The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), the Ministry of Culture and Sports (MCS) and Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA) are joining forces to launch a 2018 FIFA World Cup™ fan zone at Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena this summer.

Set to open from Thursday 14 June until Sunday 15 July, the Qatar Fan Zone will be one of the key highlights of the fifth Qatar Summer Festival (QSF) and give people a taste of the atmosphere they can expect when Qatar hosts the next edition of the FIFA World Cup™ in 2022.

Held in one of the country's landmark multi-purpose indoor sports venues, the fan zone will screen live matches from the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ while offering visitors family-friendly entertainment, delicious food and numerous football-related activities.

The fan zone will showcase Qatar's passion for football and give visitors an opportunity to experience the excitement of a FIFA World Cup™ four years before the biggest event in sport is held on these shores.

Nasser Al Khater, the SC's Assistant Secretary General for Tournament Affairs, is confident the fan zone will prove a huge success.

Al Khater said: "We're looking forward to partnering with the MCS and QTA to deliver the fan zone, building on the successful open-air and cooled fan zone we organised during the 2014 edition of the tournament. We are confident that this fan zone will also prove a huge success, while giving visitors a taste of what to expect in 2022."

Abdulrahman Musallam Al Dosari, Adviser to H.E. the Minister of Culture and Sports, said: "We are delighted to be partnering with the SC and QTA to capitalise on Qatar's hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup™ to organise this fan zone, which forms parts of our efforts to enhance the culture of sports in the country. The fan zone also offers the people of Qatar an opportunity to enjoy the festivities and excitement of the World Cup in a family-friendly environment suitable for all."

Rashed AlQurese, Chief Marketing and Promotion Officer at QTA, commented: "QTA is always looking for new ways to energise the tourism economy during the summer season. The overlap of the World Cup with QSF this year is an exciting opportunity for the festival to extend its offering beyond retail, hospitality and entertainment to include sports."

QSF forms part of QTA's strategy to enrich and diversify the country's tourism offering, particularly in the area of family and urban entertainment. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of partners in both the public and private sector, it has grown since its first edition in 2014 to become the longest-running event in Qatar's growing calendar of annual festivals and events.

AlQurese added: "Our partnership with the SC and MCS for this fan zone, in advance of the tournament coming to Qatar in 2022, will allow us to shed a spotlight on our sports tourism offering and is just one example of the cross-sectoral work we do to create unique and authentic experiences in Qatar."

Built to host the 2015 World Men's Handball Championship, Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena has become a sporting hub in Doha, and is the home of Al Sadd Sports Club. Located in the city's centre, the arena stands out for its dynamic, oval-shaped exterior, and can hold 7,700 spectators.