Qatar World Cup 2022 tickets application phase launch today, January 19th, 2022, with ticket products and packages. World Cup Tickets Available.

Qatar World Cup 2022 Tickets and Packages

With a range of enticing options available in this opening phase, fans worldwide have a chance to secure their seats so they do not miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

TICKETS► https://fifainqatar.live/tickets/

In line with FIFA’s ticketing policy at the 2010, 2014 and 2018 editions of the FIFA World Cup™, residents of the host country will exclusively benefit from a special price category, category 4, with prices starting from just QAR 40 each.

Visa payment cards are the exclusive payment method accepted for residents of Qatar, while Visa payment cards and other accepted payment cards are accepted for international fans. Visa is the preferred payment solution of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. In this opening random selection draw sales period, fans can apply for the following ticket products:

• Individual Match Ticket(S)

Tickets for a specific match, which are available for all matches from the opening game through to the final

• Team-Specific Ticket Series

For those who want to watch a certain team on every step of their journey in Qatar, starting with the three group matches

• Four-Stadium Ticket Series

FIFA’s new ticketing product provides fans with a unique opportunity to sample the atmosphere across four different matches and iconic stadiums on subsequent days, thanks to the short distances within Qatar

• Accessibility Tickets

Providing tailored facilities and spaces for disabled people and people with limited mobility covering a range of requirements as part of any of the products above

Prior to the Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup on Friday, 1 April 2022, it is foreseen that fans will have a second opportunity to secure tickets during a first-come, first-served sales phase, the precise details of which will follow in due course.

Further sales phases will take place after the Final Draw and will feature additional products, including:

• Supporter Tickets

For fans who want to sit among their team’s fellow supporters

• Conditional Supporter Tickets

For supporters who want to reserve a seat for one of their team’s potential encounters in the knockout rounds, including the final

Given the short distances between stadiums, Qatar 2022™ will offer fans a unique opportunity of attending more than one match per day during the early stages of the tournament. Ticket applicants will be able to register for more than one match per day during the ticket sales phase that will follow the Final Draw. Given the need to allow sufficient travel time between stadiums, fans will not be able to attend back-to-back matches.

To allow attendees to take full advantage of the compact nature of Qatar 2022, FIFA has softened the household limits from previous FIFA World Cups – now, each household can buy up to six tickets per match and up to 60 tickets throughout the tournament to enjoy the matches with their friends and family.

Hay’ya Card (Fan ID)

A Hay’ya Card is needed to enter the State of Qatar, to access stadiums (along with a match ticket), and to enjoy free matchday travel alongside other benefits.

COVID-19 Measures

FIFA and the State of Qatar are committed to putting health first. The State of Qatar will provide the required safeguards to protect the health and safety of all involved in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. All attendees must follow the travel advice from the Qatari authorities and the latest guidance from Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health. Full information on COVID-19 safety measures will be communicated in advance of the tournament.

• FIFA WORLD CUP TICKETS
  • Collect From Here

Visit FIFA.com/tickets to submit a ticket application and the FAQs section for more information about the products, packages and price categories.

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Qatar World Cup 2022 tickets will go on sale from January 19, 2022. Collect your tickets from us as soon as possible for enjoying amazing matches.

Qatar World Cup 2022 tickets for Visa cardholders starts from Jan 19

More details about pricing and the application process are expected to be announced by FIFA soon.

FIFA IN QATAR

Many banks have tweeted that tickets will go on sale for Visa cardholders in the first phase from January 19 to February 8. “Time to live our football passion! Score FIFA World Cup tickets only with #Visa from Jan 19 to Feb 8,” QNB tweeted. “Calling all Superfans! Score FIFA World Cup tickets only with Visa.

Qatar World Cup 2022 Tickets

Visit: https://fifainqatar.live/tickets/

Which starts from Jan 19 to Feb 8 and book your tickets to the FIFA World Cup with your QIB Visa Card,” QIB said in a message.

Visa payment cards are the exclusive payment method accepted for residents of Qatar, while Visa payment cards and other accepted payment cards are accepted for international fans. Visa is the preferred payment solution of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. In this opening random selection draw sales period, fans can apply for the following ticket products:

Individual Match Ticket(s)

• Tickets for a specific match, which are available for all matches from the opening game through to the final

Team-Specific Ticket Series

• For those who want to watch a certain team on every step of their journey in Qatar, starting with the three group matches

Four-Stadium Ticket Series

• FIFA’s new ticketing product provides fans with a unique opportunity to sample the atmosphere across four different matches and iconic stadiums on subsequent days, thanks to the short distances within Qatar

Accessibility Tickets

• Providing tailored facilities and spaces for disabled people and people with limited mobility covering a range of requirements as part of any of the products above

Prior to the Final Draw for the FIFA World Cup on Friday, 1 April 2022, it is foreseen that fans will have a second opportunity to secure tickets during a first-come, first-served sales phase, the precise details of which will follow in due course.

Further sales phases will take place after the Final Draw and will feature additional products, including:

• Supporter Tickets

For fans who want to sit among their team’s fellow supporters

• Conditional Supporter Tickets

For supporters who want to reserve a seat for one of their team’s potential encounters in the knockout rounds, including the final. 

“Calling all Superfans! Score FIFA World Cup tickets only with #Visa. Use your Dukhan Bank Visa card and book your FIFA World Cup tickets from Jan 19 to Feb 8 on https://www.fifa.com/” Dukhan Bank tweeted.

In a little over 10 months, the world’s best football players will descend on Qatar for the World Cup and tickets have now been made available to the general public.

Prices vary depending on the game and what category seat you opt for, with tickets for the Final match ranging from $604 to as much as $1,600.

That may seem steep but, in comparison, some official tickets for this year’s Super Bowl are starting at $5,950.
“This is a FIFA World Cup for Qatar, the region and the world, and the products launched today reflect FIFA’s goal of bringing the beautiful game to as many fans globally as possible,” said FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura.

Qatari residents will benefit from subsidized tickets, with prices starting from just under $11 for the exclusive Category 4 seating, in a bid to fill stadiums for the tournament.

There will also be cheaper accessibility tickets available for those with disabilities.

Find Latest 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup News and Live Updates Match Streaming, Schedule, News, Score and Results.

FIFA IN QATAR (https://fifainqatar.live/) is a news share site which share different kind of news about World cup 2022 which will hold in Qatar. FIFA IN QATAR share mainly football (soccer) News, Press Release, Blog, Opinion and Stream TV Channel.

How you can get 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup Schedule?

FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar host cities & stadiums

1. Al Janoub Stadium

City: Al Wakrah
Capacity: 40,000
Games hosted: Group stage

2. Khalifa International Stadium

3. Stadium 974

4. Al Thumama Stadium

5. Ahmed bin Ali Stadium

6. Education City Stadium

7. Al Bayt Stadium

8. Lusail Iconic Stadium

City: Lusail
Capacity: 80,000
Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16, quarter finals, semi finals, final

 The Abu Samra border will be expanded to facilitate traffic to and from Qatar, according to Director of the Land Customs Department Ahmed Al Sahel in a General Authority of Customs (GAC) monthly newsletter.

The expansion of Qatar’s only land port would include a new special area that will specifically receive spectators for the FIFA 2022 World Cup to be held in the Gulf state next year.

Follow US: FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar

The global sporting event, the first to be held in the Middle East, is predicted to attract 1.2 million travellers to Qatar.

“The Abu Samra border port expansion includes inspection platforms for tourists’ vehicles, a special area to receive fans, sports teams, and delegations,” said Al Sahel.

Qatar has its eyes on becoming a tourism and hospitality hub even after the 2022 World Cup.

The hotel sector has already witnessed a 7% growth in occupancy rates during the first half of 2021 compared with the same period last year.

Head of communications at the SC Fatma Al Nuaimi told AFP that the event will be drawing in tourists from all over the world, all of whom will be hosted in an array of traditional and innovative accommodation options, including hotels, cruise liners, fan villages, and vacation rentals.

The border expansion will only further facilitate travel for more fans to enjoy the global event.

“This expansion is expected to facilitate the process of inspection of goods and tourists’ vehicles to support the flow of commercial traffic in and out of the country and contributing to reviving Qatar’s tourism,” said Al Sahel.

Read More: Abu Samra Land Crossing will be extended for the arrival of Qatar 2022 fans 

 The local authorities have approved a €200,000 grant to improve the Stadio Barbera in Palermo ahead of the World Cup play-off between Italy and North Macedonia.

The Sicilian city was chosen as the venue for this crucial fixture on March 24, 2022.

It is hoped that having Italy play somewhere they rarely visit will ensure passionate support from the locals in this play-off semi-final.

The winners of the game will go on to face either Portugal or Turkey, that one-off match then securing a spot at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

However, as Palermo are in Serie C following bankruptcy, the Stadio Renzo Barbera needs upgrades to be ready for the international clash.

The FIGC requested €200,000 for work to the stands and the pitch, with the funding approved by the local authorities today.

If Palermo is not able to host the North Macedonia match, then it will be moved to the Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, the home arena for Atalanta.

 Talk of a biennial World Cup has overshadowed some of the crucial decision making to be made around the 2026 World Cup, and event that in itself will be groundbreaking, both for FIFA and football.

It will be the first FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by three countries – US, Mexico and Canada – and the first finals to be played by 48 teams.

Last month FIFA completed its inspection visits of candidate host cities. Focus has been on the intense bidding battles in the US with 17 cities – Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York/New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay area, Seattle and Washington, D.C. – vying for a likely 10 host slots.

Canada has just two bidding cities – Edmonton and Toronto – with the country scheduled to host 10 games. Montreal had initially declared their intention to bid for a host slot but subsequently withdrew.

The intensity in Canada, and the understanding of what it means to be a World Cup host city is not lost on Edmonton in particular. To get to the final stages of the World Cup host bidding has been a journey in itself – a final decision is expected in the first half of 2022.

In the November international window Edmonton gave a snapshot of what hosting big ticket international football looks like in their city.

Canada are re-emerging as a nation in international men’s football. While the exploits of the Canadian women’s team are well known – they won Olympic Gold this summer in Tokyo – the men’s team have been methodically working themselves to the top of the pile in the Concacaf region over the past five seasons.

That summit was reached in Edmonton in November when the Canadians won two 2022 qualifying matches to put them top of the Qatar 2022 qualifying group. The significance of the wins in Edmonton was that they were over two of the regions perennially leading teams – first against Costa Rica and then over the region’s all-powerful Mexico.

The job now for the Canadians is to sustain that performance level with the generation of players that have driven them to the top, and to make sure the next generation keep pushing the boundaries.

It is a story of build, sustain and build again that is perhaps reflective of Edmonton’s approach to hosting sport. A passion to do something that contributes and moves the sport forward.

Edmonton may not be one of the first venue names on a football followers list, but the city is no stranger to football – look at its women’s football credentials and the kick start it provided for the women’s game in Canada and worldwide.

Scratch the surface of the city and you see a very special place, and in a host city bid environment led predominantly by male bid teams and the macho flexing of infrastructure capabilities, Edmonton comes over as having the understanding and sympathy for the sport that is required to be a truly great, memorable and ‘contributing’ World Cup city.

Edmonton’s bid has a lot of points of differentiation from its rivals, from geography to cultural contribution. And in FIFA’s overtly male world of national associations – you can count the number of female national association presidents on one hand – Edmonton becomes noticeable as the only bid to be led by two women executives.

Janelle Janis, Director of Edmonton Events, and Ronna Bremer, Director, Partnerships and Attraction, City of Edmonton, spoke to Insideworldfootball exclusively about the bid process they have been on, the importance of football to Edmonton, and what North America’s northernmost  city would bring to the world’s biggest sporting event.

IWF: How do you reflect on your journey as a candidate for the FIFA World Cup 2026, from the start of the United 2026 bidding process?

Janelle Janis – Director of Edmonton Events (JJ): This has been a dream come true. Soccer has been my passion since I can remember, and I played throughout my school and college years. I know the great benefits that the beautiful game can bring to individuals of course, but also to communities. To be part of the effort to attract the FIFA World Cup, the world’s biggest sporting event, to my hometown is a tremendous honor.

Ronna Bremer – Director, Partnerships and Attraction, City of Edmonton (RB): It has been a great challenge to be part of this process because the reward is so special. Janelle and I have worked on attracting a whole range of sporting events to Edmonton over the years, including FIFA events but also in sports such as ice hockey, triathlon and rugby. The FIFA World Cup is a such a large, global event, and since 2017 it has been a primary focus of ours and we are very proud of how far we’ve come.

 Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, only 352 full internationals were played in 2020. Not since 1987 (323 matches) had so few games been played in a calendar year. By contrast, planet football made up for lost time in 2021 with a record breaking 1116 matches played. 

And while the quantity of games changed radically from one year to the next, the top ranked team in the FIFA/ Coca-Cola World Ranking has remained the same! For the fourth year in a row, Belgium (1st) end the calendar year in pole position, albeit only just ahead of Brazil (2nd) by 2.1 points. France (3rd) complete the podium for 2021.

For their part, Canada (40th) are the year’s ‘Most Improved Side’ having picked up no fewer than 130.32 points over the last 12 months. Their journey to the semi-finals of the 2021 Gold Cup as well as impressive results in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ qualifying have been major factors in their rise. 

Winners of UEFA EURO 2020 and the Copa America 2021 respectively,

 Italy (6th + 115.77 points compared to December 2020) and Argentina (5th +108.51 points compared to December 2020), have also seen their points tally increase dramatically this year. 

The same goes for the USA (11th + 103.51 points compared to December 2020) and England (4th + 85.52 points compared to December 2020). 

Equatorial Guinea (114th + 59.78 points compared to December 2020) made the most impressive progress among African teams, while Saudi Arabia (51st + 81.71 points compared to December 2020) did the same in Asia.

However, just in terms of last month, the most improved Asian team are  

Indonesia (164th + 11.13 points). Winners of the FIFA Arab Cup 2021™, Algeria (29th +3) jointly made the best progress in terms of places, along with Qatar (48th + 3), who finished third at the tournament, and Thailand (115th +3).

 A World Cup every two years would create a $3.5bn “solidarity scheme” to support football in less developed countries, the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, has said as he revived the controversial plans.

“It’s the reverse of the Super League,” he said. “It’s about opportunity for all. That is the fundamental principle of this project.”

Infantino presented a feasibility study into a biennial men’s World Cup to international federations on Monday and included in the information was research conducted by the consultancy Nielsen that claimed the switch would create “a combined additional $4.4bn (£3.3bn) in revenue from the first four-year cycle”, a 62% increase from current levels.

Infantino said the growth in revenuewould enable the creation of a new fund, which would support individual associations and allow for a development scheme for players and coaches. That scheme would be implemented by the former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, who said it had been devised to “give everyone the chance to play top-quality football who wants it”.

In October Infantino had apparently stepped back from a biennial World Cup after it was vehemently opposed by Uefa and the South American federation, Conmebol, and many other critical voices. Infantino said at the time the plans could go ahead only if they “bring everyone together”.

Since then, Uefa and Conmebol have announced closer ties between the organisations including a shared ‘Nations League’ with South American national sides competing in Europe.

Separate studies conducted by Uefa and the World Leagues Forum have claimed a World Cup every two years would have substantial financial impacts on regional associations and on club competitions. On Monday Infantino said it would create opportunities for financial redistribution but the precise details would be confirmed only if the plans were voted through.

The fund, he said, “will obviously have to be invested in accordance with different criteria to ensure that money is invested in the right places. We need first to go through and take a decision to go ahead.”

 The 2022 FIFA World Cup is slowly creeping up on us with kick-off under a year away.

With the novelty of the tournament being held in a country without much footballing history, it means even the most die-hard fan may not be aware of the cities and stadiums.

So here's the lowdown of the regions and venues that will play host to the 2022 World Cup.

1. Al Janoub Stadium

City: Al Wakrah

Capacity: 40,000

Games hosted: Group stage

One of Qatar's various home arenas, the Al Janoub Stadium hosted the 2020 AFC Champions League final and sees a fair share of club football as the home of Al-Wakrah SC.

The wavy designs (literally) of the seating are inspired by the region's traditional Dhow boats which are used by pearl divers in the Persian Gulf.

2. Khalifa International Stadium

City: Al Rayyan

Capacity: 40,000

Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16, third place playoff

Look familiar, Liverpool fans? This is where you beat Flamengo in the final of 2019 Club World Cup.

While seats can be added to boost the capacity for events, it's still unclear whether the stadium will house more than 40,000 fans for the tournament

3. Stadium 974

City: Doha

Capacity: 40,000

Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16

Stadium 974 may sound like a planet from the Star Wars franchise, but it's one of the eight host stadiums for the 2022 World Cup. Who'd have thought?

From the outside, Stadium 974 looks more like a docking bay. Or the stadium from Call of Duty: Warzone. Hey, at least there's layers of character about this ground.

4. Al Thumama Stadium

City: Doha

Capacity: 40,000

Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16, quarter finals

One of the tournament's four stadiums situated in Doha, the design of the Al Thumama Stadium is based on the traditional Middle Eastern taqiyah hat.

Half of the stadium's seats will be donated to other countries at the conclusion of the World Cup.

5. Ahmed bin Ali Stadium

City: Al Rayyan

Capacity: 44,740

Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16

Al Rayyan's original Ahmed bin Ali Stadium was built in 2003, but apparently that wasn't up to scratch and was demolished in 2015.

90% of the rubble from that old stadium went into building the new one or to public art projects.

6. Education City Stadium

City: Al Rayyan

Capacity: 45,350

Games hosted: Group stage, last 16, quarter finals

Education City is merely the name of a development within the city of Al Rayyan, but now also plays host to a World Cup calibre stadium - which has been nicknamed the 'diamond in the desert'.

7. Al Bayt Stadium

City: Al Khor

Capacity: 60,000

Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16, quarter finals, semi finals

If you were lucky enough to book a hotel room at Al Bayt Stadium, then you'll be able to enjoy a balcony view of the pitch.

At the end of the World Cup, the stadium will be downscaled by nearly half the capacity, the hotel expanded, a shopping mall opened and another sport facility built.

8. Lusail Iconic Stadium

City: Lusail

Capacity: 80,000

Games hosted: Group stage, round of 16, quarter finals, semi finals, final

With under a year to go until the final, an official game is still yet to be played at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.

Like many of the other stadiums on this list, Lusail Iconic Stadium will undergo a severe reduction in capacity at the conclusion of the World Cup.

 FIFA President Gianni Infantino has acclaimed the global reach of the FIFA World Cup in a meeting with Ambassadors to Qatar, advocating collaboration between a wide range of stakeholders to maximise the impact of the tournament and optimise its social impact as the world comes together in Doha in 2022.

Infantino was joined by FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 (LLC) Chief Executive Officer Nasser Al Khater and FIFA Chief Tournaments & Events Officer Colin Smith in delivering updates to Embassy representatives on several matters related to the organisation of next year’s competition, pausing also to reflect on the unifying impact of football, illustrated during the ongoing FIFA Arab Cup.

Key topics on the agenda were the sustainability strategy for the tournament, workers’ welfare, legacy programmes and mutual engagements with Doha-based Embassies that can be previewed on the road to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. 

In total, a network of 93 Embassies now liaise with Qatari authorities with a view to the FIFA World Cup since launching their interaction in 2014.  

“It is a pleasure to be together with the Embassies ahead of this unique FIFA World Cup which will bring the global community together in the Middle East next year”, enthused Infantino. 

“At this FIFA Arab Cup, we have seen how international competition has captivated people in the participating countries and across the world and viewing figures for this tournament have been higher in those countries than for major club competitions.

“We are working to make football truly global,” added the President. 

“Football is the number one sport, but when we scratch beneath the surface, we see that top football is very much confined to a small group of countries. It is our job – and that of all your countries to help us – to narrow this gap. For that reason, we organise competitions such as this FIFA Arab Cup.

“We also look ahead to a unique and special FIFA World Cup here next year, where people will get the chance to learn about the Middle East and its culture. 

"Here, we will welcome the world and your citizens to this country and to this region, in a tournament where teams will not have to travel and where players will be at peak performance.”

Doctor Fariborz Samadian, President of the Swiss Business Council, also gave a presentation to show how Swiss culture would be represented in Doha during the final tournament.

 FIFA held a virtual meeting on Tuesday (December 14) with political institutions as well as rights organisations to discuss human rights in Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup, global soccer's governing body said in a statement.

The meeting included FIFA President Gianni Infantino and head of the tournament's organising body Hassan Al Thawadi as well as members of the European Parliament, the Council of Europe and political representatives from parliaments across Europe. There were also representatives from the EU Commission, the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), the United Nations and UNESCO among others.

FIFA said the dialogue gave an opportunity for stakeholders to raise questions and concerns on a number of key topics, including workers welfare and LGBTQIA rights. "From day one, we have been committed to ensuring a legacy is delivered before the tournament and that this legacy lasts beyond the tournament too, specifically on labour reform but on other topics as well.", Al Thawadi said.

The government of Qatar has said in the past its labour system is still a work in progress but has denied accusations in a report by Amnesty International that thousands of migrant workers were being exploited. A 48-page report by Amnesty, Reality Check 2021, said that practices such as withholding salaries and charging workers to change jobs were still rife.

Human Rights Watch has said that Qatari laws continue to discriminate against women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals. "Our main question here in Qatar remains on LGBTQIA rights and specifically on the law that criminalises homosexuality," said Piara Powar, Executive Director of the Fare network, an organisation set up to counter discrimination in European football.

"We know that many LGBTQIA people are fearful of coming, of what awaits. Respect for local culture should not preclude reaching out to ensure the safety of LGBTQIA communities."

 Qatar Postal Services Company (Qatar Post) has announced the launch of the new FIFA Classics collection stamps ahead of the much-anticipated FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The launch of FIFA Classics follows the agreement signed with Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), under which Qatar Post is designated as the exclusive provider of stamps.

The FIFA Classics tie together the history of football from 2010 to 2018 in a series of vibrant stamps, highlighting the various countries where the World Cup has been held over the last 3 FIFA tournaments.  With just under one year to go, the State of Qatar will be the latest country to host one of the biggest and highly anticipated football competitions.

The launch of the FIFA Classics stamp collection comes in cooperation with FIFA and sits within Qatar Post’s mandate to document all events, celebrations and preparations managed by the State of Qatar to host the upcoming tournament.

The stamp set has been printed by Cartor Press of France and it will be sold to the public for 18 QAR.  In the first instance 20,000 copies, 3,000 first-day issue envelopes and 2,000 folders have been printed.

On this occasion, Faleh Al Naemi Chairman and Managing Director of Qatar Post said:

"We are excited to launch the FIFA Classics that map the history of the last three FIFA World Cup tournaments between 2010 to 2018 at different locations and offers stamp collectors the chance to obtain exclusively designed, FIFA affiliated stamps. We are proud to partner with FIFA to launch this series that stands testament to our commitment to document all events, occasions and preparations related to hosting the most-anticipated and the biggest football tournament in the world."

Qatar Post will continue to design stamps in commemoration of every stage of preparation for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 that simultaneously highlight the rich legacy and history of the State of Qatar in the field of football. Only a few months ago, Qatar Post launched two separate editions of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 official stamps, distinguishable for their unique design as a momento of the tournament and of Qatar’s heritage in hosting the event.

 Fans from across the globe are enjoying the sights and sounds of the FIFA Arab Cup, which is currently being hosted in Qatar. The Qatar Fan Leader Network (QFLN), launched earlier this year by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy and Qatar Football Association, recently hosted 44 of its members from 28 countries.

The fans enjoyed an action-packed visit to Qatar, including the opening game of the FIFA Arab Cup between Qatar and Bahrain at Al Bayt Stadium.

The QFLN has an open dialogue with fans with its membership totalling 410 Fan Leaders from 51 countries. It represents fan bases from different regions, cultures and backgrounds who all help to spread key messages about Qatar to their networks. Members also take part in research projects to help shape the fan experience during the FIFA World Cup, which will kick off on November 21 next year.

Qatar2022.qa recently spoke to fan leaders from four Arab nations – Palestine, Syria, Oman and Mauritania – to find out what football means to them.

Mohamed Abdelhadi, a Civil engineer from Palestine, said the fans support from the stands is key for a football team.“You can never underestimate how important support from the stands is for a football team. When we were 1-0 down against Comoros in our Arab Cup qualifying match, we knew that only our chants would lift the team, so that's exactly what we did!,” he said.

“Football gives me another way to connect to my beloved Palestine, in the same way that the land does, or our culture. As someone who also loves to play the game, I love watching exciting football – from Palestine and also teams like Qatar, who always entertain the fans,” Abdelhadi added.

For, Syrian Mais Hassan Ghusn, who works in the health sector, said FIFA Arab Cup has brought together Arabs from all across the region.“The emotions that football evokes in us don't end with the final whistle. As fans, we carry the ecstasy and enthusiasm from the game with us long after we leave the stands. The rush you get from chanting your country's name stays with you. It's the type of joy that means so much more to people that need football to escape distress; to experience much-needed relief. The type of euphoria we experience from football is unmatched, and that's why I am so excited to be leading Syrian fans during the FIFA Arab Cup. This tournament has brought together Arabs from all across the region to celebrate this beautiful game by cheering on their countries,” Ghusn said.

Oman fan Faisal al-Balushi believes football creates a sense of harmony and unity that is unmatched.“The power of football lies in its ability to bring people together, regardless of where they come from, what language they speak or what they believe in. It creates a sense of harmony and unity that is unmatched.

“The beautiful game can also smash deep lying misconceptions, changing the way people see a culture or a group of people. So, when we are in the stands, we're not only supporting our team over their opponents, we're also celebrating the beauty of this sport. I want the world to see how exciting Omani football is, and where better to do that than Qatar's amazing World Cup stadiums,” al-Balushi, who works in government sector, said.

Meanwhile, Sayed al-Barbouchi, investment supervisor in a real estate firm from Mauritania, said:“Football taught me that life is competitive – and that in order to win, you need to play as a team and give back to get ahead. I support the Mauritanian team because the players showcase where I'm from to the rest of the world. And in the same way, the players are ambassadors, like the fans that cheer for them from the stands. Mauritanians support the team no matter where they are in the world.”

 Iran’s women’s national football team climbed in the latest FIFA ranking released on Friday.

Team Melli moved up two places to 70th in the ranking.

Nearly four months have gone by since the last FIFA Women’s World Ranking came out, in which time more than 300 internationals have been played.

Not only has the European qualifying competition for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 got under way but the qualifiers for next year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup and CAF Women Africa Cup of Nations have also been taking place.

Things remain unchanged at the top, however, with USA (1st, -) retaining first place, a position it has occupied since 2017, and Sweden (2nd, -) and Germany (3rd, -) remaining second and third respectively.

Yet behind the three frontrunners it is all change. France (4th, +1) has shifted up one place to fourth, leapfrogging Netherlands (5th, -1), who has paid the price for recent results against Czech Republic and Japan.

Spain (9th, +1) has also climbed up one rung on the ladder to move into an all-time high of ninth, while Switzerland (17th,+3) was the biggest mover in the Top 20, rising three places to 17th.

The most impressive results are to be found further down the Ranking. Nobody picked up more points over the period than Lebanon (140th, +5), who moved up five places to 140th courtesy of the haul it obtained in beating United Arab Emirates and Guam. In terms of places, Montenegro (85th, +13) outdid everyone, scaling 13 slots to reach 85th, thanks in small part to a win in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Aside from Spain, Northern Ireland (46th, +2), Venezuela (52nd, +4) and Philippines (64th, +4) have all achieved Ranking highs this December. Meanwhile, no fewer than eight nations have joined the global women’s hierarchy, some of them for the first time (Niger, Sierra Leone and South Sudan) and others after many years of absence (14 in the case of Benin and Liberia).

The next FIFA Women’s World Ranking will be published on 25 March.