More than a million World Cup fans are preparing to visit the Gulf to watch the month-long World Cup in Qatar from November.
As the first World Cup to be staged in the Middle East, social norms and religious practices are likely to be different from those experienced at some previous tournaments.
Fan festivals
When the opening match kicks-off in Doha, Al Bidda Park, at the heart of the city near the Corniche, will become a meeting place for supporters throughout the tournament.
Matches will also be screened at other fan sites, at Qetaifan Island North, where a beach festival is planned with concerts, activities, food and drink outlets, on Al Maha Island in Lusail, and at the Al Maha Arena, which will host live concerts.
Those who have booked accommodation at the official fan villages on the outskirts of Doha can visit the Fan Village Cabins Free Zone, where games will be shown live.
Free travel is being provided on the Doha Metro system, with access granted with the Hayya card that accompanies a World Cup match ticket.
All eight stadiums hosting 64 matches are within an hour's drive of central Doha.
Hayya card
Visitors must apply for a Hayya card, the fan ID that offers free public transport around Doha and acts as an entry visa into the country.
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy opened a special service centre for Hayya card holders to support fans at the Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena.
Fans can collect a physical copy of their digital Hayya card, in case they want to use transport services or fan zones and do not have a mobile phone.
The centre will be open from 10am to 10pm every day except Fridays, when opening hours are 2pm until 10pm until December 23.
Alcohol
Alcohol is served in licensed restaurants and in many hotels across the country, and it will also be made available in fan zones at certain times, organisers said.
Alcohol sales in fan zones may be less expensive than in hotels and will probably involve exchanging local currency for tokens that can be used to purchase beverages.
Bringing alcohol into the country is forbidden.
Only residents are allowed to purchase alcohol from specialist outlets for home consumption, so drinking away from official venues will be off-limits for fans.
Covid-19
A vaccine is not mandatory to visit Qatar, but anyone attending the World Cup aged six or above is required to present a negative coronavirus test on arrival at the airport before departure.
A PCR test result must be no more 48 hours old before departure or if taking an official negative Rapid Antigen Test, the result must be received no more than 24 hours before departure time.
Self-tests will not be accepted.
Fans should ensure their travel insurance covers any enforced stays in a hotel, a requirement if you test positive while in Qatar.
World Cup visitors to Qatar who hold Hayya cards are excluded from the pre-entry online registration requirement on the Qatari government’s Ehteraz website for residents and GCC citizens.
As with in the UAE, masks are only required on public transport and on healthcare premises.
Clothing
Respecting local norms could be one of the greatest challenges for the huge numbers visiting Qatar during the World Cup.
Swimwear is allowed on hotel beaches and swimming pools, but visitors will be expected to cover shoulders and knees when visiting public places such as museums and government buildings.
The removal of shirts is prohibited inside stadiums, while the much publicised air-conditioned stadiums are designed to maintain a pleasant temperature for spectators.
Outside, the average temperature for November is around 26ºC, but it could get as warm as the mid-30s.
Public displays of affection
The organising committee has asked visitors during the World Cup to limit public displays of affection.
Qatari law prohibits cohabitation of unmarried couples, but authorities have confirmed that during the tournament, unmarried friends of different genders or couples can share the same room without penalty.
Photography
With hordes of fans sharing their experiences on social media, enforcing Qatar’s strict rules on privacy and photography could be a challenge.
Organisers called on fans to exercise “common courtesy” and ask for permission before photographing or filming others.
Fans should be aware that taking pictures of government buildings such as offices, military camps or industrial areas is strictly prohibited.
E-cigarettes
Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health ordered an outright ban on sales of vapes in 2014.
Hamad International Airport's customs department was also advised not to allow e-cigarettes into the country, with the same instruction observed at Qatar’s port and land borders.
Despite this, there remains a large community that regularly uses e-cigarettes without penalty, so there may be some lenience on the matter.
However, it will not be possible to legally purchase vaping refills and associated products while in Qatar.
Working week
Qatar starts its working week on a Sunday, with a weekend of Friday and Saturday.
Expect some services to operate reduced hours on a Friday, which is a holy day. This includes banks and some shops.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
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Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
- For beginners or people who want to start investing with limited capital, Mr Nair suggests eToro. “The low fees and low minimum balance requirements make the platform more accessible,” he says. “The user interface is straightforward to understand and operate, while its social element may help ease beginners into the idea of investing money by looking to a virtual community.”
- If you’re an experienced investor, and have $10,000 or more to invest, consider Saxo Bank. “Saxo Bank offers a more comprehensive trading platform with advanced features and insight for more experienced users. It offers a more personalised approach to opening and operating an account on their platform,” he says.
- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
The biog
Favourite book: You Are the Placebo – Making your mind matter, by Dr Joe Dispenza
Hobby: Running and watching Welsh rugby
Travel destination: Cyprus in the summer
Life goals: To be an aspirational and passionate University educator, enjoy life, be healthy and be the best dad possible.
The biog
Year of birth: 1988
Place of birth: Baghdad
Education: PhD student and co-researcher at Greifswald University, Germany
Hobbies: Ping Pong, swimming, reading
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
