Qatar sets new benchmark for safe return of football amidst a global pandemic
Over the past year, the global football community has worked diligently to find solutions for the safe return of the sport amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic.
For its part, Qatar has played an important role in building confidence amongst players and fans alike by showing that a return of large-scale tournaments and in-person attendance is possible when the right safety measures are put into place.
Set to host the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and the Arab world in just under two years’ time, Qatar continues to host events in the build-up to the tournament to test venue readiness, tournament operations and to fine tune the country’s fan experience offering.
With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, these events have taken on a new dimension: ensuring the safety, health, and wellbeing of all participants.
Over the last three months alone, Qatar has hosted Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League West and East matches, including the final itself, as well the Amir Cup Final, Qatar’s most prestigious cup competition.
For the return of Asia’s premier footballing club competition, more than 900 players and staff from 30 teams played in a total of 76 matches, all staged across multiple FIFA World Cup venues. It constituted the largest bubble-to-bubble sporting event since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The safety of players, officials, team organizers, and fans attending was maintained through a series of measures which included: mandatory COVID-19 testing, safe transportation methods, regular disinfection of all tournament venues, including training and media facilities, as well as the provision of medical staff in stadiums throughout the competition.
A total of 48,323 tests were carried out across the AFC Champions League matches and the Amir Cup Final, enabling the safe attendance of over 10,000 and 12,000 fans at each final match respectively.
Ulsan Hyundai coach Kim Do-hoon spoke of the measures taken and their impact on his players, who lifted the trophy for the second time in the club’s history at a match played on 19 December at 40,000 seater FIFA World Cup venue Al Janoub Stadium.
“We were tested for COVID-19 every time we played a game on the previous day – this made us feel safe and I need to thank the Local Organizing Committee and the AFC. The bubble system was implemented right through and we could not meet anyone from outside, in addition to a good quarantine infrastructure when necessary.”
AFC President, His Excellency Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa thanked the efforts made by Qatar to host Asia’s most prestigious football competition after a stoppage that saw football across the continent halted for several months.
“On behalf of the Asian football family and the Asian Football Confederation, I want to underline our gratitude once again to the Qatar Football Association, the Qatari authorities and all our Member Associations and their participating clubs for the successful completion of the AFC Champions League. It was an incredible team effort that showcased the unity and solidarity of Asian football. My thanks also go to the medical team in Qatar, our doctors, and front liners as well as the delegation in Qatar. Our achievements would not have been possible without you and this success is a tribute to all of you who have shown great resolve and commitment.”
The success of the initial West and East group stages of the competition, which marked the return of continental football to Asia but was played without fans, helped organisers prepare for the Amir Cup Final 2020 and the AFC Champions League Final, which saw the safe attendance of more than 12,000 and 10,000 fans respectively.
The Amir Cup Final 2020 also marked the inauguration of Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, the fourth FIFA World Cup stadium to be inaugurated prior to the tournament kick-off which is set for November 21, 2022.
Speaking after the match, Nasser Al Khater, Chief Executive Officer, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC said: “Tonight was an immensely proud occasion for Qatar and the people of Al Rayyan. It was a culmination of a rigorous effort taken by multiple stakeholders across several months, beginning with the AFC Champions League, until tonight where we saw thousands of fans safely enjoying the spectacle.”
The events have been praised by FIFA and leading football confederations including the AFC, UEFA and CONMEBOL.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino who attended both the Amir Cup and AFC Champions League matches said, “Over the last three months, Qatar has shown the world how football can continue to be played and fans remain engaged despite the COVID-19 pandemic that we are all facing. The Amir Cup Final 2020, which helped inaugurate the fourth FIFA World Cup 2022 stadium, as well as the AFC Champions League Final, welcomed more than 10,000 fans back into the stands for each match. I was present for both matches and saw first-hand the seamless health and safety protocols put in place by Qatar and the Local Organizing Committee, which ensured players and fans could confidently compete and watch the matches. Qatar has set a benchmark for the safe resumption of football in the COVID-19 world.”
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