* Opening ceremony of Al Bayt Stadium will include artistic performances and a pyrotechnic show


Two stadiums in Qatar will host their first competitive matches on the opening day of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021.

Seen as a vital opportunity to fine-tune preparations for next year’s FIFA World Cup, the tournament will feature 16 national teams from across the Arab world.

Matches will be held at six Qatar 2022 venues, including Al Bayt and Stadium 974, which will both be inaugurated on Tuesday, 30 November.

Al Bayt will stage the Group A encounter between hosts Qatar and Bahrain (kick-off 7:30 PM local time), while Stadium 974 will host the United Arab Emirates versus Syria match in Group B (kick-off 10 PM local time).

It promises to be a festival of football and celebration of Arab culture. Here is some key information for the thousands of fans who will attend matches.

The FIFA Arab Cup will consist of six match days in the group stage and a knockout phase consisting of quarter-finals, semi-finals, a third-place play-off and the final, which will be played at Al Bayt on 18 December, which is Qatar National Day.  Here is the full tournament schedule.

Held prior to kick-off, the inauguration of Al Bayt will feature an opening ceremony that will include live performances from Iraqi singer Rahma Riad and other surprise performers. There will also be a stunning pyrotechnic display and a projection show telling the story of Arab unity.

Tickets for the curtain-raisers at Al Bayt and Stadium 974, as well as the remaining 30 matches, are available on a first-come, first-served basis at FIFA.com/tickets.

A selection of affordable tickets is available, with category 4 tickets costing QAR 25 (Qatar residents only) for all matches, except the semi-finals and final. More information on ticket prices is available here.

Tickets can also be purchased over the counter at the FIFA Venue Ticketing Centre, located at the Doha Exhibition Center (Al Qassar Metro Station).

Visa, FIFA’s Official Payment Services Partner, is the preferred payment method for fan ticket purchases.

In order to attend matches, every ticket holder must apply for a mandatory Hay’ya Card (Fan ID). After buying a ticket, fans should apply for a Hay’ya Card via fac21.qa. One Hay’ya Card will last each fan for the entire tournament.

For more information, view a list of frequently asked questions about the Hay’ya Card or email [email protected]. Fans can also call one of the following numbers for assistance:

Qatar residents: +974 800 8052
International residents: +974 4475 2021

All six stadiums have been designed to be accessible to fans with disabilities. In addition to all venues offering a barrier-free user journey, including the provision of accessible seating, some stadiums will be outfitted with sensory rooms to provide a quiet space for fans with neurobehavioural needs.

An accessibility feature that will be introduced for the first time in the Arabic language will be audio descriptive commentary. Available at select stadiums, the service will provide blind and partially sighted fans with complementary narration of games delivered directly to their smart phones.

Once fans with disabilities arrive at stadiums on match day, they will be met by a dedicated team that will usher them to their seat.

More information about accessibility tickets is available here.

Fans will be able to use public transport to attend matches, with the Doha Metro in close proximity to five of the six tournament venues.The latest information, can be had from the transport hub page.  

For the FIFA Arab Cup 2021, all spectators must be fully vaccinated with one of the vaccines approved by Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). To check the list of approved and conditionally approved vaccines, please visit the MoPH website. Fans will also need to show their EHTERAZ app upon arrival at the stadium.

Children under the age of 12 that are not vaccinated must provide evidence of a negative PCR test within 48 hours or a negative rapid antigen test within 24 hours, prior to each match. Further restrictions may apply. For more information, please visit the MoPH website.

International visitors are advised to familiarise themselves with the COVID-19 protocols in both their country of origin and Qatar before travelling.

Ticket holders requiring further information can also find more details on FIFA.com.


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