Qatar paying for fans to cheer them on at Vancouver FIFA World Cup match
Getting tickets to a FIFA World Cup match in Vancouver can be pricy, unless you’re a fan from Qatar.
The Qatar Football Association recently worked in association with a government-created public fund to help pay for 1,000 fans to travel from Qatar to the United States for the FIFA World Cup.
Three charter planes from Qatar Airways took the fans to San Francisco for Qatar’s first match against Switzerland. Despite being heavy underdogs, Qatar battled to a 1-1 draw with a late goal from Miro Mulheim in the 94th minute.
Not only did some lucky fans have their travel and accommodations paid for in Qatar’s opening match, but they’re apparently getting the same treatment in Vancouver.
Some Qatari fans will also have their flights from San Francisco to Vancouver covered, along with hotel accommodations in the city, according to the Qatari News Agency. Those fans also have hotels lined up for their final group-stage match in Seattle.
The report from the Qatar Football Association didn’t specify if match tickets were covered. Regardless, 1,000 fans from Qatar are getting a pretty sweet deal for their World Cup experience.
Fans cheer on Qatar during their first World Cup match in Santa Clara, California. (David Gonzales/Imagn Images)
While other countries have orchestrated similar funding for fans, Qatar’s initiative seems generous. Last week, Reuters reported that German players on their FIFA World Cup squad covered the travel costs of 600 fans. The government of Ghana also covered transportation and accommodation costs for 800 fans.
This is the first time Qatar has actually qualified for the FIFA World Cup. Back in 2022, they made the tournament based on the fact that they were the host country.
Qatar ranked 55th in the FIFA men’s rankings heading into the World Cup.
Both Canada and Qatar will be looking for their first-ever FIFA World Cup win on Thursday at BC Place.