Analysis World Cup 2022 Bahrain set for surge in visitors from Europe’s World Cup giants Europeans are flocking to Bahrain this autumn, with flight bookings from Germany, France and the UK up significantly on pre-pandemic levels in what could be a World Cup windfall for the island’s tourism industry. As nearby Qatar prepares to host the tournament, which starts on November 20, an influx of tourists from defending champions France, […] November 2, 2022
Business of Sport FIFA World Cup hosts Qatar win bid to stage 2023 Asian Cup Qatar has won the bid to host the 18th edition of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, state-owned Qatar News Agency reported. Qatar is the reigning AFC Asian Cup champion and will be hosting the tournament for the third time after staging the 1988 and 2011 editions. The Gulf nation’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup […] October 18, 2022
Business of Sport Qatar upgrades land border to handle 4,000 football fans per hour World Cup fans arriving at the Abu Samra crossing in private vehicles or on buses must have an entry permit from the Hayya portal October 17, 2022
Business of Sport Qatar may change dismantling plans for World Cup stadiums With plans to bid to host more major events, such as the Olympics, Qatar may alter its plans to dismantle its stadiums after the World Cup, the Qatar Tribune reported, citing Mohamed Nabeel Al Atwaan, FM director, Stadium 974 Operations at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy. The dismantling of Stadium 974 (previously called […] October 17, 2022
Exclusive Real Estate Rents for Qatar tenants soar ahead of World Cup Tenants in Qatar are losing out in the run-up to the FIFA World Cup as rents soar by nearly a third, with landlords able to secure longer-term leases at higher rates due to a lack of supply in the market. “Residential rents have risen around 30 percent year-on-year,” said Adam Stewart, the recently appointed head […] October 11, 2022
Analysis Aviation Flight bookings soar as Gulf benefits from Qatar 2022 fever Flight bookings to Qatar from the UAE and 31 countries competing in the FIFA World Cup are currently 10 times the volume of pre-pandemic levels, according to new data. The latest analysis by UK-based ForwardKeys shows that the UAE will perform most strongly during the Qatar 2022 World Cup period in November and December, where […] October 11, 2022
World Cup 2022 Qatar to intensify labour inspections during World Cup Qatar will intensify labour inspections during the soccer World Cup including extra health and safety checks to protect workers from exploitation, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) said on Wednesday. Rights groups and labour unions have warned that hospitality, transport and security workers are especially vulnerable during the month-long tournament, the first held in a […] October 6, 2022
Transport Qatar gives new electric buses demo run before World Cup Qatar’s public transport provider Mowasalat (Karwa) added 90 new electric buses to its fleet this month. There are also plans to make all Karwa taxis around Doha fully electric as part of its efforts to reduce carbon emissions to meet Qatar’s Vision 2030 goals. Working in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport and Qatar Rail, […] October 5, 2022
Tourism Qatar to suspend visit visas during World Cup 2022 Qatar will suspend entry of all visitors from November 1, 2022, allowing only Hayya cardholders during the World Cup, the state-owned Qatar News agency reported, citing a Ministry of Interior official. Visit visas will resume from December 23, 2022, said the ministry’s director of public relations Abdullah Khalifa Al Muftah. The FIFA World Cup Qatar […] September 22, 2022
Exclusive Aviation Private jets face backlog during World Cup Qatar authorities are putting restrictions in place to manage the expected surge in demand for landing slots from private jets flying to Doha for the World Cup. Operators have warned that wealthy football fans will need to be flexible with their plans, especially around the later stages of the tournament which takes place from November […] September 19, 2022
Analysis Business of Sport Dubai plays vital World Cup role with GDP goal in its sights Germany and Japan are setting up training camps in Dubai ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The football associations’ plans demonstrate that the emirate has adopted the same model for sports as has proven so effective in tourism and real estate. The World Cup squads are following in the footsteps of several English […] September 13, 2022
Exclusive World Cup 2022 Qatar 2022 will change views of Arab world, says football legend Former England and Liverpool footballer John Barnes believes the World Cup in Qatar will help change the perception of Middle Eastern countries and dismantle negative narratives in the West. The tournament, which is held every four years, is set to take place in Qatar between November 21 and December 18. It is the first World […] September 10, 2022
World Cup 2022 Qatar’s airspace deal to boost global aviation ambitions Qatar is gearing up to establish its own airspace in a move that is key to the country’s ambitions to becoming a global aviation hub. The Qatari Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) has signed a pact with representatives of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE, with the activation of operations of the new Doha flight information […] September 8, 2022
Business of Sport Qatar to allow beer at World Cup three hours before kick-off Qatar will permit ticketed fans to buy alcoholic beer at World Cup soccer matches starting three hours before kickoff and for one hour after the final whistle, but not during the match, a source with knowledge of plans for the tournament said. Budweiser, a major World Cup sponsor with exclusive rights to sell beer at […] September 4, 2022
Business of Sport Qatar sends on Beckham amid questions over World Cup legacy Qatar Tourism has launched a marketing campaign starring David Beckham as it counts down to the start of the FIFA World Cup in November. The former England captain – who is reportedly being paid £150 million ($174 million) over 10 years to promote Qatar – is advertising holidays in the country as tourism chiefs seek […] August 31, 2022
Tourism Dubai hotel rates surge by up to 75% during World Cup Dubai Marathon has been forced to move its upcoming race in December 2022 to February 2023, as organisers said the massive demand by football fans to base themselves in the emirate has resulted in a lack of hotel rooms, with average daily rates during the tournament rising by as much as 75 percent. “Thousands of […] August 30, 2022
Analysis Business of Sport World Cup is an advertiser’s dream worth millions With a projected worldwide audience of five billion people, the 2022 FIFA World Cup is an advertiser’s dream. Although some brands have toyed with the idea of boycotting the event, and may eventually do so due to the controversies that have dogged Qatar’s hosting of the tournament, ignoring one of the world’s biggest sporting spectacles […] July 23, 2022
World Cup 2022 Qatar’s World Cup stadium stands will be alcohol free Qatar’s World Cup stadium stands are set to be alcohol-free, with beer sales outside arenas only allowed before and after some matches, a source with knowledge of plans for the soccer tournament said. This year’s World Cup is the first to be held in a Muslim country with strict controls on alcohol, presenting unique challenges […] July 8, 2022
Exclusive World Cup 2022 A-listers to splash cash on extravagant World Cup parties A star-studded line-up is set to splash out on after-parties at the Qatar World Cup, according to the region’s event planners. F1 champion Lewis Hamiliton, supermodel Bella Hadid and singers Usher, The Weeknd and French Montana are among the celebrities flying out for the winter tournament, said Bally Singh, founder of the Rich List Group. […] July 2, 2022
Tourism Hotelier recruiting 12,000 workers for World Cup Hotel operator Accor is recruiting 12,000 temporary overseas employees to operate 65,000 empty rooms in apartments and homes in Qatar as temporary fan housing for the 2022 soccer World Cup, its chairman and CEO Sébastien Bazin told Reuters. Qatar is working to avoid an accommodation shortage during the tournament and has hired Accor, Europe’s largest […] June 29, 2022
Exclusive World Cup 2022 Most lavish World Cup package costs $1.6m – hotel not included UAE residents have bought 7,500 hospitality packages for the Qatar World Cup, with the most expensive option costing an eyewatering $1.6 million. Football fans wanting to attend Qatar 2022 matches have two routes: FIFA's ticket lottery, where prices start at 40 riyals ($10.99) for Qatar residents or 250 riyals for international supporters, or one of the official hospitality packages, which begin at $950. June 21, 2022
World Cup 2022 Businesses vying to get on the teamsheet Regional and international businesses are jostling to win work in the final months before the World Cup June 9, 2022
