- Fans traveling from Istanbul may find the cheapest plane tickets* to Qatar.
- Al Rayyan is the best place to stay for those visiting Qatar solely for soccer — the city features three different stadiums.
- Doha features the most restaurants and activities in the country.
Before the Starting Whistle
The tournament in Qatar is here, but there’s still time to plan your itinerary if you’re looking to attend. This will be the first time the games have ever been held in the Middle East, and it’s also the first time it has ever taken place outside of May, June and July.
No need to pack a pocket translator if you don’t speak Arabic. Although that’s the official language, English is commonly used in Qatar as well. You may, however, want to pack for a warm visit. Temperatures for the earliest games are likely to be 78-82°F (26-28°C), and it might not get much cooler than 66-78°F (19-26°C).
But be careful showing too much skin. Qatar’s culture is more conservative than what you might be used to, and you’ll want to dress accordingly. Women: Cover your upper arms and cleavage, don’t wear leggings or torn pants, and save your bikini for designated swimming areas. If you need to visit any government buildings, wear a shayla (head covering). Men: wear pants or shorts long enough to cover your knees, and don’t wear anything with offensive images or writing.
Beyond what to bring along, even the most experienced travelers may be unfamiliar with Qatar and need a little more help planning their visit. That’s why we created this comprehensive guide for all you soccer fans with wanderlust. Keep reading for the best way to get to Qatar and make the most of your trip.
Fans Looking to Travel
Most trips start with an online search. To better understand the people hoping to visit Qatar this year, we looked at the number of searches for Qatar by city on Skyscanner in the past six months.
First of all, if you’re looking to attend any of the games this year, get those tickets before booking a flight to Qatar. Only those with tickets to a match and up to three of their friends or family members will be permitted into the country. To qualify for entry, you’ll also need to apply for a Hayya card, and so will those traveling with you.
Unsurprisingly, countries with the deepest interest in soccer were the homes of those most interested in making the trip. The United Kingdom took the top spot among countries and was also home to the top two cities most interested in being at the games. The country’s two teams headed to the tournament, England and Wales, will face each otheron November 29.
As expected, Spain and Germany — both home to recent victors — were also among the top five most interested countries.
Getting to Qatar
The first step of planning any trip is figuring out how to get there. We found the average price, duration and number of layovers for a flight to Qatar from many major cities.
Naturally, the cities closest to Qatar had the shortest flight times and fewest layovers. Flights from Cairo had the shortest duration at just under three hours, but that’s not to say that you can’t get nonstop flights from further away. Even fans from São Paulo can get a nonstop flight to Qatar, but it will take around 15 hours.
A flexible travel itinerary can help you find the lowest possible prices. Be sure to look at multiple airports, a wider range of travel dates, and book as soon as possible before demand starts to increase. And remember, you’re allowed to mix and match airlines — fares don’t have to be booked as returns. Look at flying out with one airline and back with another to save money.
Searching multiple airports in your area instead of just the closest one might also uncover a bargain. Different airports fly different routes, so going a little further to another airport could mean a more direct flight or lower prices. The same can be said for your destination. Flying to an airport further from the game, and then traveling to it via public transport or hired car, might reduce travel time and save money.
Likewise, be open to shifting the dates of your stay, and consider traveling at less convenient times (by taking a red-eye, for example). Searching flight prices for the whole month also helps you see the most affordable days to fly at a glance. Of course, you don’t want to miss the big game, but arriving a few days earlier or staying a bit longer can save you a ton (and give you more time to experience the host country).
During our search, prices for plane tickets to Qatar varied widely. The cheapest city to depart from was Istanbul, with a ticket to Qatar’s capital city of Doha costing about $547. But not everyone will find a price that low. Some tickets can cost thousands of dollars, but don’t let that deter you. There are plenty of ways to find much lower airfares, like flying into a neighboring country. Some airlines have announced they’ll offer free shuttle flights to get passengers from nearby countries to Qatar.
Lastly, don’t think it’s all over if you can’t book a flight right now. Setting up price alerts will ensure you’re the first to know when prices drop due to any additional discounts or an added supply. Just mark the flight or flights you’re interested in and receive an email alert when the price changes.
Finding the Right Place
After booking your flight, it’s time to find accommodation. Fortunately, this year’s festivities are concentrated in a pretty small area, with the longest distance between venues being only 72km. But if proximity to the matches is your top priority, check out this list of the closest hotels to each stadium.
Note: For these accommodations, you’ll need to book through the official website.
For those willing to sacrifice distance for other amenities, we ranked each of these cities on travel-related criteria to help you choose the best area for your stay.
To evaluate each city, we considered their distance from the airport, the number of soccer games they’re hosting as well as their restaurants, hotels and activities. Then, we compared the cities against one another to see which was best in each category.
To determine which city was the best in terms of soccer, we looked at each one’s number of stadiums, the capacity of each one and the number of games they’re hosting. With three different stadiums in the area and a total of 20 matches planned, Al Rayyan far exceeded any other city in this category.
As the capital city and the most populous one in the country, it’s no surprise that Doha ranked first for restaurants, hotels and activities. To evaluate these three metrics, we looked at the number of establishments there, along with their prices and customer ratings. While Doha’s restaurants had the most and the highest average ratings, the city also had the highest average price for a meal. Those looking for cheaper options might consider Al Khor.
No matter your priorities, you’ll find exceptional accommodation in the center of it all. Qatar will have serviced apartments, cruise ship hotels, and fan villages in addition to a broad selection of hotels for any budget. Just remember to book through the official website, and you’ll have plenty to keep you occupied between games in Qatar!
What to Do When You Aren’t Watching Soccer
Exploring a new city is always fun, but sometimes you just need someone to tell you exactly where to go. To find which spots travelers and locals recommend visiting, we analyzed nearly 500 listings on TripAdvisor for their ratings and prices. Here are the best things to eat and do in each city we researched:
If you love Middle Eastern or Arabic food, look no further than Doha or Al Wakrah. However, as we mentioned, you may find a cheaper meal in Al Wakrah. For a variety of global fare, head to Lusail or Al Khor, or visit Al Rayyan for great French cuisine.
Looking for a drink? The rules regarding alcohol may be different in Qatar from your home country. Drinking alcohol or being drunk in a public place can lead to punishments including jail time. But not to worry; non-Muslim residents and visitors over the age of 21 are allowed to partake in alcohol in bars, clubs and restaurants that have an alcohol license. Just don’t overdo it.
There’s much more to do in and around Qatar besides attending matches. Many popular destinations there are malls, which accounted for almost 1 in 10 of the nearby activities we found on TripAdvisor. If you want to collect some local treasures but malls aren’t your thing, you can also visit one of the country’s numerous flea or street markets.
For some relaxation, check out a local spa. These popular respites made up 14% of the best activities we found there, and a spa day will be a great way to recuperate after you enjoy Qatar’s many adrenaline-pumping attractions, like camel rides, sand boarding and dune bashing.
What will you do in Qatar?
There are plenty of reasons to go to Qatar any time of year. To stay near the center of all the action, focus your time in Al Rayyan. But for the best food, hotels and other activities, stop by Doha. The distances between these many host cities are short enough that you can enjoy the best of each one during your visit.
Methodology
We used numerous data sources to create a comprehensive travel guide. All flight information came from Skyscanner’s search and flight data. Information about hotels, restaurants and other activities came from Trip Advisor. And finally, data pertaining to the tournament and its stadiums came from the official site.
*Prices for economy return travel to Qatar were determined by a Skyscanner data search performed on October 5, 2022. Prices subject to change.
About Skyscanner
Skyscanner makes travel more affordable by offering you the ability to compare the best flights and travel bookings. Our easy-to-use platform and unbeatable prices has helped over 100 million travelers worldwide.
Fair Use Statement
If you know someone headed to Qatar this year, feel free to send them this guide. We just ask that you do so for non-commercial purposes and link them back to this article in doing so.
