Doha: Sixteen of the Arab world’s top national teams are set to meet in Qatar for the first pan-Arab tournament to be held under the FIFA umbrella. The FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021 will not only showcase the region’s passion for the beautiful game, it will also serve as a vital opportunity to test operations and facilities ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
Being held a year before the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world takes place, the FIFA Arab Cup will see 32 matches played over 19 days from 30 November to 18 December. Six Qatar 2022 venues will stage the competition, including Al Bayt Stadium and Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, which will both be inaugurated on the opening match day.
The final of the FIFA Arab Cup will take place exactly a year before the FIFA World Cup final – on 18 December, Qatar National Day, which is a public holiday.
Here is what you need to know about the upcoming FIFA Arab Cup.
Tickets
Tickets for the FIFA Arab Cup are now available on a first-come, first-served basis at FIFA.com/tickets. From mid-November, tickets will be available for purchase over the counter at the FIFA Venue Ticketing Centre located at Doha Exhibition Centre (Al Qassar Metro Station). Visa, FIFA’s Official Payment Services Partner, is the preferred payment method.
Currently, tickets for all 32 matches are available. This includes a selection of affordable category 4 tickets costing QAR 25 each (Qatar residents only) for all matches, except the semi-finals and final.
As with Qatar 2022, fans will be able to attend more than one match per day, as long as there is enough time to get to the second stadium using public transport. A list of compatible matches is available here.
Fan ID
All fans will be required to have an approved Fan ID application number to enter the State of Qatar and the FIFA Arab Cup stadiums. All fans will be required to collect their physical Fan ID smart card from the Fan ID Service Centre.
The Fan ID is a smart-technology identification card designed to provide fans with the ultimate experience in Qatar and will serve as a means of identification and provide access to tournament stadiums in combination with a valid match ticket.
Fans travelling from abroad can use their Fan ID to enter Qatar multiple times – provided they carry a valid passport recognised by the State of Qatar. It will also provide ticket holders with access to a number of services and benefits relating to transport, tourism and others.
Fans should apply for their Fan ID once they have paid for their match tickets and have received their ticket application number by email. Fan ID applications can be submitted online via the host country entry portal website (FAC21.qa).
COVID-19
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, required safeguards to protect the health and safety of all involved in the competition will be in place. All attendees must follow the travel advice from the Qatari authorities and the latest guidance from Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health (MOPH).
Additional information on COVID-19-related safety measures to access FIFA Arab Cup stadiums will be available at FIFA.com. To date, ticket holders are required to be fully vaccinated with one of the vaccines approved by the MOPH.
Stadiums
The FIFA Arab Cup will showcase six of the eight venues that will stage the FIFA World Cup next year. This includes Al Thumama Stadium, which was inaugurated on 22 October when it hosted the 49th Amir Cup final.
Al Thumama is one of five 40,000-seat stadiums that will stage matches during the tournament, with Ahmad Bin Ali, Al Janoub and Education City also playing host to the competition. The fully-demountable Ras Abu Aboud will stage six matches, including the third-place play-off.
With a capacity of 60,000, Al Bayt will be the largest of the six Qatar 2022 venues to feature during the FIFA Arab Cup. Based in Al Khor, the spectacular stadium will stage five tournament matches, including the final on 18 December.
Tournament
Involving the best national teams from the Arab world, the FIFA Arab Cup will see teams from Africa and Asia battle it out for the title.
The tournament will begin with a round-robin group stage, involving four groups of four teams each, from 30 November to 7 December. Group A sees hosts Qatar drawn with Gulf rivals Iraq, Oman and Bahrain, while Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Syria and Mauritania will contest Group B. Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Palestine headline Group C, while North African powerhouses Algeria and Egypt are in Group D alongside Lebanon and Sudan.
The four group winners and runners-up will advance to the knockout stage, with the quarter-finals taking place on 10 and 11 December before the semi-finals are played on 15 December. The third-place play-off and final will take place on 18 December.