The FIFA tournament will kick off on November 30 and will take place until December 18.
With the first of its kind FIFA Arab Cup opening ceremony just hours away, there are many free of charge travel options available for fans attending the matches.
Starting from 30 November and running throughout the #FIFArabCup, the Stadium Express will transport fans between stadiums and the Khalifa Street Bus Hub. pic.twitter.com/fspTMgzc2T
— SC News (@roadto2022news) November 27, 2021
Thousands of fans will be making their way to the six World Cup stadiums ready to host 16 teams participating in the 19-day tournament in Doha.
The stadiums include Al Bayt, Al Thumama, Ahmad Bin Ali, Education City stadium, 974, and Al Janoub.
Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Oman, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Syria, Mauritania, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Palestine, Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, and Sudan will all be competing right here in Doha in an ultimate football experience.
The winner will be taking home the gleaming FIFA Arab Cup trophy for the first time – marking a historic moment for all involved in the event.
So, if you have your flags, tickets and Fan IDs ready to cheer for your home team, here is everything you need to know about how to get to the stadium:
Care for a free ride?
Fans attending FIFA Arab Cup matches will need to first obtain a Hay’ya Card (Fan ID) from designated spots around the country. The Fan ID serves as an entry permit to Qatar for visiting fans and is a requirement to enter stadiums.
Starting Tuesday and throughout the remaining days of the tournament, the Stadium Express will transport fans between venues and the Khalifa Street Bus Hub free of charge for all fan ID holders.
On match days, buses will operate four hours ahead of kick off to allow for plenty of time to reach the venue. The final bus will move one hour before the start of the game.
Buses designed to return fans to Khalifa Street Bus Hub from stadiums will run for a total of one and a half hours after the whistle is blown on the pitch.
To make transportation easier, here are all the stadium maps detailing travel options for spectators.
Al Bayt Stadium
Al-Bayt Stadium is located in Al Khor and is one of the main FIFA World Cup stadiums. Its name is derived from bayt al sha’ar – tents historically used by nomadic peoples in Qatar and the Gulf region, and holds a capacity of 60,000 seats for fans.
For this tournament, the stadium will host both the opener and final of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021.
Al Janoub Stadium
Located in the southern city of Al Wakrah, the 40,000-capacity Al Janoub Stadium is a spectacular site for any elegant architecture lover. The stadium will host several matches throughout the tournament, including Algeria vs Egypt.
Education City Stadium
Education City Stadium is located in Al Rayyan, Qatar, and its surrounding landscape is dotted with leading top-notch universities. Fans can reach the stadium easily by either road or metro, with Doha’s bustling city centre just 7km away.
And don’t forget to bring a jacket! The stadium has advanced cooling technologies to ensure comfortable temperatures for players and fans.
Stadium 974
Stadium 974, previously known as Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, is located across the water from Doha’s spectacular West Bay skyline.
The 40,000-seat venue is the first fully demountable tournament venue in FIFA World Cup history.
“This sets a new standard in sustainability and introduces bold new ideas in tournament legacy planning,” Supreme Committee said.
Al Thumama Stadium
Located 12km south of Doha’s skyline in Al Thumama area, Al Thumama Stadium will host several FIFA Arab Cup matches in its remarkable design that aims to celebrate Arab culture and traditions.
Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Located in Al Rayyan area, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium incorporates “symbols of Qatari culture into its spectacular undulating façade.” It has the capacity to host up to 40,000 fans in the tournament and will be one of the main venues for the World Cup next year.
