Dubai is rolling out the festivities to allow residents and visiting fans to catch and enjoy the Fifa World Cup in Qatar at buzzing hotspots including pop-ups, alfresco experiences, and several fan zones that will broadcast the games live.
Even as Dubai plays its role as a ‘gateway’ for World Cup fans travelling to Doha, a 30-minute flight from Dubai, the city’s hotels and airports are working in tandem with its football-themed fan zones, sports lounges, and family-friendly destinations to welcome sports enthusiasts, including many first-time visitors to the region.
Dubai Calendar, part of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism and the official listing platform for events in the city, has announced the highlights of football fan zones in Dubai. It invites all residents and visitors to celebrate this thrilling tournament, which begins on November 20 and runs until December 18, in varied destinations across the emirate.
Fun-filled fan zones
BudX Fifa Fan Festival at Dubai Harbour will be one of only six international flagship Fifa Fan Festivals worldwide. The others will be in London, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and Seoul. With a space large enough to host up to 10,000 people, the fan zone will screen all games on massive 330-sq-m screens equipped with 4D audio. Fans can also enjoy live performances, DJ sets, food and drink, games, and activities in between matches.
For a family-friendly atmosphere, Expo City Dubai will host one of the largest football fan zones in the city. This massive football-themed Fan City will be divided into two sections. A family-friendly space at Jubilee Park that can accommodate up to 10,000 guests will be open from 20 November. In addition, an elite experience at Al Wasl that can seat up to 2,500 guests will open on 3 December. As part of the festivities, Fan City will see exciting activities like tabletop games, penalty kick activations and face-painting for little ones, along with live sets by local DJs and food…