Qatar Championship: what to see and how to get there?

The main sporting event of the end of the year was the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Why did a small country in Asia become the center of world football in 2022?

For every football fan, the World Cup is a holiday every 4 years. The last World Cup was held in 2018 in Russia, which became the first host country of the event in Eastern Europe.

In 2022, the Championship was hosted by a tiny (158th in the world in size), but rich (4th in GDP per capita) Asian state.

The decision to hold the World Cup in Qatar was made back in 2010, when the country won the draw.

The championship takes place in the country's largest city, Doha. In total, 8 stadiums have been prepared for the event, at a distance of no more than 50 km from the center of the capital. Such a small distance between the arenas is unique for the World Cup, making it the most "compact" World Cup in history.

The event was accompanied by a series of political and cultural scandals, ranging from the ban on the participation of Russian football players, ending with the involvement of extras to advertise the event.

The symbol of the championship

The symbol of the championship was chosen La'ib — a white flying headscarf-gutra (or kufiya — a traditional Arabic headdress), whose name translates as "fantastically gifted player"

How has tourism in Qatar been affected?

In the period from November 1 to December 23, 2022, tourist visas to Qatar are not valid due to the World Cup. In order to enter the country for tourist purposes, you must have a Hayya Card fan ID or a Qatari identity card.

There is a visa-free regime between Russia and Qatar, but in order to enter the country you also need a fan ID.

The country has lifted all entry restrictions related to the pandemic.

How do I get a fan ID?

To obtain a certificate, you can:

How to get there?

Qatar Airways direct flights depart from Moscow to Doha, their cost is now about 100 thousand rubles, and the travel time will be about 6 hours.

You can also travel by other lines, with transfers in Dubai or Istanbul, the ticket price will be about 40 thousand rubles, and the travel time is 1-2 days.

What's new?

Large-scale events like the World Cup attract many tourists and new facilities are being built for their comfort, which can later become attractions.

7 of the 8 stadiums of the championship were built specifically for the World Cup. Many of them will be reconstructed into smaller arenas after the end of the event, or completely change their functionality. Therefore, to see the arenas in their original form, you should visit Qatar either during the 2022 World Cup or immediately after it ends.

For example, the Al Bayt stadium has been reduced in size after the 2022 World Cup, and various facilities are planned to be introduced into the upper part of the building: a five-star hotel, a shopping center, a food court and a multifunctional hall.

In addition to stadiums, Qatar has built a new expressway system, Hamad Airport, and the center of the capital has been reconstructed.

You can learn more about stadiums in the article Stadiums of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.