Doha, September 08 (QNA) - With less than 100 days to go until the start of the greatest show on Earth, a total of 2.45 million tickets have now been sold. The first FIFA World Cup to be held in the Middle East and Arab world will kick off on Nov.20, bringing fans from the region and across the world together in a compact and modern setting, with Qatar, the USA, England, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, the UAE, France, Argentina, Brazil and Germany leading the ranking of ticket sales by country of residence.
In the last sales period alone, which ran from 5 July to 16 August when fans were able to buy tickets on a first-come, first-served basis via FIFA.com/tickets, a total of 520,532 tickets were sold. The biggest number of allocated tickets were for group-stage matches such as Cameroon v. Brazil, Brazil v. Serbia, Portugal v. Uruguay, Costa Rica v. Germany, and Australia v. Denmark. Fans living in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the USA, Mexico, the UAE, England, Argentina, Brazil, Wales and Australia led the way and the digital queues by securing the biggest number of tickets.
Engineer Yasser Al-Jammal, Director-General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, expressed his happiness with the high numbers of ticket sales for the tournament matches, and his aspiration to welcome football fans from around the world to the global football celebration, with the start of the whistle approaching next November.
Speaking at a press conference held today at Lusail Stadium, Al-Jammal said, "We are pleased with the results of ticket sales, and we are just a few weeks away from the launch of the largest sporting event in Qatar and for the first time in our region. We are pleased to welcome fans from all over the world in a global event that attracts the public", pointing out that Hayya card will allow its holder to accompany children under 12 years of age without fees, and fans can also book their accommodation through any global booking platform, in the presence of several housing options starting at $80, and many options which is suitable for all levels.
In the same context, Nasser Al-Khater, CEO of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, stressed that the nature of close distances that is unique to the World Cup in Qatar constitutes an important advantage for fans, and allows them to be near the World Cup stadiums and entertainment activities that will be held throughout the tournament period.
He pointed out that fans will have a unique opportunity in the modern history of the tournament to attend more than one match in one day during the early stages of the World Cup competitions. Fans will also find, world-class stadiums, many distinctive options for accommodation, in addition to a wide range of activities and entertainment events across the country, foremost of which is the FIFA Fan Festival, which is expected to attract thousands of fans in Al Bidda Park in Doha.
Fans who now hold confirmation for one or more matches in their FIFA ticketing account are encouraged to start planning their trip as soon as possible by booking their accommodation, if living outside of Qatar, and by applying for their Hayya (the Fan ID for the tournament) via qatar2022.qa or the Hayya to Qatar 2022 app (available on iOS and Android). An approved Hayya application, alongside a valid match ticket, will grant spectators access to stadiums, provide entry to Qatar for international fans, and offer free public transport on matchdays, along with a host of other benefits.
Those who have not yet secured their seats, or those who would simply like to take advantage of Qatars compact nature by adding more matches to their program, should keep an eye on FIFA.com/tickets from late September onwards when the launch date of the last-minute sales phase will be communicated. During the last-minute sales phase, which will run until the end of the tournament, tickets will also be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and confirmed immediately after payment.
FIFA.com/tickets is the only official channel for the general public to buy tickets, with fans urged to stay away from unauthorized websites. Over-the-counter sales will also start in Doha following the launch of the last-minute sales phase. (QNA)