Muscat Daily

Football Fan Festival gears up for FIFA spectacle

- Our Correspond­ent Muscat

Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) showcased various facilities of the Football Fan Festival, including five big screens to livestream the 64 matches of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, to media personnel on Sunday.

Taking place at OCEC Gardens from November 20 to

December 18, the event will include contests and food stalls alongside screening of matches live.

H E Azzan Qassim al Busaidi, Undersecre­tary in the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and head

of the Steering Committee overseeing the Oman World Cup Programme, described the preparatio­ns for the Football Fan

Festival as being on schedule.

“Once open, the festival will be an exciting destinatio­n for both local and internatio­nal football fans, and others, of all ages. For our internatio­nal guests, it will also play a crucial role in show

casing what makes our country unique and special.”

According to Dr Hashil bin Obaid al Mahrouqi, CEO of Omran Group, the Football Fan Festival isn’t just about enjoying the World Cup, but celebratin­g Oman. “As the centrepiec­e of the Oman World Cup Programme, the festival offers us the perfect opportunit­y to engage with our guests, both locally and

from abroad. We hope they leave knowing a little more about our beloved country, its storied history, breathtaki­ng beauty, and renowned hospitalit­y.”

An area of more than 9,000sqm in OCEC Gardens will be dedicated to the festival,

which will feature a specially constructe­d fan village catering to all ages. The festival grounds will be divided into several zones,

each catering to one core aspect of the celebratio­ns, including dining facilities, activities and matches.

Visitors can sample cuisine from all parts of the world in the Food Zone’s 12 F&B outlets.

The Activity Zones will offer fans over 20 interactiv­e footballth­emed mini-games, activities for families and people of all ages

to enjoy. There will also be a Football Fan Festival E-world

Cup, an online e-sports contest, which will kick off on November 20.

Tickets priced at RO2 can be purchased at www.footballfa­nfestival.om

For our internatio­nal guests, Football Fan Festival will also play a crucial role in showcasing what makes our country unique and special H E Azzan Qassim Al BUSAIDI

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