Thursday 25 / April / 2024
Muscat: Football enthusiasts in Oman and around the world can now apply for tickets for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which will kick off in Qatar later this year.
Set to run from 21 November to 18 December, the tournament is the first to be held in the Arab Gulf region, and the second random selection draw sales period is currently open, having begun on 5 April and ending at 1pm on 28 April, 2022.
To enter the application draw, fans can visit www.fifa.com/tickets, and click on ‘Apply for Tickets’, and then enter the section for international fans. Alternatively, if you are a member of your national team’s official fan club, you can select the ‘Support your team’ option.
Once in, you will be directed to a page where you need to create a ticketing account. This is also where you log in later to check the status of your ticket allocation. Fans can sign up for up to six tickets for a single game, or 60 tickets for the entire tournament.
Four types of tickets are available: Individual match tickets allow fans to select a single match to attend; supporter tickets allow fans to be seated in stadium areas allocated to supporters of the team involved in their match of choice; and conditional supporter tickets can be used to block seats in the knockout stages, i.e. should the team they support qualify for the Round of 16 and beyond.
Customers can also choose to apply for a set of four tickets that will enable them to enjoy four matches spread out around stadiums in Qatar. There are 14 types of four-stadium tickets available.
Fans can then select the matches they want to attend. Three categories of tickets are available for regular fans, with Category 1 being the most expensive. While booking tickets, a diagram on the webpage shows you which part of the stadium has been assigned to a particular category.
You can book tickets on behalf of up to five more people, but it is important that you have their passport and personal details on hand.
Owing to the layout of matches, it is not always possible for fans to watch two matches taking place at two different stadiums on the same day. Once you have selected your allocation for one match, you will be asked whether you want to move to the confirmation screen, or enter the running for tickets for other matches.
Once the application period has ended, they will be assigned tickets under a random draw, and successful ticket applicants will be informed accordingly, no earlier than 31 May 2022, which coincides with the start of the payment period.
“Please note that the completion and submission of a ticket application does NOT guarantee that any of the tickets requested will be allocated to the ticket applicant,” said FIFA on its website. “Currently, all ticket applications are pending.
“At the request of the Qatari authorities, ticketholders are reminded that all local and international fans must apply for a Hayya Card,” said the organisers. “Access the section ‘Hayya Card’ and, to know more about the issuing process, visit Qatar2022.qa.”
Seats for people with accessibility issues are also available. At the time of booking, however, people with accessibility issues need to submit proof of their disability.
Five types of tickets are available to those with disabilities: Wheelchair user tickets; easy access amenity tickets; easy access standard tickets; easy access extra-width tickets; and sensory rooms. The last type is only available across three stadiums: Al Bayt, Lusail Stadium, and Education City Stadium.
“Please be respectful to other fans and only apply for these tickets if you truly require them,” said FIFA, as part of the body’s guidelines for ticket allocations. “They are limited in number due to stadium configuration.”
International customers must provide a medical certificate or proof that is commonly and widely accepted in the customer’s country of residence. For easy access extra-width tickets, a signed doctor’s note stating the customer’s body mass index (BMI) is required. The minimum BMI for eligibility for this type of ticket is 40kg/sq.m.
Before selecting tickets for a match, fans are advised to visit the ‘Ticket Prices’ section of the FIFA World Cup tickets portal, which provides a detailed description of the cost of a match ticket across the various categories, and during the various stages of the tournament.
