Expect World Cup congestion, amid Qatar’s “challenging” four-game daily schedule, say organizers

DOHA: Officials are expecting congested roads during the World Cup and warn that managing four soccer games a day in Doha will be a challenge, tournament organizers said on Wednesday. A central innovation organizers promised for Qatar’s World Cup is that fans can take in multiple matches in a single day in the smallest country to host the global showpiece event, which kicks off on Nov. 20.

Qatar is expecting an unprecedented 1.2 million visitors during the month-long tournament, more than a third of the Gulf Arab state’s population of about 3 million. “Having four matches in a day is a challenge, in a city like Doha ... of course we are expecting to have congestion on the streets,” said Abdulaziz Ali Al-Mawlawi, mobility director at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, Qatar’s tournament organizers.

“Therefore, we are here today ... to give notices and warn fans to follow certain rules.” To reduce congestion, Al-Mawlawi urged fans to travel early to matches with multiple people in the same car. Additionally, Qatar has ordered schools to close and 80 percent of government employees to work from home.

It has banned certain vehicles from central Doha. Games will take place at eight stadiums all located within 40 kilometers of central Doha. During the first two weeks of the tournament there will be four matches each day, with kickoffs scheduled between 1300 and 2200 local time.