Lusail Stadium, the final FIFA World Cup stadium in Qatar is complete, ready for inauguration. 

The first phase of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 ticket applications will come to a close on 8 February, with the next phase expected in April.

Applications for the much-awaited tournament started on 19 January at 1pm Doha time and will end at the same time on 8th February, FIFA announced.

The launch revealed affordable prices — the cheapest since Mexico ’86 — containing several categories for eager fans to enjoy. The showcase opening and final matches, however, are going at a relatively increased price to previous tournaments.

In the first 24 hours of the sales, over 1.2 million fans rushed to register for the tickets, with over 80,000 tickets requested for the opening match taking place on 21 November.

Meanwhile, more than 140,000 tickets were requested for the final, which will fall on 18 December at Lusail Stadium and will see the crowning of the World Cup Qatar 2022 champions.

Which countries have applied for most World Cup tickets so far?

The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) is expecting over 1.2 million visitors from across the globe for the tournament at the end of this year, which is expected to greatly boost the tourism and hospitality sector in the country.

In ticket application requests for the biggest international competition, Argentina came second after the host country, followed by Mexico, USA, UAE, England, India, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and France.

In less than 300 days, football fiesta fans will get to witness Qatar’s strategic planning and state-of-the-art stadiums, which amount to a total of 8 in different locations across the country.

Last FIFA stadium finally ready

Seven stadiums have been completed and successfully inaugurated as of February 2022, including Al Bayt Stadium, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Al Janoub Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium, Qatar Foundation Stadium, Al Thumama Stadium, and Ras Abu Aboud Stadium.

After years of preparation, the last FIFA World Cup arena, Lusail Stadium, is finally complete and ready to be inaugurated, according to an SC official.

“I’m proud that [with less than] a year to go to the event, we have officially announced that all our stadiums have been completed and ready,” said Khalid Al Mawlawi, Deputy Director-General, Marketing, Communications and Event Experience at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy.

“The inauguration is not yet decided, but I’ll say the stadium itself is ready to be inaugurated anytime. It’s a question of the right time to do [it], although it is ready. Most of our infrastructure has been completed.”

The 80,000-seat Lusail Stadium is set to host the final game of the World Cup, which will see the crowning of the 2022 winner, with millions eagerly watching across the globe.

“The design of this magnificent stadium is inspired by the interplay of light and shadow [which] characterises the fanar lantern. Its shape and façade echo the intricate decorative motifs on bowls, vessels and other art pieces found across the Arab and Islamic world during the rise of civilisation in the region,” SC said on its website.

So far, 15 out of the 32 countries have qualified for the grand tournament, with the most recent additions being Iraq and Korea. Accordingly, the flags of the respective countries have been raised in Qatar during a hoisting ceremony. 17 flags remain to be raised.

“I’d like to extend our congratulations on behalf of the SC to the people of Iran and South Korea for qualifying for the FIFA World Cup,” Al Mawlawi said.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to extend an open invitation to the whole world to come and enjoy Qatar 2022, where we promise to make history by delivering one of the best-ever events in the FIFA World Cup.”

Qualification matches will continue this year until the intercontinental play-offs. The opening match will kick off on 21 November, 2022, at Al Bayt Stadium.

Meanwhile, the second ticket sale is expected to kick-off later this year, prior to the final draw in April.

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