Football lovers treated to fantastic Fan Zone experiences during Amir Cup final
- 3 years ago
During the various festivities on Qatar National Day, football fans were treated to a special occasion as the 48th Amir Cup final became the first official match to be played at the brand new Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.
The Community Engagement Division of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) partnered with various stakeholders, notably the Ministry of Culture and Sports and Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum (QOSM), to operate a Fan Zone outside the stadium before the kick-off to the finals.
The 40,000-capacity venue was the fourth Qatar 2022 stadium to be inaugurated with just under two years to go until the country hosts the first FIFA World Cup™ in the Middle East and Arab world.
A range of gaming and cultural activities were on offer both prior to kick-off and after the final whistle, including roving and on-stage performances from various community groups from countries like Bangladesh, Egypt, Ghana, Hungary, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Palestine, Sudan and Uganda.
SC’s Stakeholder Relations Senior Manager, Khaled Al Suwaidi remarked, ‘What we wanted to achieve with the Fan Zone was to not only celebrate the opening of another World Cup venue, but also to highlight the diversity of Qatar’s many communities. Their excitement for Qatar 2022 has been unwavering, so it was great to see our local communities get involved and make a contribution to the festive atmosphere we created on National Day,’
Al Suwaidi thanked the community groups, along with other valued stakeholders – particularly the Ministry of Culture and Sports and Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum – for extending their support in organising the Fan Zone.
The Covid-19 pandemic was a difficult year for everyone and it was great to see so many smiling faces enjoying the festivities and marking the inauguration of the fourth Qatar 2022 venue, Al Suwaidi added.
The Ministry of Culture and Sports did a brilliant job in nurturing a growing and inclusive cultural environment throughout Qatar by organizing a series of activations at the Fan Zone including traditional activities such as folkloric games that form the backbone of a vibrant sports culture in Qatar.
Aisha Al Mahmoud, Director of PR & Communications at the Ministry of Culture and Sports, commented, “The Ministry’s participation was primarily through the Nomas Educational Center, which set up a majlis that visitors had the chance to engage with, showcased a traditional musical instrument known as a rababa, and hosted falconry, along with a wide variety of traditional games. It was important for us to showcase Qatari culture at the country’s most prestigious footballing event on our National Day, an occasion that was made even more special with the inauguration of Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, which will host matches during Qatar 2022.
Furthermore, the Ministry also organised a robust video content and a photography exhibition display dedicated to the heritage of Al Rayyan SC, widely seen as one of Qatar’s most widely supported football teams.
As part of a Qatar Museums initiative at the Fan Zone, various children’s activities inspired by the colours of the Olympic rings, a mini five-a-side football match and live colouring of football jerseys with the emblem of Al Rayyan SC were included much to the delight of the youngsters.
The Qatar Stars League team is all set to make the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium its new home.
Ahmad Al Namla, CEO of Qatar Museums said, ‘We are delighted with the enthusiastic response to the activations organised by Qatar Olympic & Sports Museum during the Amir Cup final, particularly because they were all designed to inspire communities across Qatar to lead an active lifestyle.” Al Namla further elaborated that QM perceives these events as key legacies for hosting large sporting events like the Amir Cup and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The SC has on is part has continued to engage thousands of people in Qatar as the country’s FIFA World Cup preparations continue and despite the ongoing pandemic, a variety of programmes and initiatives run by Community Engagement have continued to delight football fans in 2020 as the nation aims to involve one and all on its amazing journey towards World Cup 2022.
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