With the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 just three months away, excitement is mounting among the fans as ticket sales continue to receive overwhelming response from all around the world, particularly from the Arab region, the Americas and Europe.
According to the latest update provided by the game’s governing body on Thursday, a total of 2.45 million tickets have now been sold for the tournament to be staged from November 20 to December 18. Host Qatar leads the ranking of overall ticket sales along with the USA, England, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, the UAE, France, Argentina, Brazil and Germany.
FIFA said in the last sales period alone, which ran from July 5 July to August 16, a total of 520,532 tickets were sold. Fans living in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the USA, Mexico, the UAE, England, Argentina, Brazil, Wales and Australia led the way – and the digital queues – by securing the biggest number of tickets during the period. Over-the-counter sales will also start in Doha following the launch of the last-minute sales phase.
Meanwhile, fans in the region are eagerly waiting for the kick off of the first FIFA showpiece to be staged in the Middle East and the Arab world. All the Arabs are expecting a successful hosting of the World Cup in Qatar, which they say will make them proud.
In a tweet, Saudi Minister of Sports Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal hoped Qatar will host an exceptional version of the FIFA World Cup, describing the tournament as the World Cup for all Arabs.
Former Oman goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi said the hosting of the World Cup in Qatar was like a dream come true. “When I started playing football, the idea of a World Cup in the Middle East was a mere dream. Now, with just a few days left for the tournament’s kick-off in Qatar, that dream has turned into a reality,” he said, hoping that the first World Cup in the region is an incredible step forward in the game’s evolution in the Arab world.
Oman also hosted the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 exhibition, which was held in Dhofar. The exhibition was organised by the Omani Journalists Association, highlighting history of the World Cup, the participating teams and state-of-the-art stadiums in Qatar. The event was attended by a large number journalists and sports figures.
Qatar has completed all preparations to stage the FIFA World Cup and is set to host the most exciting edition of the tournament, by organising an array of entertainment activities besides staging 64 high-profile matches to be played among the globe's best teams.
