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With the kickoff of the opening game of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, scheduled between Ecuador and Qatar at Al Bayt Stadium on November 20, 2022, the Doha Corniche area will transform into the biggest theatre area in the world for live entertainment. The event’s entertainment festivities come to an end with the final game as scheduled on December 18.
What is the Corniche Really?
The Corniche will offer a secure atmosphere for visitors as of this month’s (November) first, since traffic from neighboring streets has also been redirected to maintain the area’s accessibility and comfort. To ensure a secure atmosphere for traffic and pedestrians in the Corniche region, the dock, or other roads on the Corniche Road, traffic will be shifted away from the main Corniche area. The crossroads of Sheraton, Ras Bu Aboud, Al Marmar, Meena, Sword Arch, Barzan, Al Diwan and Al Maha will be detoured from.
Public access to the Corniche and parks, as well as the areas where there were a lot of pedestrians, were subject to some limitations. E – bikes, scooters, and bicycles are prohibited; however, ships and boats may operate, provided they are outside the coastal protected area. The boat owners will receive instructions. The Souq Waqif, the Al Bidda, the Al Shouyoukh Mosque, parking lots across from Al Rayyan Street, next to Al Istiqlal Street, as well as all the parking lots inside the diversion area, are examples of the unavailable parking sites.
The most significant and necessary tourism destinations in Qatar are Central Doha and Corniche Street. These places have received a lot of attention from the organizations hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 to highlight their importance as tourism and cultural hotspots. The places have also been designed to promote healthy living and preserve the environment.
The Central Doha and Corniche Beautification Project aims to preserve the Qatari identity prior to the State of Qatar’s guests at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 by establishing pedestrian connections between the external and internal pedestrian areas, discovering new user-friendly areas, and restoring the archaeological sites.
Beautification of Qatar
Besides carrying out rejuvenation works for the major Roads, residential, and environmental preservation, the beautification of Central Doha and Corniche Street aims to make the area vibrant enough by giving the priority to people and pedestrians, encouraging healthy lifestyles, and reducing the reliance on vehicles.
Lighting poles in the style of palm fronds have been placed along the shoreline to depict Qatari culture. To make it easier for people to traverse around Al Corniche and the surrounding regions, walking footbridges and plazas have been built. These have been embellished with sculptures and works of art.
The project’s activities included the upkeep and cultivation of numerous trees and scenery with the goal of improving the quality of life and the landscape in the area, as well as lowering the temperatures and fostering a good environment within the residential neighborhoods and important assembly points.
As part of the Corniche Entertainment Centre or Street Development and Beautification Project, various cafes as well as certain service facilities, including rest places with portable water coolers, prayer rooms, washing areas, and screens and monitors, are also provided.
In addition to enhancing the landscape, planting trees, and paving the roads with natural stones to reflect the intensity of the archaeological and historical significance of the area, pedestrian and bicycle paths had also been built to be a safe and healthy outlet for tourists to motivate them to practice sports.
Doha’s Corniche has been enhanced with the addition of 655 light poles in the city’s core and 1,440 light poles in the shape of palm fronds to complement the beach’s swaying palm trees.
Major Cultural Events
Giant screens that stream football matches in various parts of Doha and around the nation, fan areas, music festivals, cultural events, and a variety of local festivals from all over the world are just a few of the major events that take place in the Corniche area. The entertainment performances along the Corniche are the most significant activities that Qatar will experience during the competition, creating a charming and unique carnival atmosphere along a 6-kilometer stretch from the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel to MIA Park.
When fans arrive in Doha to take part in the biggest sports event in the world, they will enjoy amazing experiences. Over 90 unique events are scheduled to be staged as part of the entertainment package throughout the tournament.
Additionally, there will be musical performances, cultural events, food and drink stands, and shopping. During the busiest times, up to 120,000 people are anticipated to visit the region.
Near the eight stadiums where the competitions of the international event will take place, spectators attending the tournament schedule will also enjoy a wide variety of entertainment performances. The program will feature almost 6,000 performances at 21 different venues. Numerous art genres are included on the roster of events, including art exhibitions, heritage, and handicraft displays, fashion presentations, theatrical performances, music, and cinema screenings.
Fan Festival
At the FIFA Fan Festival, which will take place in Al Bidda Park on the Doha Corniche, World Cup games will be shown on enormous screens alongside notable shows and performances, cultural events, several events and activities put on by the game sponsors, and also foodservice stands.
The first FIFA Fan Festival is scheduled to begin on Nov 20, 2022, along with the launch of fan areas in Al Khor City, the Industrial Area, as well as other locations to be announced shortly. These zones will have the capacity to accommodate close to 40,000 guests.
One of the most well-known tourist destinations during the competition is the 974 Beach Club, which is close to Stadium 974.
The Club will host a bundle of different events, musical performances, and retail establishments with a target audience of about 10,000 guests. Additionally, Lusail Downtown, which is close to Lusail Stadium, will showcase prestigious street art performances for about 50,000 people daily.