association, funded by the Social and Sport Contribution Fund (Daam) to secure the presence of a thousand fans behind the national team and support it during its participation in the World Cup. He expressed belief that the presence of the fans will motivate the players and push them to perform at their best possible level. (QNA)