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The number of England fans in Doha will be ramped up for the quarter-final against France as the Qatari government has relaxed visa rules for those without tickets.
Relaxations of the Hayya card system coincide with empty seat concerns at some last 16 matches and will appeal to expat Brits trying to snag a seat at the last minute. The confrontation between England and France was described by sources close to the Qatari government as the “hottest ticket in town”.
Ticket resale websites are already selling them on the black market for over £350.
However, Ashley Brown of the Football Supporters’ Association said many England fans are still resisting the temptation to fly away at this stage. “I think the quarter-final numbers will only rise slightly from Round 16,” he said of those coming straight from the UK. “Most traveling fans will hold out for the semi-finals or finals.”
In total, around 3,500 fans who have traveled from England can be expected at Al Bayt Stadium, but the number is significantly increased by local fans and expats supporting England.
Qatar’s interior ministry ruled on Friday for the first time that fans should now be able to enter Qatar without a ticket, in a shake-up over temporary entry restrictions.
However, visitors will still need to apply for a Hayya Card, with proof of hotel accommodation and a fee of around £100. FIFA said in a statement midway through the group stage that official figures show average overall match attendance was 94 per cent.
However, at the less well-attended matches, such as Spain’s opening match, there have been reports of organizers letting some locals in for free at half-time.
More tickets would have been made available in advance of the event, as it turned out that the broadcasters would need less space than expected.
One issue for fans seems to be cost, with studies showing this tournament is 40 percent more expensive for match tickets compared to Russia 2018.
Commuting from Dubai is popular with English fans due to the emirate’s looser rules on alcohol and partying.
Sources close to the confirmed tickets for the tournament will continue to be available directly from FIFA.
Scenes between fans were largely peaceful, although there were reports of minor altercations between supporters during Sunday’s 3-0 win against Senegal.
Overall, however, the conduct was impeccable, with British Police Chief Mark Roberts reporting no arrests.
The absence of alcohol in stadiums is believed to have been a factor in improving behaviour. Some fans have complained about issues related to the FIFA apps, but many had to queue for hours in the sweltering heat while technical issues were resolved.