92,000 visitors throng Football Fan Festival
Published: 05:12 PM,Dec 21,2022 | EDITED : 09:12 PM,Dec 21,2022
fans
Over 92,000 people thronged the Football Fan Festival, which was organised as part of the Qatar World Cup.
Of the 64 World Cup matches broadcast at the festival, the largest single match attendance was for the finals between France and Argentina on December 18, which saw over 5,800 fans cheering for their favourite teams. However, the largest number of visitors to the festival in a single day was the night of 6 December, with just under 7,100 fans attending the Round of 16 matches involving two popular rivals - Morocco vs Spain and Portugal vs Switzerland.
Azzan bin Qassim al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Tourism and Head of the Steering Committee overseeing the Oman World Cup Programme, said, “I congratulate Qatar for hosting such a successful tournament. It is a matter of great pride not only for the host nation but also for each and every one of us that a historical event of this magnitude was seamlessly hosted in our region with such care and professionalism.”
He said, “On the other hand, the Football Fan Festival, which is one of the main pillars of the Oman World Cup Programme, was able to transfer the amazing atmosphere of the World Cup to the Sultanate of Oman, drawing thousands of visitors daily to watch matches, participate in activities and enjoy accompanying events in a family-friendly atmosphere. A perfect blend of entertainment and sport-related activities proved to be the festival’s greatest asset, and the reaction from the fans has been far greater than we expected.”
Hashil bin Obaid al Mahrouqi, CEO, Omran, said, “Sports has always been one of the main factors that contribute to enriching the tourism sector and maximising the benefit from the tourism potentials that the Sultanate of Oman enjoys. This historic hosting of the World Cup in the region, coupled with the popularity of football in Oman, drove us to organise this unique festival that brings together a family and sporting event in one. We are happy with the great turnout we got daily and the thoroughly enjoyable atmosphere it created.”
@vinot_nair
Of the 64 World Cup matches broadcast at the festival, the largest single match attendance was for the finals between France and Argentina on December 18, which saw over 5,800 fans cheering for their favourite teams. However, the largest number of visitors to the festival in a single day was the night of 6 December, with just under 7,100 fans attending the Round of 16 matches involving two popular rivals - Morocco vs Spain and Portugal vs Switzerland.
Azzan bin Qassim al Busaidy, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism for Tourism and Head of the Steering Committee overseeing the Oman World Cup Programme, said, “I congratulate Qatar for hosting such a successful tournament. It is a matter of great pride not only for the host nation but also for each and every one of us that a historical event of this magnitude was seamlessly hosted in our region with such care and professionalism.”
He said, “On the other hand, the Football Fan Festival, which is one of the main pillars of the Oman World Cup Programme, was able to transfer the amazing atmosphere of the World Cup to the Sultanate of Oman, drawing thousands of visitors daily to watch matches, participate in activities and enjoy accompanying events in a family-friendly atmosphere. A perfect blend of entertainment and sport-related activities proved to be the festival’s greatest asset, and the reaction from the fans has been far greater than we expected.”
Hashil bin Obaid al Mahrouqi, CEO, Omran, said, “Sports has always been one of the main factors that contribute to enriching the tourism sector and maximising the benefit from the tourism potentials that the Sultanate of Oman enjoys. This historic hosting of the World Cup in the region, coupled with the popularity of football in Oman, drove us to organise this unique festival that brings together a family and sporting event in one. We are happy with the great turnout we got daily and the thoroughly enjoyable atmosphere it created.”
@vinot_nair