FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
The FIFA World Cup has started and football mania is at an all-time high. This month, Qatar is set to welcome more than 1.2 million visitors – all arriving to the Gulf country to be part of the FIFA World Cup 2022. If you’re someone living in the UAE and holding a match ticket to one of the fixtures of the Qatar World Cup 2022, then travelling to Qatar will be on your checklist. If you’re trying to figure out how to get to Qatar from Dubai, and are unsure about the rules and regulations, then worry no further as we have you covered.
Hayya Card
Those attending the World Cup will need to apply for a Hayya Card, which gives visitors entry into Qatar and its stadiums. To get the Hayya card, you will need to hold a valid match ticket and apply using the unique match ID present on the ticket. Ticket holders can apply online or through the Hayya mobile application, which can be found on the iOS store here or the Android playstore here.
If you’d like to invite your friends or family to join you on your trip to Qatar, then Hayya Card holders can use the Hayya with Me (1+3) feature and invite up to three non-ticketed supporters to come along with them as well, so long as they are above the age of 18 and have applied for the Hayya card using a World Cup ticket number.
Additionally, the non-ticketed fans joining along must have a valid passport and must show proof of accommodation in Qatar during the tournament.
Finally, for those visitors coming to Dubai for the World Cup, the UAE has announced a new multiple-entry visa for Hayya Card holders, which costs AED 100 and is valid for 90 days. Our business setup consultants can assist you in obtaining this new visa.
Shuttle Flights from Dubai to Qatar
Flydubai will be operating a daily shuttle service that will fly fans to and from Qatar for matchday, without them having to book an overnight stay. This is a great option for those wanting to see a match in Qatar and head back home later that same day. Fans will need to present their World Cup tickets and their Hayya card to board the shuttle plane, and fans are recommended to plan around arriving 4-6 hours before kick-off and to plan a departure time at least 4 hours after the match finishes. The price of the ticket starts from AED 950 in economy, and AED 3,665 in business classes. A single hand luggage is included in the price, with up to 7kg allowed in economy and 14kg in business. The flight is estimated to take an average of 1 hr 10 mins.
Standard flights from Dubai to Qatar
Those planning on taking more time in Qatar to explore the city and surroundings will need to book a standard flight from Dubai to Qatar. Qatar Airways will be offering regular daily return flights from Dubai to Qatar.
Travelling from Dubai to Qatar by road
The option to reach Qatar from Dubai by road is also possible. The road trip is roughly 600 kilometres and will take around six or seven hours. The trip will pass through both the UAE to Saudi Arabia border (Ghuwaifat) and Saudi Arabia to Qatar border (Salwat).
A valid Hayya card and a valid visa for both Saudi Arabia and Qatar is needed if the journey is to be made. Furthermore, those travelling into Qatar by car must park their vehicle on the Saudi side of the Abu Samra land border and hop on a free shuttle bus that goes directly into Doha.
COVID-19 restrictions
Qatar has updated their testing and quarantine requirements, starting from 1st November. Quarantine is no longer required for travellers arriving from abroad. However, those who test positive for COVID-19 must self-isolate according to the procedures within Qatar. Furthermore, citizens and residents of Qatar as well as international visitors do not need to take a PCR test upon arrival into Qatar. As of now, those are the resting requirements for arrivals to Qatar regardless of their vaccination status.
Hotels to stay in
If you’re looking for hotel options and need to find accommodation during the World Cup, it will be difficult to find any available options. According to the Qatar World Cup website, there are no hotels available at the moment. However, there are other options. One of them is booking a Fan Village Cabin through the official Qatar 2022 website. The other alternative is to stay in hotels neighbouring countries such as Oman, UAE, and Saudi Arabia and fly in for the games in Qatar. There are several advantages to stay in neighbouring countries since you will have more hotel choices, with the quality of said hotels being better, and the prices will be much more affordable.
If you do manage to find accommodation within Qatar, one of the best locations to stay at would be close to Mall of Qatar. The mall itself is situated next to one of the stadiums and has a metro station close by, which will be free to use if you have a valid Hayya card. This location will serve as the perfect spot to travel within Qatar to watch matches, especially because of the proximity of the stadiums to each other.
If you enjoy your experience at the World Cup, why not visit the UAE to see if you’d like to setup a company here? Our business setup consultants at Decisive Zone can guide you through the entire process for you. Contact us to get a free consultation now.
