Vancouver: HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to Canada, Tariq Ali Faraj Al Ansari, affirmed that the Qatari diplomatic mission is fully prepared to provide extensive support to the Qatari national football team and fans traveling to Vancouver for the FIFA 2026 World Cup match against Canada. The match, scheduled for Friday morning (Qatar time), is part of the second round of Group B matches.
According to Qatar News Agency, His Excellency highlighted the embassy's continuous efforts to ensure a seamless experience for Qatari fans. The primary objective is to facilitate a smooth arrival in Vancouver and offer full support to the national team for the crucial upcoming match. Extensive coordination was undertaken to streamline entry procedures for both official delegations and Qatari fans, involving high-level discussions with the Canadian Minister of Immigration and the Minister of the Interior in Ottawa. These meetings aimed to ensure the smooth entry of Qatari fans and to address any procedural challenges.
The ambassador mentioned that all necessary facilities have been arranged for fans arriving via dedicated flights and those entering through land borders from the US via Seattle. Direct communication lines have been established with local authorities in Vancouver to ensure the smooth movement of fans within the city.
In terms of fieldwork and consular services, His Excellency shared that the embassy has taken proactive measures to ensure fan comfort. A team was sent to Vancouver two weeks prior for on-the-ground preparations, with HE the Ambassador present to oversee operations. The embassy has also opened permanent communication channels with the Qatar Football Association to coordinate fan-related procedures.
Highlighting Qatar's involvement in the organizational and security teams for the 2026 World Cup, His Excellency expressed pride in being the only country to provide direct security support for the tournament. This support benefits from Qatar's experience in organizing the FIFA World Cup 2022. The Qatari Ministry of Interior and the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) are contributing highly trained personnel and advanced equipment, with their duties spanning the entire tournament duration.
His Excellency expressed pride in the national team's historic performance, achieving its first-ever World Cup point in a 1-1 draw against Switzerland. He conveyed optimism about the team's potential to achieve a satisfactory result against Canada.
Concluding the interview, HE Ambassador praised the Qatar Football Association's initiative, funded by the Social and Sport Contribution Fund (Daam), to secure the presence of a thousand fans supporting the national team at the World Cup. He believes that the fans' presence will motivate the players to perform at their best.