While some are budgeting for an expensive plane ticket to attend the much-awaited FIFA World Cup in Qatar, others are taking an unusual track to the pitch.

Two French football fans are making their way to Qatar by pedaling through ten different nations on bicycles to attend the much-awaited FIFA World Cup 2022 in November.

What started as a dream turned into reality on August 20 when the 26-year-old cyclists, Mehdi from Caen and Gabriel from Bordeaux, set off from Paris to complete the 8,000-kilometer challenge— carrying only panniers and two tents.

The two friends decided to take on the challenge of biking across ten nations to the host country in order to support France’s football team and experience firsthand the glorious World Cup celebrations set to take place across the nation.

The two have now arrived in Turkey after traveling through France, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, and Bulgaria. Their journey into the Middle East is expected to start soon.

“Welcome to the Institut Français in Qatar, we are Mehdi and Gabriel, we left Paris on August 20. We will travel 8,000 km to reach Doha. We are going in the right direction but we still have a long way to go and we are glad to have you accompany us!” Mehdi and Gabriel said in a video message shared by Institut français du Qatar.

A year earlier, the two met in Italy while playing in the UEFA Nations League against France.

From there, the bold plan to go on a bike and attend the World Cup was created. The rather unusual expedition, they said, was inspired by their love of cycling and football.

The pair document their journey through videos and pictures on their Instagram to inspire others to pursue their dreams and embark on new adventures.

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar will bring the tournament to the Middle East for the first time in history. Kick off is scheduled on 20 November at the Al Bayt Stadium.