Latest: We drove from UAE to Doha for the World Cup - here's how we did it
UAE residents are hoping to fulfil their footballing dreams after Qatar eased entry rules for the remainder of the World Cup.
Doha is braced for a new wave of visiting supporters after dropping the requirement for Gulf citizens and residents to obtain a Hayya card — which has acted as an entry visa for the event — to travel to the country.
Authorities had already moved to allow fans without tickets to soak up the carnival atmosphere in Qatar in time for the start of the knockout stages.
The decision is expected to prompt a travel boom — with the quarter-finals getting under way on Friday.
I had given up on the idea of travelling to watch the tournament but it would be a dream for me to watch the matches live
Munaf Al Taee,
Iraqi engineer in Dubai
With countries with large followings, such as England, Brazil, Argentina and France, still in the thick of the action, many fans will likely want to sample a taste of the World Cup in person.
Supporters with tickets are still required to use the Hayya system, as this prevents fraudulent entry to stadiums.
Munaf Al Taee, a 44-year-old Iraqi engineer based in Dubai, had given up hope of attending the global spectacle until hearing of the latest announcement.
“Previously, I had given up on the idea of travelling to watch the tournament after hearing about Hayya card requirements," said Mr Al Taee, whose love of Diego Maradona inspired him to follow Argentina.
"Now I’m seriously thinking to travel to Qatar for the knockout stages to enjoy the atmosphere.”
He has already begin his search for match tickets, safe in the knowledge he will be able to enter Qatar freely.
“Although I know the tickets will be expensive now, it would be a dream for me to watch the matches live," he said. "I will decide later whether to travel by car or fly.
“The last eight qualified teams are the top ones. I support Argentina because of Maradona. I can’t wait to get a match ticket for Argentina against [the] Netherlands on Friday and support them. Thanks, Qatar.”
Morocco win inspires journey
Mounir Shaltony, a 39-year-old Arab-Canadian, is planning a Doha trip after Morocco's remarkable penalty shootout success over Spain.
He told The National prior to Tuesday's dramatic match he would travel if the Atlas Lions came out on top.
“I’m excited about the prospects of attending the World cup as I was trying to avoid flights and the logistics behind them," he said.
Awad Najaro, a Sudanese resident in Dubai, is eager to sample the drama in Doha.
“I've never been to the World Cup before and now I’m super-excited to go and fulfil a dream. I was not sure to be able to go because of the long waiting period and busy live schedule,” said the 32 year old.
“I have never been to Doha before and now I can go for a special occasion.”
Flight and hotel prices
Fans hoping to be part of the festival of football need to act fast with the showpiece final taking place on December 18.
Return flights on Saturday, when England take on reigning champions France, started from Dh1,670 ($454) for a flydubai flight, according to Skyscanner as of Tuesday.
The cheapest direct flights from Abu Dhabi on the same day cost Dh2,935 with Etihad and Qatar Airways.
Flights from Sharjah on the same day are available from Dh2,814 with Air Arabia.
The official fan accommodation website for the World Cup shows apartments available from about Dh1,428 for the same night.
Accommodation at the fan villages starts at slightly under Dh730 while three-star hotel rooms are available from Dh830.
The website advises that availability is limited.
Tickets are being sold in phases on a first-come, first-served basis with an online queuing system in place for those hoping to buy on the official Qatar World Cup website.
The website states that current ticket demand is "very high" and long waits in the queuing system are expected.
Tickets are being sold on the secondary market for England's match against France for as much as Dh16,477.
Qatari authorities have warned anyone who sells or exchanges tickets for the tournament without permission from world football's governing body Fifa faces a fine of up to 250,000 riyals ($66,000).
Driving from Dubai or Abu Dhabi
GCC citizens and residents hoping to drive to Qatar will be allowed to enter without a Hayya card from Thursday.
To do this, you need to apply for a vehicle entry permit through the Qatar Ministry of Interior website 12 hours before crossing the border.
There are no fees to pay, officials said.
Fans still have an option of crossing land borders and leaving their car in a designated car park on the Saudi Arabia side, before taking buses to Doha. We have a full guide on that here.
To register for a permit, visit here.
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
Nick's journey in numbers
Countries so far: 85
Flights: 149
Steps: 3.78 million
Calories: 220,000
Floors climbed: 2,000
Donations: GPB37,300
Prostate checks: 5
Blisters: 15
Bumps on the head: 2
Dog bites: 1
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Mykonos, with a flight change to its partner airline Olympic Air in Athens. Return flights cost from Dh4,105 per person, including taxes.
Where to stay
The modern-art-filled Ambassador hotel (myconianambassador.gr) is 15 minutes outside Mykonos Town on a hillside 500 metres from the Platis Gialos Beach, with a bus into town every 30 minutes (a taxi costs €15 [Dh66]). The Nammos and Scorpios beach clubs are a 10- to 20-minute walk (or water-taxi ride) away. All 70 rooms have a large balcony, many with a Jacuzzi, and of the 15 suites, five have a plunge pool. There’s also a private eight-bedroom villa. Double rooms cost from €240 (Dh1,063) including breakfast, out of season, and from €595 (Dh2,636) in July/August.
Company profile
Name: The Concept
Founders: Yadhushan Mahendran, Maria Sobh and Muhammad Rijal
Based: Abu Dhabi
Founded: 2017
Number of employees: 7
Sector: Aviation and space industry
Funding: $250,000
Future plans: Looking to raise $1 million investment to boost expansion and develop new products
FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Sevilla v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Athletic Bilbao v Real Sociedad (7.15pm)
Eibar v Valencia (9.30pm)
Atletico Madrid v Alaves (11.45pm)
Sunday
Girona v Getafe (3pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7.15pm)
Las Palmas v Espanyol (9.30pm)
Barcelona v Deportivo la Coruna (11.45pm)
Monday
Malaga v Real Betis (midnight)
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
more from Janine di Giovanni
Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 2 Bournemouth 1
United: Sharp (45 2'), Lundstram (84')
Bournemouth: C Wilson (13')
Man of the Match: Jack O’Connell (Sheffield United)
Race card:
6.30pm: Baniyas (PA) Group 2 Dh195,000 1,400m.
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m.
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh190,000 1,200m.
8.15pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 1,200m.
8.50pm: Rated Conditions (TB) Dh240,000 1,600m.
9.20pm: Handicap (TB) Dh165,000 1,400m.
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh175,000 2,000m.
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
