DOHA (Qatar): Qatar will launch its latest completed World Cup venue Al Rayyan Stadium with Amir Cup final at which half of tickets will be reserved for fans who have recovered from coronavirus, Qatar Football Association (QF) said on Monday.
The inauguration will take place at the on 18 December – Qatar National Day – exactly two years before the country hosts the FIFA World Cup final.
The final will see favourites Al Sadd, coached by Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez face Al Arabi at 7 PM.
Amid strict health and safety protocols, approximately 20,000 fans are set to attend this year’s Amir Cup final –
which will be held at Al Rayyan venue.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, tickets for the final are being limited to one per person and will be linked to the holder’s Qatar ID.
Tickets are non-transferable and fans will be required to adhere to strict social distancing rules, including wearing a face mask, showing their Ehteraz app on arrival and sitting only in a designated seat.
Al Rayyan Venue will become the fourth FIFA World Cup stadium to open following Khalifa International, Al Janoub and Education City.
Following discussions between QFA and the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), any fan who attends the match must return either a positive COVID-19 antibodies test or a negative COVID-19 test prior to being allowed access to the stadium.
“Anyone who enters the stadium must return either a negative Covid-19 test or a positive Covid-19 antibodies test,” Abdul Wahab Al Musleh, Qatar’s deputy chief medical officer, said in a statement issued by the QFA.
“About 50 percent of the available seats will be allocated to people who have previously contracted the virus.”
Fans will be required to undergo tests at one of three locations where their ticket application will be linked to their national identity cards and phone number.
Fans will then be eligible for a non-transferable ticket once they receive the required test result.
Once inside, fans will be required to wear a mask, show their contact tracing app, and stay in their allocated seat.
“This is the first time Qatar has hosted a match on this scale under such exceptional circumstances,” added Musleh.
Qatar has slowly been welcoming fans back to stadiums, permitting attendances of up to 30 percent in the top-flight Qatar Stars League.
Al Rayyan, located 24km west of the capital, will host seven matches during Qatar 2022 up to and including the round of 16 stage.
Its glowing facade will feature patterns suggestive of Qatari themes including the importance of family, the desert, and local flora and fauna.
Qatar has so far inaugurated Al Janoub and Education City stadiums alongside the refurbished Khalifa International.
Only Lusail, Al Bayt, Ras Abu Aboud and Thumama stadiums remain to be opened.
Khalid Al Kuwari, Director of Marketing & Communications, QFA, said, “We are looking forward to a great atmosphere at Al Rayyan Venue on 18 December. Our priority is to ensure everyone’s safety, in line with the measures implemented by the Supreme Committee for Crisis Management.”
