Qatar has been officially chosen as the latest home for 32 teams from the world's countries that will participate in the World Cup, which will be held for the first time ever in an Arab country and for the first time as a winter tournament for the period from November 20 to December 18, 2022
11 Important Things to Know Before You Travel To Qatar World Cup 2022
Qatar's stadiums will gather more than a million fans from all over the world for the biggest football event of all time, even though it is the smallest country that has ever organized a football World Cup.
Despite criticism about corruption, money laundering, mistreatment of international workers, and other illegal matters during the preparation of the stadium for the World Cup, FIFA confirmed through a statement that Lusail Stadium is among the eight stadiums that will host the 2022 World Cup, while the first match will be held at Al Bait Stadium in Al Khor.
"The 2022 FIFA World Cup will kick off with an even bigger celebration for domestic and international fans as host Qatar will now play Ecuador on Sunday, November 20 at 19:00 (16: 00 GMT) as part of an independent event,” FIFA noted in this regard.
We will explain the following details to you in this article:
- Haya card Definition
- Eligible citizens for a 90-day Qatar visa during the World Cup
- Get a card, come on
- Eligible for a Qatar visa for 90 days during the World Cup
- Additional entry rules for citizens of India and Pakistan
- Rules for citizens of the GCC countries
- Health rules regarding COVID-19
- Important information about air travel to Qatar
- Entering Qatar by road
- The possibility of LGBT fans traveling to Qatar to watch the World Cup
- Dress code for foreigners traveling to Qatar
- Rules of hand gestures
- Dates, times & stadiums of all matches in the Qatar World Cup
Definition of the Haya card
All foreigners planning to travel to Qatar should initially know the rules of entry in order to become a part of this event.
The authorities in Qatar have confirmed that all international visitors planning to travel to Qatar to attend the FIFA World Cup from November 1 this year must carry a hayya card before entering this country. The card will be available immediately after approval through the Haya application; Qatari residence permit holders are excluded from this requirement.
However, it is not clear whether travelers with temporary work visas in Qatar are required to carry a Hayya Card or not.
A Hayya Card, also known as a fan ID, is a document issued by the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and all people attending any of the matches held in Qatar will be required to carry such a card. It has been clarified that travelers must carry a Hayya Card and a match ticket in order to enter the stadium.
A Hayya Card is considered to be an entry permit to Qatar for travelers from other countries; however, those who plan to travel to this country before November 1 will be eligible to do so in accordance with the requirements of their visa categories. However, they still need a Hayya Card to enter the stadium.
Eligible citizens for a 90-day Qatar visa during the World Cup
Citizens of the countries listed below are eligible for a visa on arrival for a period of 180 days from the date of issue and are eligible to stay in Qatar for 90 days during their single or multiple trips.
European countries:
- Austria
- Belgium — Bulgaria
- Croatia — Cyprus — Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland — France
- Germany — Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland — Italy
- Latvia — Liechtenstein — Lithuania — Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands — Norway
- Poland — Portugal
- Romania
- Serbia — Slovakia — Slovenia — Spain — Sweden — Switzerland
- Turkey
- Ukraine
Non-European countries:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Bahamas
- Dominican Republic
- Malaysia
- Seychelles
A 30-day Qatar visa during the World Cup
Citizens of the following countries can obtain a visa on arrival for a period of 30 days from the date of issue, and also have the right to spend more than 30 days in this country during one or multiple trips. This visa can then be extended for another 30 days within the country.
- Andorra — Australia — Azerbaijan
- Belarus — Bolivia — Brazil — Brunei
- Canada — Chile — China — Colombia — Costa Rica — Cuba
- Ecuador
- Falkland Islands — French Guiana
- Georgia — Guyana
- Hong Kong, China,
- India — Indonesia — Iran — Ireland
- Japan
- Kazakhstan
- Lebanon
- Macau—Macedonia (north)—Maldives—Mauritius—Mexico—Moldova—Monaco—Montenegro
- New Zealand
- Pakistan — Panama — Paraguay — Peru
- Russia — Rwanda
- San Marino — Singapore — South Africa — South Korea — Suriname
- Thailand
- United Kingdom — United States — Uruguay
- Vatican City State — Venezuela
Additional entry rules for citizens of India and Pakistan
All persons from India and Pakistan planning to travel to Qatar are subject to additional entry rules, although they are allowed to apply for a 30-day visa waiver/visa on arrival for single or multiple entry visits after a period of 30 days from the date of initial issuance.
According to the announcement of Newland airport, travelers from both of the above-mentioned countries are required to follow the rules listed below:
- Travelers from both countries are required to have a passport valid for at least six months or more
- They must carry confirmed return tickets
- Booking a hotel for self-isolation for the recommended number of days
- They must have a valid credit card or a cash amount of at least USD 1400, while reservations for their stay must be made in advance
- They are also required to provide a negative result of a Coronavirus test no older than 72 hours before their arrival and prove that they have fully completed the immunization process against the virus.
Rules for citizens of the GCC countries Qatar visa world cup
Citizens of countries included in the Cooperation Council for the Arab states of the Gulf, known as the Gulf Cooperation Council, are exempt from visa requirements when planning to travel to Qatar.
This means that citizens from Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, as well as the United Arab Emirates are not required to obtain a visa when planning to travel to Qatar.
Entry and Health rules regarding COVID-19
According to figures provided by the World Health Organization, Qatar has recorded more than 441,445 cases of COVID-19 infection and 7,438,750 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, while the authorities in this country have recently reported that the epidemiological situation is getting worse in this country.
Therefore, travelers from all other countries are required to carefully follow the rules of Entry, taking into account the information provided by the Ministry of public health, or referring to the travel advice of FIFA.
Moreover, foreigners are required to obtain and present a Qatar entry registration upon arrival in this region.
At present, travelers are required to provide a negative PCR test result for coronavirus 48 hours before their entry.
As for the quarantine requirements for foreigners coming from other countries, this will affect only those who have not completed the coronavirus immunization process.
The authorities in Qatar have clarified that those who are not fully immunized against the virus are obliged to stay self-isolated for five days in a designated hotel.
Qatar accepts as valid proof of vaccination only the following vaccines:
- Pfizer
- AstraZeneca
- Moderna
- Johnson and Johnson
In addition, it was reported that workers, players, as well as technical personnel from each country must be fully vaccinated in order to allow them to participate in the World Cup, which will be held in Qatar.
In connection with this issue, the government of Qatar also announced that it is trying to get a total of one million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in order to immunize all those present who are not fully vaccinated, but nevertheless, it is not clear whether vaccinations will be offered to midwives.
In order to apply for registration in Qatar, foreigners are required to upload the following documents:
- Scan passport information, which is valid for six months
- A negative result of the PCR test
- Flight schedule information
- E-mail address
- Payment method
Important information about air travel to Qatar
According to the report, a total of 30 round-trip flights will take off daily from Dubai to Doha with flydubai; at the same time, Air Arabia will operate 14 daily flights between Sharjah and Doha in addition to its daily flights three times.
Entering Qatar by road
There are two types of borders that must be crossed in order to get to Qatar: the United Arab Emirates to Saudi Arabia and those of Saudi Arabia to Qatar.
According to the citizen, the rules for driving to Qatar have been amended; on this, all people traveling to this country by car are urged to park on the Saudi side of the land border of Abu Samra and take a bus to Doha.
Possibility of LGBT fans traveling to Qatar to watch the World Cup
In Qatar, same-sex marriage, domestic partnerships, or civil unions are illegal while the country's authorities criminalize both men and women under the 2004 Penal Code.
According to the Constitution of Qatar, Islam is the state religion, while Islamic law is the main source of legislation. According to the UK-based Human Dignity organization, in addition to the Penal Code, Qatar applies an interpretation of Islamic law that criminalizes sexual activity between men and women, and the death penalty is also possible.
Qatari laws have raised concerns among LGBT people about whether it is safe for them to travel to this country in order to participate in the World Cup. In this regard, an article by The Guardian previously said that the authorities in Qatar failed to provide a guarantee to fans of the LGBT community that they would be safe during the football event.
However, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani recently told the UN General Assembly that the country will open its doors to all fans without discrimination in order to enjoy football matches and the amazing atmosphere of the championship.
The Qataris will welcome football enthusiasts from all walks of life with open arms. The world will witness one of the small and medium-sized countries' outstanding abilities to host major events, in addition to its ability to provide a spacious atmosphere for diversity and constructive contact between peoples.” Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said, according to VOA.
He added that all fans from this community will be safe and welcome at this year's World Cup, without discrimination, as part of an attempt to alleviate the concerns raised by LGBT activists.
Dress code for foreigners traveling to Qatar
As November approaches, travelers from other countries are preparing to travel to Qatar in order to support their favorite football teams; in addition to their entry rules, international players should also familiarize themselves with the dress code that is appropriate in this Arab region.
Despite the fact that Qatar attracts numerous foreigners and is famous for its sights, culture, and gastronomy; following the religion of the host country, there are some rules that international visitors should take into account, following the rules of the country.
It is emphasized that there is a dress code that tourists must follow in public places; otherwise, they risk being subject to a penalty fee if they do not comply with it.
Although travelers are not urged to wear traditional costumes in Qatar, the dress code for women and men should be conservative.
Women should cover their shoulders, and shirts should not have cleavage. In addition, it is also forbidden to wear leggings or torn trousers, while bikinis can only be used in non-family hotel swimming pools and beaches.
For men, their shirts should not contain offensive language or graphics, while shorts should be below the knees. Tank tops are also prohibited.
Is it allowed to drink alcohol during the World Cup
Alcohol is prohibited in almost all restaurants, it cannot be found in grocery stores. Besides, it is illegal to be drunk in public places.
Such rules have also raised concerns among travelers about whether they will be able to drink during their visit to Qatar, but the latter authorities said they are working to make the rules easier for those who arrive from other nations and countries.
“Though alcohol sales are illegal in many parts of the country, organizers are considering selling it inside soccer stadiums and have stated that supporters would be able to drink in specified zones.” according to a report provided by Sport Destinations.
It was also confirmed that fans will be allowed to drink beer at the stadiums.
“According to persons familiar with the situation, Qatari officials are considering relaxing the country's alcohol restriction at sporting events in response to pressure from FIFA and Anheuser-Busch InBev NV to allow soccer supporters to consume beer at stadiums during the 2022 World Cup.” according to a report published previously by Bloomberg.
Earlier this month, the authorities in Qatar confirmed that alcohol will be served in some parts of the stadium at the Qatar FIFA event.
“We want people to come and enjoy unforgettable experiences.” CEO Nasser Al Khater said to BBC Sport.
Rules of hand gestures
Hand gestures in Qatar can lead to sanctions or even fines after being considered a serious matter in this country.
Unlike in Western countries, the placement of the thumb mark in the diagonal is similar to the use of the middle finger. Moreover, using a finger to ask a question also has an abusive connotation; for this, people are urged to use their palms and hands.
Crossing the legs can also be interpreted as a sign of arrogance or disrespect; in particular, if you stay in front of an elderly person while pointing the index finger, it can also be considered rude, according to a report by sports destinations.
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