Qatar 2022 will be the very first international massive sports event since the Covid-19 pandemic emerged (Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympicshad spectator restrictions). So, specialprocedures for both organizers and attendants will be required to prevent a catastrophic virus-spreading scenario.
FIFA’s World Cup has been a commercial success so far: 17 million ticket applications were received just in the official ticket first phase sale. This quantity of possible visitors sounds massive but will not be definitive, as media members and the National Teams themselves must alsobe considered.
The host country has a very challenging mission ahead: let soccer fans enjoy the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 unique experience but also guarantee the conditions to do not menace the health of visitors and local citizens. This is, maybe, the most important match to be played in the tournament.
Anti-Covid-19 travel formalities to attend the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
Like many or most of the countries of the world, Qatar has established a system to classify the risk of contagion that other lands’ visitors represent. There are 3 categories: the Green listed countries, Red listed countries, and High-Risk countries.
Depending on the country of origin, Green, Red, or High-Risk, there are several formalities to fulfill to travel and get the authorization to attend Qatar 2022. The first step is to acknowledge in which category your country is located.
The sanitary protocols for travelers have changed since the Covid-19 pandemic. (Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)
Qatar’s Green listed countries
The visitors coming from these lands are considered as the least dangerous. So the formalities to be fulfilled to attend the next FIFA World Cupare less in comparison to the members of the other lists. Almost all of the countries are included in this category. Here are some of them.
America: Argentina,Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, the United States and Uruguay.
Europe:Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and United Kingdom.
Asia, Africa, and Oceania: Algeria, Cameroon, China, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Iraq, Japan, Nigeria, South Africa, andSouth Korea.
The full list is available here.
Qatar’s High Risk listed countries
The hardest measures to contain the Covid-19 spread are taken with visitors coming from the lands located in this category. There is even a scenario that could cause a ban from entering the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 host country. Fortunately, there are only 6 members on this list to date: Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
The approved and conditionally approved vaccines to attend the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
Proving tobe fully vaccinated is an important step to travel and enter the next FIFA World Cup host country. As there are several vaccines used around the world to reduce the risk of complications due to Covid-19 infection, Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health has divided them into two categories: approved and conditionally approved.
Approved vaccines:Pfizer/ BioNTech (Comirnaty) – Two Doses;Moderna (SpikeVax)- Two Doses;AstraZeneca (Covishield / Oxford /Vaxzevria)- Two Doses;Jansen/ Johnson & Johnson (only one dose).
Conditionally approved vaccines: Sinopharm vaccine- Two Doses;Sinovac – Two Doses; Sputnik V – Two Doses;Covaxin – Two Doses.
The individuals with the latter kind of vaccines need to accomplish the following formalities to be considered as fully immune: provide aSerology Antibody test with a positive result before traveling to Qatar. This test must be done at least 14 days after having received the second dose.
Also, the visitors who have receivedtwo doses of conditionally approved vaccines and then one more dose of Pfizer or Moderna ones will reach the category offully immune14 days after having gotten the booster.
In any case, every individual that has been immunized outside Qatar has to provide an original vaccine certificate in English or Arabic with the following characteristics: identical name both in the certificate and the passport, dose dates, vaccine type, and the serial number of the vaccine batch.
Fully vaccinated people will have fewer formalities to fulfill after arriving in Qatar. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Chronology of sanitary processes to be complied with to attend Qatar 2022 World Cup
Depending on the list that is the country of origin included, these are the steps for visitors (foreigners) to follow to travel and receive the entry authorization to attend the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The formalities are divided into two: beforeand after arriving in Qatar.
The journey begins with an online application for a travel permit in the Qatari Covid-19 tracking system called Ehteraz. There the potential World Cup attendant has to upload a vaccination certificate among other documents. It is highly recommended to fulfill this formality 5 days prior to travel to Qatar.
Then, 24 hours before taking the flight to the FIFA World Cup land in the Middle East, the visitor must: receive an “Application for advance registration to enter the State of Qatar” approval. A copy of it should be printed and kept handy; download the Ehteraz mobile app (but do not activate it).
In addition to the procedures described below, upon arrival in Qatar, you must complete the corresponding immigration procedures, receive the identification stamp in your passport, and activate the Ehteraz application on a cell phone with a local or international SIM card.
Before arriving in Qatar (fully vaccinated people)
-Green and Red listed countries/approved vaccines: perform a PCR test with a negative result within 72 hours prior to arriving in Qatar (all age groups).
-Green and Red listed countries/conditionally approved vaccines: perform a Serology Antibody test prior to arriving in Qatar. If the visitor is unable to fulfill this formality a seven-day hotel quarantine will be required.
-High Risklisted countries: perform a PCR test with a negative result within 72 hours prior to arriving in Qatar (all age groups). Unvaccinated travelers will not be allowed to enter Qatar.
After arriving in Qatar (fully vaccinated people)
-Greenlisted countries/all types of vaccines: nothing else is required.
– Red and High-Risk listed countries/all types ofvaccines: a two-day quarantine will be required. On day 2, a Rapid Antigen Test must be performed. In case of negative results, the individual will be immediately released.
*Hotel quarantine packages must be booked before traveling to Qatar on this website.
Before arriving in Qatar (not fully vaccinated)
-Green and Red listed countries: perform a PCR test with a negative result within 72 hours prior to arriving in Qatar (all age groups).
-Hight-Risk listed countries: not allowed to enter Qatar
After arriving in Qatar (not fully vaccinated)
-Green and Red listed countries: a seven-day quarantine will be required. On day 7, a Rapid Antigen Test must be performed. In case of negative results, the individual will be immediately released.
-Hight-Risk listed countries: not allowed to enter Qatar
*Hotel quarantine packages must be booked before traveling to Qatar on this website.
Tests will be required to verify the Covid-19 free condition of Qatar 2022 attenders. (Milos Bicanski/Getty Images)
