A view of state-of-the-art Khalifa Stadium which will play host to Emir Cup final between Al Rayyan and Al Sadd on Friday.
A packed house at the refurbished Khalifa International Stadium is expected to witness this Friday's Emir Cup final between Al Sadd and Al Rayyan.
Ticket sales for the much-awaited title-clash started yesterday with organisers urging fans to purchase the tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment later on.
“The interest of fans to buy their tickets started as soon as we released ticket sales, which reflects the keenness of the public to buy their tickets early, especially as the match will be held at the Khalifa International Stadium," Hassan Al Kuwari, Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the Organising Committee, said yesterday.
The Khalifa International Stadium is Qatar's iconic sports venue, having hosted international matches and the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2006 Asian Games.
“Selling tickets in more than one mall serves our goal which is to give the largest possible number of fans the opportunity to enjoy the Emir Cup final in the stadium this weekend,” Al Kuwari added.
“We are pleased to announce that Khalifa International Stadium will host the final of the 2017 Emir Cup between Al Rayyan and Al Sadd on Friday evening,” QFA President Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani said.
“This historic venue is close to Qatari hearts, and has seen some of Qatar’s biggest sporting occasions over the years since 1976.
"It is therefore a fitting venue for the biggest match of Qatar’s football calendar, and we look forward to welcoming fans into the magnificent remodelled stadium. The venue will also host the opening game and Final of the Gulf Cup this December in Doha,” he said.
The stadium will be inaugurated at 6:30pm on May 19, exactly half an hour before the clash.
Meanwhile, both Al Sadd and Al Rayyan are offering a display of top-notch football in the final following their convincing performances throughout the tournament.
Al Rayyan defeated the reigning Qatar Stars League (QSL) champions Lekhwiya in the first semi-final while Al Sadd prevailed over El Jaish 2-0 to confirm their place in the final.
For the highly-anticipated game, the organisers initiated the tickets sales with prices starting from QR30.
Fans can purchase the from Souq Waqif until the game day.
According to the organisers, football fans eager to watch the final could also go for last-minute purchase by approaching the ticket kiosks outside the stadium.
Besides, the Qatar Football Association (QFA) has planned to put match tickets for sale at convenient spots across the country so that fans could have an easy time securing their seats at the final, officials said.
The organisers expect a packed house for the final that will also be televised on national TV channels with coverage starting a couple of hours before the kick-off time.
