Qatar to require World Cup 2022 fans to be vaccinated

The country says it wants to secure one million doses to ensure supporters have access to a vaccine

Construction workers at Qatar's Lusail Stadium, about 20 kilometres north of the capital Doha. AFP

Fans travelling to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup will need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to attend games.

Prime Minister Sheikh Khalid Al Thani said the country wanted to secure one million vaccine doses to inoculate fans.

The announcement comes as sports organisers wrestle with how to safely allow spectators back to attend competitions.

The pandemic delayed and continues to overshadow the Olympic Games in Tokyo, with thousands of volunteers pulling out and athletes expressing concerns about travelling to the competition.

Qatar has recorded 585 deaths and 220,800 cases during the pandemic – at one time leading the world in terms of cases per capita.

The nation said the Middle East's first World Cup, due to start on November 21, 2022, will go ahead.

"When the date of the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 comes, most countries of the world will have vaccinated and immunised their citizens," Sheikh Khalid was quoted as saying by state media on Sunday.

“Due to the possibility that some countries will not be able to vaccinate all their citizens, Qatar will not allow fans to enter stadiums without receiving a full vaccination against the virus.”

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He gave few details about how they would get vaccines for those who have not been able to secure doses beforehand, but said that “we are currently negotiating with a company to provide one million vaccine doses against the coronavirus for the immunisation of those coming to the Fifa World Cup Qatar.

“Our primary goal in vaccinating the unvaccinated is to protect the public health of citizens and residents.”

Fifa and Qatar World Cup organisers had no immediate comment expanding on the prime minister’s remarks.

Qatar’s build-up to the World Cup since winning the Fifa vote in 2010 has been dogged by concerns about human rights violations and the treatment of the migrant workforce building the infrastructure, including eight stadiums.

But in Norway on Sunday, an extraordinary congress of the country’s football federation voted against boycotting the World Cup if the national team qualifies.

Some top-division clubs in Norway, such as Rosenborg and Tromso, and grassroots organisations, were among those advocating a boycott.

The Norwegian Football Association had recommended against it, instead preferring to push for more measures to improve discriminatory laws and conditions for the migrant workers.

At the vote, 368 delegates voted against the boycott, while 121 were in favour.