DOHA: Over 15,000 people have attended the cooled, open-air Brazil 2014 Fan Zone, hosted by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) at Katara, to watch games across 10 nights from the round of 16 of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil through to the final.
The open-air Fan Zone was used by the SC to test the prototype cooling technology that will be utilised at the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.
The results from the tests have been incredibly positive, with temperatures on average 12 degrees Celsius lower inside the Fan Zone.
The data will be utilised by the SC’s technical team as part of its research and development to deliver the cooling technology that will create an amazing fan and player experience at the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.
The SC is working with a number of partners in Qatar including the Aspire Zone Foundation and Qatar University to develop the technology which, alongside being used in 2022, will leave a lasting legacy for the country and others with similar climatic conditions to be able to host major outdoor sporting events. Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy said, “The use of these cooling technologies in the Fan Zone will help us develop an understanding of how to create the perfect energy - efficient cooling system ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.”
The Secretary General added: “Our engineers will continue their research to perfect this system in order to deliver an amazing player and fan experience for the tournament in 2022. We are proud of the great atmosphere that our team has created at the Fan Zone and are delighted that so many people in Qatar have had the chance to join us.”
The thousands of fans at the Fan Zone have experienced not only the great football from Brazil on Qatar’s biggest panoramic HD television, but also a wide range of football-related activities including: a three-on-three sand pitch, an eleven-a-side foosball table, and the opportunity to take a penalty at Al Wakrah Stadium using virtual reality.
They have also been treated to some of the best entertainment from across Qatar and the region with the likes of Wonho Chung, Hamad Al-Amari and the LED show, Lights of Wonder. The Fan Zone also drew the attention of a number of VIPs including ambassadors from the USA, France, Germany, Ukraine, UK, Holland, Costa Rica, South Korea and Turkey joining fans to support their teams or simply experience the cooling technology first hand.
A number of Qatar Stars League players and ex-footballers also took this opportunity to learn more about the SC’s plans for 2022. One of the great successes of the Fan Zone was the launch of the SC’s volunteering programme, Club Amazing.
Over 300 volunteers from several countries helped to create an incredible atmosphere at the Fan Zone.THE PENINSULA
