The final feast of the World Cup in Qatar is about to kick off at 00:00 this Monday (21st) with the arrival of Hong Kong time. The organizing committee predicts that as many as 1.2 million foreign fans will flock to Qatar during the big event. Despite the Chinese national team's failure to qualify for this year's World Cup, the enthusiasm of Chinese fans has not waned, as they snapped up more than 8,000 tickets, making them one of the largest groups of fans on the ground.
Data from Ctrip, China's top travel platform, shows that during the World Cup period from Nov. 20 to Dec. 18, the number of flights booked from China to Qatar surged 28 times compared to 2021, according to Ctrip. As of Nov. 17, the number of travelers from China to the UAE and Qatar has also increased 26 times compared to the same period last year, with many of them coming to experience the World Cup's frenzied atmosphere and the glamour of watching the matches live.
Recently, Qatar's ambassador to China, Mohammed Abdullah, revealed that Chinese fans have snapped up more than 8,000 World Cup tickets. This news proves once again that even if the Chinese team fails to participate, the enthusiasm of domestic fans remains high. Up to 80% of these Chinese fans come from the country's first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
