September 7 – FIFA has released plans for its new-look World Cup fan park – FIFA Fan Festival – that will rolled at Qatar 2022 in Al Bidda Park, Doha, and in 2023 at venues across Australia and New Zealand.
Renamed (from Fan Fest to Fan Festival) and “reimagined”, the fan park will feature music, entertainment, local culture, food, games and “lifestyle trends”, alongside screening of the matches live.
“To support our mission to make football truly global, accessible and inclusive, we are thrilled to introduce a new vision for the entertainment experience surrounding future FIFA World Cup events,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“We are truly excited about the future of the FIFA Fan Festival and the enhanced entertainment offerings that will bring fans and partners alike closer to both men’s and women’s FIFA World Cups, as well as global football culture.”
FIFA is also launching licensing model that will allow partners and brands to stage satellite International FIFA Fan Festivals worldwide, drawing on the format of the host country Fan Festivals.
“There will be something for everyone at the Qatar 2022 FIFA Fan Festival at Al Bidda Park. With the stunning West Bay skyline as a backdrop, fans will enjoy live matches, a host of musical and cultural performances, and a vast range of food and beverage options,” said Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) Secretary General and FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC Chairman, Hassan Al Thawadi.
The Fan Festival in Al Bidda Park will be open for the 29 days of the tournament. Al Thawadi said it will be the centrepiece of the first World Cup to be held in the Middle East and Arab world and fans can expect a warm welcome.
Having debuted in Qatar, the FIFA Fan Festival will then roll on to the Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023, where it will appear at all nine host cities across Australia (Adelaide/Tarntanya, Brisbane/Meaanjin, Melbourne/Naarm, Perth/Boorloo and Sydney/Gadigal) and Aotearoa New Zealand (Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, Dunedin/Ōtepoti, Hamilton/Kirikiriroa and Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara).
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