The awaited 16th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup™ kicks off today! Football fans will once again unite for the last major football event in Qatar this year. Aside from offering a glimpse of how the FIFA World Cup 2022 will be, this will also be a precedent for the next year's Club World Cup which will once again be hosted by Qatar. The tournament will be officially opened by a match between Al Sadd SC and Hienghene Sport.

So if you're planning to watch the matches, here's what you need to know regarding how to go to the stadiums and what to expect including the fan zones!

How to get to the stadium?

Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium

Where to park at the stadium?

According to the Qatar Football Association, there will be dedicated car parks near the stadium.

For those coming from the Corniche, the southern car park is more accessible. From Jawaan Street, turn left at Al Waab intersection then turn right at the first exit.

If coming from the north of Doha using the Doha Expressway, turn right before Al Asiri intersection on Salwa Road.

The northern car park is best for fans coming for the west including the Al Rayyan area. Turn east on Al Waab Street and turn right before Jawaan intersection to access the car park.

If coming from Salwa Road, use the southern cark park. From the west, head north on Al Bustan Street and from the east, turn right before Al Bustan intersection.

From D Ring, turn left at Al Asiri intersection then turn right towards Al Waab to get to the car park.

The VIP entrance is at the west of the stadium. You can take Al Waab or Al Bustan. Media parking meanwhile is at the north of the stadium, via Al Waab.

How to get there using Doha Metro?

The closest Metro station to Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium is the Al Sudan Station along the Metro Gold Line. From the station, the stadium is walking distance of about 7 minutes, according to Google Maps. According to Doha Metro, there will be access restrictions at the station because of the match.

Due to the 11th December match at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, there will be access restrictions at Al Sudan station. Parking P57 will be available at the station. The drop off area will not be accessible. If you wish to drop off metro users please use alternative Metro stations

Note that if you are a FIFA Club World Cup match ticket holder, you are entitled to a free standard class day pass at the Doha Metro.

Security at the stadium

There will be a large tent set up for the security inspection process, according to Captain Mohammed Omar Al Shahwani, captain of Al Sadd Sports Stadium. To facilitate mass entry, there will be 64 passes. After passing the inspection tent, the spectators will enter Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium at Al-Sadd Club through 7 gates where security personnel and volunteers will help them reach their seats in the stand and enjoy this great sporting event.

Security plans that comply with FIFA's security requirements have been put in place to secure the stadium from inside and outside and facilitate the entry and exit of the fans and players and maintain their security and safety.

Khalifa International Stadium

Ashghal has reported on December 11 that Al Furousiya Street has been fully opened to further facilitate easy access to Khalifa International Stadium by providing a direct link to the stadium.

On this occasion, Eng. Saoud Al Tamimi, Manager of the Roads Projects Department at ‘Ashghal’ highlighted the pivotal role of Al Furousiya Street in linking several vital residential areas such as Muraikh, Al Rayyan Al Jadeed, Baaya, Muaither and Al Aziziya in addition to facilitating access to many public amenities and leisure destinations such as Aspire Zone Complex, Villaggio Mall and the Equestrian Club. It also provides connection to several hotels, commercial and service centers as well as educational facilities such as the University of Calgary and Aspire Academy.

There are plenty of parking spaces beside Khalifa International Stadium if you decide to get there by private vehicle. If you are doing so, better get there early, though!

Fans driving to Khalifa International Stadium for tomorrow’s #ClubWC matches should watch this video to familiarise themselves with the car park locations. #Doha #Qatar pic.twitter.com/2EbqfTThnc

— Road to 2022 (@roadto2022) December 18, 2019

How to get there using the Metro?

Take the Metro Gold Line and go down at the Sport City Station along the Metro Gold Line. The stadium is within walking distance.

If you're coming from the Red Line or Green Line, use the Msheireb station interchange to change to Gold Line. No need to tap out at Msheireb.

Planning to use a ride-sharing app?

If you're using Careem to get to the stadiums, they are offering a 30% discount on 8 rides to & from Jassim Bin Hamad & Khalifa International Stadiums. Offer valid until December 21, 2019, and a maximum discount of QAR 5.

PROMO CODE: CHEER30

Are flags allowed inside the stadiums?

According to FIFA, these are the allowed dimensions for the flags that spectators can carry inside the stadiums:

• Banner / Flag – 2 x 1.5 meters official countries' flags and banners with participating clubs' emblems made of low-flammable materials;
• Flexible plastic poles – no longer than 1 m and no more than 1 cm in diameter.

Prohibited Items For Spectators

These are the list of items not allowed inside the stadiums:

• Mounts for photo and video equipment, including tripods, monopods and selfie sticks.
• Masks, helmets and other items that conceal a person's face, with the exception of national and religious attire.
• Corsets and body protection equipment, such as bullet-proof vests or martial arts equipment.
• Paper rolls, such as toilet paper and kitchen roll.
• Umbrellas
• Narcotic, psychotropic, toxic substances and their precursors, including in the form of medicine
• Professional recording or transmitting devices
• Materials discriminating against a country, person or group based on race; colour of skin; ethnic, national or social background and wealth; birth; age; gender; disability; language; religion; political opinion; or any other grounds.
• Work tools, such as hammers and screwdrivers.
• Glass containers and bottles, aerosol cylinders, flasks, liquids in containers larger than 100 ml.
• Food and beverages (including those containing alcohol)
• Any animals, except assistance and emotional support dogs.
• Sports equipment, including bicycles, roller skates/blades, skateboards, scooters, balls, and frisbees.
• Radio and high-frequency devices
• Television and telecommunication equipment.
• Advertising materials or promotional objects of any kind
• Flags and banners larger than 2m x 1.5 m, other than official country flags, and those with symbols related to football clubs.
• Matches and lighters.
• Toxic, radioactive, caustic or corrosive materials. Poisonous, noxious or pungent substances. Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides.
• Moving aircraft or models, such as gliders, drones, and kites.
• Electronic, mechanical or manual instruments producing noise (including vuvuzelas) that are larger than 120cm.
• Devices - including megaphones - that may interfere with technical equipment, such as lasers or lights.
• Large objects exceeding 75 cm in length, width, or height, including baby strollers/prams.
• Any quantities of powder.
• Explosives, detonators, and items containing them. Flammable and pyrotechnic substances & items.
• Weapons of any type, including for self-defense; ammunition of guns; and piercing items or knives.
• Materials (including self-made items) that can generate smoke or flames.
• Medical drugs not more than 1 packet of up to 7 different medications.
• Poles for flags or posters. Only flexible plastic poles and two-piece poles no longer than 1m and no more than 1cm in diameter may be used, as long as they are not flammable.
• Colouring substances/dyes.
• Any items that outwardly resemble any prohibited items or are copies of equivalents thereof.

Source:

Fan Entertainment Areas

Both venues will have their own Fan Entertainment Areas to welcome fans to the stadiums. There will be family-friendly activities, entertainment as well as a host of food and beverage options.

The timings are as follows:

Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium

• Wednesday 11 December, 5:30 PM
• Saturday 14 December, 2:00 PM

Khalifa International Stadium

• Tuesday 17 December, 2:30 PM
• Wednesday 18 December, 5:30 PM
• Saturday 21 December, 2:30 PM

FIFA Club World Cup™ Fan Zone

The FREE entry fan zone located at the Doha Sports Park is open for everyone. It is open every day from Monday 9 December to Saturday 21 December, from 2 pm to 12 am.

To get there, fans can easily take the Doha Metro and board the shuttle from Al Qassar Station to the Fan Zone.

Aside from international musical acts and performers who will be performing live in the venue, there will also be lots of food and beverage options. Matches scheduled at 20:30 will also be screened at the venue!

Find more details about the Fan Zone as well as the schedules in our FIFA Club World Cup Fan Zone guide.

FIFA Club World Cup™ Match Schedule

In case you missed it, here's the schedule of matches from December 11 to 21, 2019.

To know more, click here to read our article, All You Need To Know About the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019!

(Sources: FIFA, Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, Qatar News Agency)

Where are you watching the FIFA Club World Cup matches? Who do you think will win the tournament?

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