With 72 days left for FIFA World Cup in Qatar, there’s plenty of excitement across the region as officials accelerate their preparations to host the Middle East’s first edition of the tournament. 

Amidst this contagious fervor, let’s not forget about logistics. A press conference on September 8 revealed that football fans driving from Saudi Arabia to watch the FIFA World Cup matches in Qatar will have to leave their vehicles at the Qatar-Saudi border at Abu Samra.

The Supreme Committee said that the park and ride facility will be run by the tournament organizers in Abu Samra and has advised attendees that vehicles will only be permitted into Qatar in exceptional situations. Starting on October 15, there will be a pre-booking system for parking at the border.

A GCC air shuttle service will run 94 rotations daily during the competition to make transits easier. Shuttle service flights will touch down at Doha International Airport. Flights landing at Hamad International Airport will be accommodated from outside the GCC. 

Fans have also been advised to avail public transport during the tournament. Hayya holders will stand to gain free public transport. From Saturday through Thursday, the Doha Metro will be operational from 6 AM to 3 AM, and on Fridays, it will be active from 9 AM to 3 AM.

From November 20 to December 18, Qatar will host the first-ever FIFA World Cup in the Arab world. With the shortest distance between stadiums being only 75 kilometers, it will be the tournament’s most compact edition in contemporary times.

In the last sales window, which opened in July and August, over 500,000 tickets were sold instantly. The next sales season will commence by the end of September, and over-the-counter sales will soon begin in Qatar. “We are delighted with ticket sales so far and look forward to welcoming fans from across the globe for a celebration of the beautiful game,” said Eng. Yasir Al Jamal, Director General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy.

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