Doha, Qatar – It’s the primary time that 4 groups from Asia and Africa have made it to the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup. In-form Morocco are nonetheless within the fray. However for a lot of followers from these continents, together with the Center East, there’s one more reason to have fun the continued event: It’s merely simpler and extra inexpensive to attend.
Saudi Arabia and India sit on the prime of the listing of nations with essentially the most functions for Hayya Playing cards – which followers must enter Qatar for the World Cup – in accordance with figures launched by FIFA after the completion of the event’s group stage.
Whereas Saudi Arabia performed on the World Cup and pulled off its first massive upset, beating Argentina 2-1, India has by no means come near qualifying for soccer’s premier occasion. Nonetheless, guests from India accounted for 34 p.c of the overall arrivals throughout the group levels.
Mohit Kayan, who got here to Doha from Mumbai, mentioned the reason being easy: the World Cup is in Qatar, on the Arabian Peninsula, which is a part of West Asia. “It’s a proud second for all of us [Asians] that the continent is internet hosting its second World Cup [after Japan and South Korea in 2002], particularly since it’s so near India,” Kayan informed Al Jazeera.
Kayan arrived in Doha for a match-day go to through Dubai, the place his buddies joined him on a shuttle flight. “We arrived on the morning of the sport, took a bus to the stadium and can now head again to Dubai after spending a number of hours on the fan competition,” he mentioned.
Such ease of journey – getting from Mumbai to Doha takes solely so long as flying from the north of India to its southern cities – would have been unthinkable for followers like Kayan if the World Cup had been being held in Europe or South America.
Hayya Card holders with match tickets are exempt from needing a visa to enter Qatar. That, too, has helped, mentioned followers. Jin, a soccer fan from Malaysia, mentioned not having to fret a few sophisticated visa course of allowed him to persuade his buddies to affix him on his journey. “Visa necessities and flight prices have at all times held us again from attending the World Cup,” he mentioned.
Certainly, attending the 2026 World Cup – to be held collectively by america, Canada and Mexico – is already off the desk for Jin.
“The subsequent World Cup is in North America, and flights alone would price us greater than what we’ve got spent on our complete journey to Qatar, so we will’t even take into consideration going there,” he mentioned.
The most affordable flight from Kuala Lumpur to Doha in early December price $700, in comparison with $1,900 for a flight to New York Metropolis.
For others, like Zahra S from Bahrain, a World Cup within the Center East has helped them realise a lifelong dream. “I’ve at all times been a soccer fan however by no means thought-about attending a World Cup till now,” she mentioned.
Zahra and her cousin Zaynab have been staying on the fan village in Al Khor, 50km (31 miles) from Doha, and mentioned they haven’t felt uncomfortable or unsafe at their lodging or inside stadiums. “Now that we’ve got seen how handy it has been to be part of the World Cup, we’re positively going to attend one other one whether it is hosted by a Gulf nation,” she mentioned.
Followers from Morocco, one of many two African international locations to qualify for the knock-out stage, have been among the many most boisterous group of supporters on the event. From gathering on the stadiums within the 1000’s to marching throughout fan zones to drumbeats and loud chants, followers of the Atlas Lions have painted the city pink with their crew’s colors.
Rachid and his buddies from Oujda in northeast Morocco have been following the crew since their first sport of the event. “We might be right here to assist our crew with out feeling misplaced,” Rachid mentioned.
