According to Aidan Bell, a ten-year-old who was selected to line up with England prior to their quarterfinal match against France at Al Bayt Stadium, it was an amazing experience. For Aidan’s father, George, it was mind-blowing.
“Words can’t do justice to how proud that made me. Watching the national anthem at a World Cup quarter-final and seeing Aidan there – it was unbelievable,” said George the dad of Aidan Bell, an accountant who has lived in Qatar since 2017.
He continued:
“The accessibility at this World Cup is absolutely amazing. From the moment you arrive, everything is brilliant – the parking, the security, the volunteers – everyone is so helpful. Everything is very clearly signposted and the facilities are very good. Aidan loves coming to games – this is his third so far – and we are having a great time.”
Ahmed Al Bahar, a Kuwaiti, was one of the fans who praised the tournament’s organization. Prior to kickoff, the latter was selected to represent France on the field, and he praised the tournament’s accessibility features.
Ahmed declared,
“This is the number one experience of my life. It was a dream. On the pitch, I couldn’t believe I was there. It’s like you’re somewhere else. It’s amazing.”
He went on to say:
“This is one of the best experiences I’ve had with accessibility. Everyone was so helpful when I got to the stadium. The entrance is beautiful, and there are a lot of restrooms, which is important for fans with disabilities. I would like to express my gratitude to everyone involved in organizing this event, which has been absolutely fantastic, and the seating”.
The most accessible FIFA World Cup in history was successfully delivered by FIFA and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC).
The tournament had five kinds of accessible tickets, sensory rooms, audio descriptive commentary in Arabic and English for blind and partially sighted fans, mobility assistance services in the last mile and inside the stadiums, and facilities to make sure that all fans were safe and comfortable.
The Accessibility Forum, which was established by the SC in 2016 and saw disabled fans contribute to the creation of facilities and projects to ensure that this FIFA
World Cup catered to all segments of society, supported tournament preparations.
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Khalid Al Naama, Executive Director, Community Engagement & Commercial Development, said: “From the very start, our goal was to host the most accessible FIFA World Cup in history – and we are beyond proud to see our plans being delivered successfully.
“The feedback we have received from members of the accessibility community has been excellent and we are happy that our commitment in this area is helping to drive the accessibility agenda in Qatar and across the region. We are sure this will prove to be one of the enduring legacies of the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world.”
Hala Ousta, Senior Diversity & Accessibility Manager, FIFA, said:
“Accessibility and inclusivity have been key principles of delivering the tournament. They have been embedded across different strategies and can be seen at all eight stadiums – including infrastructure, accessible parking, five types of accessible seating, accessible toilets and sensory rooms.
“Our accessibility work is complemented by an exclusive programme of randomly selecting fans, getting them to enjoy the pre-match ceremony on the pitch and lining up alongside the players and officials. It is something to celebrate the most accessible tournament we’ve had to-date.”
