All roads led to Al Bidda Park Wednesday evening as a large number of people headed there to attend the FIFA Fan Festival test event, which was conducted successfully with a lot of flourish and fanfare. Thousands had gathered at the venue well ahead of the start of the programme, which was open to Hayya Card holders only. Large queues were seen from late afternoon and the gates opened by 5pm, the place was swarming with fans. Entry was allowed on a first-come, first-served basis and the capacity was capped at 20,000.
The event served as the final rehearsal before the grand opening of the venue on November 19, one day before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 kicks off.
The entire show, organised with meticulous professionalism, shows the preparedness and readiness of Qatar for the World Cup as the host country and how each and every aspect of the mega sporting event has been well planned and taken care of.
With a large crowd consisting of fans from the participating countries and elsewhere, the event kicked off with live music and Qatari comedian and presenter Hamad al-Amari anchoring the show. A popular local DJ presented some catchy music throughout the event and entertained the crowd as they danced to their hearts’ contentment. The event also included a special Michael Jackson tribute show.
The event ran until 10pm and the crowd had a night to remember that was full of entertainment and music along with food and beverages. By 7.30pm, the organisers had closed the entry to the fan festival area as the venue reached the capacity crowd by that time. The festival area contains two huge screens as well as a FIFA Store. There is also a mini football field where people can take part in a shorter version of football with reduced number of players. In addition, the venue serves food and beverages. There are also stalls of major sponsors of the tournament.
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy has also launched the Fan Engagement Centre at the FIFA Fan Festival.
