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Vinay Nayudu
Doha
The prestigious Amir Cup 2020 final between Al Sadd and Al Arabi on the National Day (December 18) will also see the inauguration of the state-of-the-art Al Rayyan Stadium – one of the venues for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. With preparations in place and plans on like precise clockwork, Fatma Al Nuaimi, Communications Executive Director, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), interacted with the media virtually on Monday revealing the excitement, fans’ engagement, health safety measures and generational change of football lovers in Qatar along with the old
Al Rayyan stadium over the years.
ExcerptscTypeface:>
Q. Qatar has already been hosting the AFC Champions League matches overcoming the coronavirus (COVID-19) challenges. Now we will have more fans at the Al Rayyan Stadium for the Amir Cup final. How have you coped with this?
A. Looking at the procedure of the medical and the safe health environment that we have to construct for the teams and for the different federations, there has been a lot of learning curve with each tournament putting different health and safety procedures where we could refine more. From previous tournaments, it shows that this mechanism that we have put into place is actually helping us to welcome fans back.
The opening of the Al Rayyan Stadium means Qatar is well ahead of schedule in its preparation for the 2022 World Cup?
We have 90 percent of World Cup projects completed. We are ready with the fourth stadium, which is half the number of stadiums we will have for the World Cup. So we have five actually completed. And hopefully by the end of 2021, all of them will be actually ready, completed and tested.
Given that it is the Amir Cup final will we be expecting football dignitaries and officials from overseas?
We do have guests invited. Hopefully, the FIFA president, the UEFA president, and also the AFC president since we also are having the AFC Champions League final being played in Doha on December 19th.
This means there will be a lot of excitement for the fans being at the stadium which has been a home to Al Rayyan? They will have a completely new experience?
The fan experience to be really enhanced and you can see what these stadiums have giving back to the community. If we go back to how we started, we promised that the legacy of the World Cup and the community will be the part of all of this. So when it comes to the stadium, we looked at a study from an engineering perspective, whether to reconstruct the existing stadium or actually to take it down and build it from scratch. And from a value engineering perspective, we realised the unsustainability. It’s better to actually build the stadium on a sustainable model from scratch, which is more efficient, cost effective and thinking also when we build the requirements later on, would be considered unacceptable by the community. As much as 90 percent of skilled material from the old stadium has actually put into the existing stadium. We also asked the communities of region as to how they would want to see the development to happen in the area.
In four days’ time at the final, you can see the development of this area. Apart from the stadium, a park area surrounding it, the metro is fully operational which will help accessing the stadium and get to the roads and the expressway officially has been opened. If we look at it from a very holistic point of view, it has developed and the area has helped in accelerating the plans of the Qatar National Vision 2030 from a transport perspective, from a venue perspective, from actually making it accessible to the people. So it will enhance the fan experience during the Amir Cup final and during 2022 World Cup and leave a legacy for the community.
How has been the fans’ response so far and how simple are the virus check tests?
The response, right from the beginning, has been really very positive. We can see there is a lot of appetite and know even when we simplified the procedure for people to purchase tickets. It’s very three simple steps: You need to get to the website, get a voucher and then go to the ticketing center and get the test which take a few seconds. It’s a very simple thing. The tests now are much easy unlike earlier where the swab would be inserted quite deep. We have even created videos to explain to the people how this happens. And in less than 15 minutes you get the results, then you can book your tickets. We would like people to attend the final with their families and be closer with them. It is better if they all go together. So the seating assignments can happen easily and they all cane be around the same area. The ticket sales are actually up. We have, I think, around above 80 to 85 percent of ticket sales. So we can see that people are encouraged. And that is, I think, a lot of different factors. Like two top Qatar clubs meeting in the Amir Cup final at a new World Cup stadium.
Have any activities been planned for the fan zones?
Yes, there will be like cultural activities three hours prior to the final, community activities for people to enjoy. We would like people to actually come ahead of time to the stadium and enjoy the festivities around the match. And with that, they should also follow health and safety procedures for the benefit of all. It will also be enjoyable for families and people coming to the stadium. It will be a memorable occasion since it is the Qatar National Day on Friday, which I think will engage a lot of people with the pre-match activities and shows for everyone.
You have seen stadium take shape. How would you describe the feeling being
inside the stadium?
Seeing the stadium fully dressed and ready to be hosting a football match, I feel really proud because we do have been here since like winning the bid, sketching and approving the design of the stadium.
And since it was a construction site we have been doing all of these visits and since it became full-fledged ready we are getting the chance to actually celebrate it with an actual tournament. And my feeling is indescribable. I always feel like, how then would be the feeling would be during 2022! I usually get emotional because seeing things happen from scratch until now, being ready and completed, it’s really an indescribable feeling.
I feel everybody, even people passing by in the streets and looking and seeing the stadium take shape, and everyone living in this country and seeing the development feels the same. And now we’re getting closer, closer by the minute to the milestone where we can welcome millions of fans to see our Arabic hospitality, see the country and enjoy the different cultural elements. I think this is what actually gets me excited.
How much have things changed in perspective of the stadium and for Al Rayyan football fans?
I think the change you can see the excitement with the Al Rayyan club itself, because the stadium will be the home to them. Some of Qatar’s top footballers have come from Al Rayyan and now their kids are the new generation. For example, the former goalkeeper of Al Rayyan and his kid now he is playing for Al Rayyan. So, we’re actually seeing it change from generation to generation. That’s how former players are for real and how that kids now playing in the region will be enjoying the facilities that was not available earlier. At the end of the day, we’re not only celebrating this infrastructure, but also celebrating human stories that a real club is bringing to communities, to the footballers, and to the fans of Al Rayyan.
Doha
The prestigious Amir Cup 2020 final between Al Sadd and Al Arabi on the National Day (December 18) will also see the inauguration of the state-of-the-art Al Rayyan Stadium – one of the venues for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. With preparations in place and plans on like precise clockwork, Fatma Al Nuaimi, Communications Executive Director, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), interacted with the media virtually on Monday revealing the excitement, fans’ engagement, health safety measures and generational change of football lovers in Qatar along with the old
Al Rayyan stadium over the years.
ExcerptscTypeface:>
Q. Qatar has already been hosting the AFC Champions League matches overcoming the coronavirus (COVID-19) challenges. Now we will have more fans at the Al Rayyan Stadium for the Amir Cup final. How have you coped with this?
A. Looking at the procedure of the medical and the safe health environment that we have to construct for the teams and for the different federations, there has been a lot of learning curve with each tournament putting different health and safety procedures where we could refine more. From previous tournaments, it shows that this mechanism that we have put into place is actually helping us to welcome fans back.
The opening of the Al Rayyan Stadium means Qatar is well ahead of schedule in its preparation for the 2022 World Cup?
We have 90 percent of World Cup projects completed. We are ready with the fourth stadium, which is half the number of stadiums we will have for the World Cup. So we have five actually completed. And hopefully by the end of 2021, all of them will be actually ready, completed and tested.
Given that it is the Amir Cup final will we be expecting football dignitaries and officials from overseas?
We do have guests invited. Hopefully, the FIFA president, the UEFA president, and also the AFC president since we also are having the AFC Champions League final being played in Doha on December 19th.
This means there will be a lot of excitement for the fans being at the stadium which has been a home to Al Rayyan? They will have a completely new experience?
The fan experience to be really enhanced and you can see what these stadiums have giving back to the community. If we go back to how we started, we promised that the legacy of the World Cup and the community will be the part of all of this. So when it comes to the stadium, we looked at a study from an engineering perspective, whether to reconstruct the existing stadium or actually to take it down and build it from scratch. And from a value engineering perspective, we realised the unsustainability. It’s better to actually build the stadium on a sustainable model from scratch, which is more efficient, cost effective and thinking also when we build the requirements later on, would be considered unacceptable by the community. As much as 90 percent of skilled material from the old stadium has actually put into the existing stadium. We also asked the communities of region as to how they would want to see the development to happen in the area.
In four days’ time at the final, you can see the development of this area. Apart from the stadium, a park area surrounding it, the metro is fully operational which will help accessing the stadium and get to the roads and the expressway officially has been opened. If we look at it from a very holistic point of view, it has developed and the area has helped in accelerating the plans of the Qatar National Vision 2030 from a transport perspective, from a venue perspective, from actually making it accessible to the people. So it will enhance the fan experience during the Amir Cup final and during 2022 World Cup and leave a legacy for the community.
How has been the fans’ response so far and how simple are the virus check tests?
The response, right from the beginning, has been really very positive. We can see there is a lot of appetite and know even when we simplified the procedure for people to purchase tickets. It’s very three simple steps: You need to get to the website, get a voucher and then go to the ticketing center and get the test which take a few seconds. It’s a very simple thing. The tests now are much easy unlike earlier where the swab would be inserted quite deep. We have even created videos to explain to the people how this happens. And in less than 15 minutes you get the results, then you can book your tickets. We would like people to attend the final with their families and be closer with them. It is better if they all go together. So the seating assignments can happen easily and they all cane be around the same area. The ticket sales are actually up. We have, I think, around above 80 to 85 percent of ticket sales. So we can see that people are encouraged. And that is, I think, a lot of different factors. Like two top Qatar clubs meeting in the Amir Cup final at a new World Cup stadium.
Have any activities been planned for the fan zones?
Yes, there will be like cultural activities three hours prior to the final, community activities for people to enjoy. We would like people to actually come ahead of time to the stadium and enjoy the festivities around the match. And with that, they should also follow health and safety procedures for the benefit of all. It will also be enjoyable for families and people coming to the stadium. It will be a memorable occasion since it is the Qatar National Day on Friday, which I think will engage a lot of people with the pre-match activities and shows for everyone.
You have seen stadium take shape. How would you describe the feeling being
inside the stadium?
Seeing the stadium fully dressed and ready to be hosting a football match, I feel really proud because we do have been here since like winning the bid, sketching and approving the design of the stadium.
And since it was a construction site we have been doing all of these visits and since it became full-fledged ready we are getting the chance to actually celebrate it with an actual tournament. And my feeling is indescribable. I always feel like, how then would be the feeling would be during 2022! I usually get emotional because seeing things happen from scratch until now, being ready and completed, it’s really an indescribable feeling.
I feel everybody, even people passing by in the streets and looking and seeing the stadium take shape, and everyone living in this country and seeing the development feels the same. And now we’re getting closer, closer by the minute to the milestone where we can welcome millions of fans to see our Arabic hospitality, see the country and enjoy the different cultural elements. I think this is what actually gets me excited.
How much have things changed in perspective of the stadium and for Al Rayyan football fans?
I think the change you can see the excitement with the Al Rayyan club itself, because the stadium will be the home to them. Some of Qatar’s top footballers have come from Al Rayyan and now their kids are the new generation. For example, the former goalkeeper of Al Rayyan and his kid now he is playing for Al Rayyan. So, we’re actually seeing it change from generation to generation. That’s how former players are for real and how that kids now playing in the region will be enjoying the facilities that was not available earlier. At the end of the day, we’re not only celebrating this infrastructure, but also celebrating human stories that a real club is bringing to communities, to the footballers, and to the fans of Al Rayyan.
