FIFA Fan Festival™ and fan zones
Initiative description: Delivering the FIFA Fan Festival™ and a set of fan zones which will provide spectators with customised, festive, exciting, and secure destinations where they can enjoy matches free of charge while also enjoying authentic Qatari hospitality and cultural experiences.
FIFA Fan Festival™ Doha
The FIFA Fan Festival™ was a major temporary entertainment venue where fans could watch matches on giant screens and participate in a wide range of cultural and educational experiences free of charge.
Located at Al Bidda Park, the historical heart of Doha, the FIFA Fan Festival™ was an integral part of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. From 19 November until 18 December, the FIFA Fan Festival™ was the hub for both international and local fans. 1.86 million fans enjoyed the matches, entertainment and food & beverage choices on offer at the FIFA Fan Festival™.
Each of the 64 matches of the tournament was aired live on the centre stage giant screen and other big screens located across the 145,000 square metre venue. A food court offered unique culinary experiences ranging from local cuisine to international delicacies, and music was performed by 146 artists who played 162 hours of live music. Artists included famous names from around the world, including Sean Paul, Diplo, Maluma, Kizz Daniel, Nora Fatehi, Trinidad Cardona and Calvin Harris, as well as artists from the Middle East, such as Myriam Fares, DJ Cosmicat and Hassan Shakosh.
In addition, there were unique football matches with FIFA Legends, innovative sponsor activities, dedicated football exhibitions and an official FIFA Store with licensed FIFA World Cup™ products. Examples of activities hosted at the FIFA Fan Festival™ include:
FIFA Fan World Cup: where fans were given the opportunity to play alongside football legends such as Wesley Sneijder, Jack Wilshere, Lothar Matthäus, Iker Casillas and many more in a five-a-side-tournament at the adidas stadium.
The Fan’s Cup: a four-day tournament representing all 32 participating nations was organised by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy. The five-a-side tournament saw Poland being awarded the trophy by football legends and Qatar Legacy Ambassadors Cafu and Ronald de Boer.
FIFA Museum Presented by Hyundai: this exhibition proved to be a cultural highlight with over 170,000 visitors. The FIFA Museum and Hyundai teamed up to celebrate global football heritage and culture where fans from around the world had the opportunity to see the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Winner's Trophy as well as to engage personally with legends of the game. The exhibition also highlighted Hyundai’s “Goal of the Century” campaign, inspiring the world to unite under the theme of sustainability.
FIFA "Football Unites the World” exhibition: enabled fans to learn more about the teams competing at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ and FIFA’s programmes around the world. These initiatives range from FIFA Forward success stories to its social impact campaigns, and from the goals of the FIFA Foundation to the development of the women’s game in anticipation of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand.
UN Sustainable Development Goals: the Education Above All Foundation (EAA) set up an “Achieving Goals” pavilion at the FIFA Fan Festival, inviting fans to learn about the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how they can play a role in achieving them. Here, fans learned about EAA efforts in providing refugees and internally displaced persons with access to education. An immersive art exhibit also enabled fans to learn more about the SDGs and the importance of adopting sustainable practices.
The FIFA Fan Festival in Doha provided a safe and secure place for fans to enjoy the excitement of the FIFA World Cup. Access to the venue was provided to Hayya card (Fan ID) holders once they had cleared a security check at the entrance. This included checking for any prohibited items, including anything dangerous or discriminatory. Fans with sensory access requirements could go to a sensory room; a place to withdraw to with sensory toys and mood lighting to help the person calm down if the excitement in the FIFA Fan Festival became overwhelming. For more information about accessibility, please visit the accessibility at the tournament and wider accessibility in Qatar web pages of this report.
International FIFA Fan Festivals
FIFA partners, AB InBev and Coca-Cola, organised official FIFA Fan Festivals in Dubai, London, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Riyadh, Sao Paulo and Seoul.
The goal was to bring the FIFA World Cup™ atmosphere to the doorsteps of fans around the world. The international FIFA Fan Festival™ events featured live match broadcasts from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ as well as entertainment, including performances by popular DJs, local artists, and appearances by FIFA Legends. These international events welcomed a combined total of around 460,000 visitors, highlighting the power of football to bring people together all over the world.
Safety at the international FIFA Fan Festivals was also of utmost importance and access to the venue was provided once fans had gone through security control that included checking for any prohibited items.
Fan Zones
Two host country organised Fan Zones were set up in Al Khor and in the Doha New Industrial Area. These Fan Zones provided thousands of mainly local fans an opportunity to enjoy all FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ matches live on big screens. A suite of performances and activations, live music shows, sports competitions, giveaways, as well as food and beverage options were on offer for fans. In addition, free diabetic and blood pressure check-ups were available. Entry was free and fans did not require a Hayya card to enter these Fan Zones.
| Al Khor | New Industrial Area | |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | 21 November – 18 December | 21 November – 18 December |
| Fan attendance | 141,939 | 559,524 |
| Highest attendance on one day | 13,686 (18 December) | 46,571 (24 November) |
Entertainment Destinations
In addition, the Hayya Fan Zone in Lusail provided a relaxing atmosphere whereby people could watch ice-skating performances of Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty, as well as watch the matches. The Arcadia Fan Destination also showcased multiple A-list artists such as Paul Van Dyke, Nervo and Jonas Blue as well as the matches.
| Hayya Fan Zone, Lusail | Arcadia Fan Destination, Ras Bu Fontas | |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | 21 November – 18 December | 20 November – 19 December |
| Fan attendance | 99,316 | 100,239 |
| Highest attendance on one day | 7,431 (26 November) | 9,997 (9 December) |