Qatar World Cup 2022: How to enter the country, measures related to COVID-19 and some important recommendations

Only a few days separate us from one of the most anticipated sporting events on the planet: the World Cup Qatar 2022 It begins this November 20 and the participating teams begin to arrive in Doha to settle in and focus on their next matches.

Fans who travel to enjoy the sporting event should know that they will be observed by the authorities of the host country, who will rigorously control their behavior from the moment they set foot on Qatari soil.

Due to the prohibitions and regulations that are handled in this Asian country, here we detail everything you need to know if you want to travel to Qatar to relive the World Cup party.

Permission to enter Qatar

Visitors will need to have a ticket to any match and have a hotel reservation in Qatar before applying for a permit to enter the country. Only with these prerequisites will they be able to access the Hayya Carda necessary document not only to enter the country, but also to enter the stadiums to watch any of the matches.

The document to enter Qatar and the matches of the World Cup can be requested through the official website or through the app Hayya to Qatar 2022. There, you will have to create an account to carry out the process. With the presentation of the required documentation, the process takes between five and six days to be approved, details La Nación.

Measures linked to COVID-19

Neither the vaccination against COVID-19 nor the PCR or antigen tests are mandatory to enter Qatar from November 1.

In the place it will not be necessary to carry out a test except in case of symptoms or the day after contact with a positive case. Non-immunized visitors must then wear a mask for ten days.

Anyone who tests positive will be required to isolate for five days and then wear a mask for five days.

For all, the use of a mask and verification of the Ehteraz tracking application (in which all visitors over the age of 18 must register before the departure of their trip) will only be required in health centers.

about clothing

The veil is not mandatory for women. What is recommended to everyone is to dress covering from shoulders to knees in public, details AFP. This rule applies to official buildings. In places frequented by expatriates and visitors, this rule is little respected.

It is forbidden to photograph people without their authorization, as well as buildings of government institutions, military and works. It is also not allowed to throw garbage or spit on the street.

About alcohol consumption

Drinking alcohol is legal for non-Muslims over the age of 21, but it is something that is strictly regulated. It is forbidden to carry alcohol in suitcases, even if it has been bought in “duty free”. Residents can purchase in a store authorized in this regard, but not visitors.

Visitors can drink in most international hotels, where a beer or a glass of wine can cost about US$10 and a cocktail more than fifteen.

Beer stands will open around the stadiums three hours before the start of the games and will close thirty minutes before the start of the games. They will reopen for one hour after the final whistle.

Drugs are equally illegal. “Contemplates a severe penalty (prison, fine, expulsion from the country) for possession, even in small amounts,” warns the embassy of the United Kingdom to its nationals.

The United States embassy also recommends verifying the legality of their medical treatments, “particularly stimulants and powerful analgesics”, and traveling with a medical prescription.

With information from AFP