Lusail Super Cup Fan Delegation
Before traveling to Doha to join the Lusail Super Cup Fan Delegation, I obtained a list of questions from the fans in the US Supporters Going to Qatar Facebook Group. The information below represents my best effort to obtain accurate answers to the questions posed by our Facebook group – based on our Fan Delegation briefings and information made available by FIFA (think International Olympic Committee) and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (think Los Angeles Organizing Committee).
I realize we have varied levels of World Cup travel experience in the group, so here is my overall approach to questions about traveling to this World Cup. We can be pretty confident about the answers to questions such as “If I have a game ticket, will I be able to enter the stadium?” or “If I have a room reservation, will I have a place to stay?" However, many questions have answers that are much more fluid. Yes, we will have transportation to get from our accommodations to any specific game, but the available modes are either still in the planning stages, pending public release of the information, or have information that is difficult to find. Therefore I suggest that at each stage, you make sure you take care of the tasks that need to be accomplished and don't worry too much about tasks that may be easier to achieve with the added information available later. That is, make sure you have your match tickets and your room, but don’t stress too much about how you’ll move between those two points at this point…there’ll likely be plenty of time to worry about that later.
Finally, you can take some reassurance that if you have been following the Facebook group's posts and comments, then you are among the most well-informed fans in the world. As I interact with fans from other countries, I'm always impressed that we tend to be weeks or months ahead of almost everyone else. This will reap huge benefits because a lot of the success of navigating this World Cup will be based on gathering information regarding newly implemented functions and procedures, given the unique nature of the host.
Facebook Group Questions
What info does Qatar have on Drew Margulis that is holding up his Hayya Card approval…inquiring minds want to know!
- Fortunately, I can report the issue is not Mr. Margulis. In fact, the problem goes well beyond him and affects thousands of fans. The approval for the Hayya requires verification of accommodations. It is done electronically when the system matches the information in the Hayya application with the data entered by the booking agency into a database called CITA. A problem may arise if the booking agency enters information, even one letter or one number, different than the information entered by the fan in their Hayya application. But the more common problem is that the fan booked outside of the official accommodation site, and the hotel cannot or will not put information in CITA. There are several databases that hotels use, and not all are compatible with CITA. Unfortunately, the Hayya organization cannot/will not expand to look into all of the potential hotel booking databases, primarily because of the risk of liability associated with accessing systems that hold so much personal information. There is a whole team dedicated to the backlog of thousands of fans who booked outside the official accommodation agency and cannot get their Hayya application approved. The suggested action is to call this number, +974 4441 2022.
Ticketing/Stadiums
What happens to tickets if someone bought a ticket and never applies for a Hayya card? Will the order be canceled, or will the seat just be empty?
- There appears to be no process that would notify the ticketing system that a person did not apply for a Hayya card, did not get Hayya card approved, didn’t get vaccinated, overslept their alarm, etc., and therefore, if the applicant buys a ticket and doesn’t show up - the seat will be empty.
Last Minute Sales phase will be at the end of September, any truth to that?
- Being a FIFA question, the SC group did not have specific information on the date this phase will begin. It’s recommended to follow the FIFA site for the announcement of the date (or the Facebook page, which is consistently a step ahead of the official FIFA announcements.)
When will we get our refunds for resold tickets? (and) Will they print souvenir tickets?
- Again, FIFA questions. I’ll try to ask around in the next two days to see if anyone has any further information on these items.
What is the stadium bag policy? What is the camera policy? What will be the limit on camera lens sizes? Are selfie sticks and insulated thermals allowed in stadiums/fan fests? Are portable chargers going to be allowed in the stadium?
- Here are a few documents that can guide you to the answers to these and similar questions:
1. For the FIFA Stadium Safety and Security Regulations click here
2. For a complete of prohibited items click here
3. For a sense of the more high-profile prohibited items here’s the image from our Lusai Super Cup ticket information:
- If you have something on the banned item list that you want to bring into the stadium (say, a mask, a corset, and a Styrofoam replica trophy), there is an official form that must be approved through official channels. The process is cumbersome enough that our organizers suggested that approval would be more likely if we could document support from our home federation.
- As an additional note, if you carry around a camera of a certain professional quality, you may be asked on the streets by authorities to produce your journalist credentials. I witnessed this situation play out for multiple people in the Souq Waqif one night.
How will they help fans affected by their decision to change the date of the opening match (flight penalties/fare differences, etc.). Qatar Airways and Match Hospitality blame Fifa for the change not giving any kind of relief.
- Yes, again a FIFA issue, so unlikely other entities will offer compensation
Are more fan fest locations going to open?
There is only one FIFA FAN FESTIVAL run by FIFA click here.
There will be fan zones surrounding each stadium 3 hours before and 1 hour after each match.
The will be a Fan Zone stretching the length of the Doha Corniche
There will be multiple Fan Events around Qatar click here
Accommodation
Are there available photos from the fan villages?
- I snapped a few photos of the mockups from the corner of the room, but no actual photos are available, and I’m not sure of the status of the setup process.
Are there public areas in those villages for games watching?
- Only the Fan Village Ras Bu Fontas will have a “Fan Activation”, a public gathering area. Will you be able to watch games there? “it depends on FIFA” Will they serve international beverages? “it is presumed so”
Should we expect more hotel supply or lower prices for the hotels already on the site?
- Don’t expect currently available units to have their prices lowered. The last large bulk release of accommodations will likely happen over the next week (these are timed releases of units to roughly coincide with new ticket sales so that, theoretically, some units will be available at the time each group of fans makes their ticket purchase). It is not known what the mix of these units will be and whether there will be units back down at the $100 per person per night price point. Over the coming weeks, there will also be a slow release of units that were initially held for FIFA but are now not needed. This slide shows some data regarding accommodations released.
Activities/Entertainment
Any recommendations for day tours
- Finding available tours seems to be difficult. You can use the Visit Qatar site to plan activities, but I have yet to find a link to actual tour companies through the site. I listed some companies on my webpage, but I haven’t checked availability. click here I asked around, but most are looking for large groups. I’ll post more if any added information becomes available.
Do we need the One Pass, or can we buy tickets somewhere for just one attraction like the MIA?
- The regularly available tickets for places like museums are still available. The One Pass is just a way to save money if you are planning to go to multiple sites. There are also some World Cup-specific activities that can only be booked via One Pass, like VIP lounges. For more information on One Pass click here
When will they announce the entertainment lineups at the pay-to-enter venues?
- This information is/will be available in two forums: the Hayya app and the Visit Qatar website. NOTE: many/most of these activities are currently available for booking right now and will sell out. For more go to the Visit Qatar calendar of events click here
Transportation
What are the shuttles and transportation options from the fan villages (I.e, schedule, frequency, times, etc.)? Will they be providing transportation from the Cruise ships directly to Al Bayt stadium (Buses)? When can we have a detailed map, schedule, and official info on public transportation? How will transport to/from the USA vs. England work? How late will buses run after the game? At other games, will there be transportation from the stadium directly to the other stadium for a game later on that day? Will there be game day transportation from areas in the city to the different stadiums?
- As specific transportation modes are available, they will show up on the Hayya app. You can go there now to plan ahead and book available transportation. Once you are in Qatar, and want to go somewhere - this will be your best way to determine what is available, when, and at what cost.
Any plans to introduce more flights in/out of DXB to Doha?
- No particular airline information was made available. But my guess is that given the airport congestion and added flights, that time point will be limited.
Will there be baggage lockers/storage close to the airport?
- Still need to research this one.
For those of us that already booked accommodation before the match day shuttles were announced, will there be any type of special offers to visit nearby countries?
- These items are managed by two different companies, so there doesn't appear to be any compensation for canceling your accommodation for this reason.
Is there a bicycle rental place where I can rent a bike for the whole world cup? I've only found hourly options so far.
- Still need to research this one.
When do they plan to share more details about the MSC Cruise accommodation? For those with bookings, will there be details shared in advance about cabin numbers and onboard plans/ activities that can be booked? How will they handle restaurant pricing for those of us without the full-board plan?
- This information will be handled directly by the cruise ship company itself, so you will need to direct your questions to them.
Health
Any updates on COVID requirements?
After talking to people here, my answer is the same as before, but here’s a different way of presenting the requirements as they apply to the Ministry of Health, the Supreme Committee, and FIFA. Think…What is the Covid protocol for the Super Bowl? There is no way of knowing what the State of Arizona, the CDC, and the NFL will decide to change in the future, so just make sure you are compliant with the requirement to go to an Arizona Cardinals game now and be prepared for any changes in the Covid situation in Phoenix between now and the Super Bowl.
Will we need any special paperwork to bring medications over… particularly injectables. And will we be able to bring them to the stadium?
- Check airline requirements. No issues at immigration if you have properly marked prescription medications. For stadium rules click here
Cultural
Attire: will rules be loosened for museums, malls, public beaches?
- I’ll try to state this in a bit different way than before. The best way to think of this issue is that, outside of government offices and mosques, there are no RULES - so you need to decide what you are comfortable with. If you cover your knees, chest, and shoulders, you will never be judged by a local Qatari (if you ever see one). If you decide not to do this, whether others judge you will be dependent on how far you push the envelope. So, you just need to decide what you are personally comfortable doing. For a point of perspective, on our official delegation’s visit, it was recommended that we not wear shorts. About 20% of the group still wore shorts on tours, to museums, to stadiums, etc., and it was a non-issue. For World Cup games, shorts in the stadium will NOT be a cultural issue (unless you have a high-end luxury experience booked). But you may want to consider not doing so at night because you may not be warm enough.
Questions already answered
Is there any update as to what the designated section for US Soccer fans will be inside the stadium?
- Tickets are already being assigned.