Fans, who are eagerly waiting for the Amir Cup final, on Saturday received welcome news that they would be allowed to attend the showdown of Qatar’s most popular football tournament.
The Amir Cup final is scheduled to be held on May 14 at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, with the Local Organising Committee (LOC) announcing that a limited number of spectators will attend the title-deciding match.
It is a good decision by the LOC considering the facts that the coronavirus cases from the second wave are beginning to dip and strict COVID-19 protocols will be in place for the highly-anticipated match.
Only fully vaccinated people and those who have recovered from COVID-19 are eligible to buy tickets while no spectators below the age of 16 are allowed for the game. Vaccinated individuals must have received their second shot no later than 30th of April 2021, while those who have been infected with COVID-19 must have recovered in a period of time from 14th of November 2020 to 24th of April 2021.
Besides these conditions, fans will have to follow standard precautionary measures to stop the spread of coronavirus like wearing masks, adhering to social distancing and sit in the allocated seats. Fans will also have to show their Ehteraz application upon entering the stadium and will have their temperature checked. The measures announced by the LOC are the best possible steps that could be taken to ensure health and safety of all stakeholders, while organising a blockbuster final which was not possible sans spectators.
The Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani himself hands the Amir Cup to the winning team and it is a dream of every captain to lift the coveted trophy. The May 14 clash will be the second Amir Cup final to be held in the last five months as the 2020 finale was played at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium – the fourth FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 tournament venue to be inaugurated by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy. Al Sadd won the title after a thrilling 2-1 win over Al Arabi.
The finalists of this year’s edition will be decided after the semi-finals, which are scheduled to take place on May 9 and 10. Defending champions Al Sadd and Al Arabi will square off in the first semifinal on May 9 while Al Duhail and Al Rayyan will play the second semi-final the following day. The presence of top-notch clubs of Qatar in the semi-finals and with spectators allowed for the final, stage is set for an exciting week of football action and a blockbuster final.
