Qatar Foundation’s (QF) Education City Stadium concluded a total of eight matches on its pitch yesterday, with Brazil playing against Croatia, hosting over a quarter million football fans from all over the world.

In this exceptionally inclusive edition of the FIFA World Cup™ hosted in the Middle East for the first time, fans with varied abilities enjoyed attending the matches at Education City Stadium thanks to the accessibility services that were offered - from the sensory rooms, which hosted almost 35 fans over the eight matches, to the entertaining performances by artists with different abilities on the fan routes to the stadium, and the accessibility volunteers who ensured a seamless experience for all fans.

Out of the eight FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadiums, Education City Stadium was the only match host destination with dedicated accessibility volunteers. In each game, 1,000 volunteers were available to assist spectators, out of which about 15 were dedicated accessibility volunteers. QF experts trained a total of 247 accessibility volunteers to support differently-abled fans at the tournament as a whole.

Commenting on the fans’ experience inside the stadium’s sensory room, Alison Sarraf, Co-Founder of Sensory Souk and the Manager of the sensory room staffing, said: “The sensory room played a vital role in enabling people with additional needs to experience matches whilst being provided with the support that they needed. We have seen firsthand the positive outcomes of families using the sensory rooms and many who never thought that attending a world cup match would be possible together.

“The sensory room has provided support to first-time match goers and fans who thought that it would only be possible to watch from their living room. From the sensory equipment inside the room, sensory bags for viewing comfort and the solace of the room itself, we aim to identify how we can support our guests so that they can relax and have the best experience.”

From a spectator’s perspective, Hanaa Abu Amouna, a football fan who attended a few matches across Qatar’s World Cup stadiums, described her experience at the Ghana vs South Korea match at the Education City Stadium as “a whole different experience.”

“From the easy access to the stadium through the metro, to the amazing activations along the way to the stadium gates, to seeing the amazing atmosphere of Education City and its multiple attractions and destinations, to its inclusivity and how everyone - from all ages, abilities and backgrounds - were enjoying the same experience. No one was left out from enjoying the amazing vibe of the fans inside the stadium. The experience was just magnificent!”

On non-match days at Education City, live match screenings were offered at Oxygen Park for all members of the community and their families, with 19,000 spectators who enjoyed watching the live matches on the outdoor screens so far. Live match screenings will continue at Oxygen Park, including the screening of the semi-final and the final games.

The Education City Stadium saw a cumulative attendance of around 350,000 people across its eight FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ matches, with Morocco vs Spain match witnessing the highest attendance reaching 44,667 fans at this stadium, which will remain a high point for the QF community after the tournament is over.

And although the final whistle for this tournament at the Education City Stadium has been blown, the stadium will continue to serve members of the local, regional, and international community. In its legacy phase, the stadium will be a destination for students, with two QF schools moving into facilities within the stadium complex, a hub of women’s sports, and a space for learning for people of all ages and abilities.

Source and cover image credit: Press Release

Follow us on our social media channels: @ILQlive @ILQlive @ILoveQtr ILoveQatar

Tracy Quirino

Start a discussion