How do you entertain 3.4 million football fans... when the football is not on?

When FIFA engaged Catapult to reimagine the fan experience across all 8 stadiums at the World Cup Qatar 22, we had to create a series of unforgettable experiences. A First for the World Cup, Fanzones had never taken place at a World Cup tournament before Q22.

We discovered each of the 8 stadiums had its own cultural and architectural backdrop that we could draw inspiration from, plus, football already has more than enough atmosphere, excitement and fun baked into it. So we knew that if we could create interactive and compelling installations, reflecting the heritage of every stadium, they would each become a destination in itself pre and post-match.

The aesthetic of each stadium and of Qatar itself provided an inspirational canvas for 8 unique experiences. With each site telling its own personal story, we depicted cultural patterns and tapestries. We revealed a Qatari garb representing life’s journey, we created a stunning installation that mimicked the Persian Gulf waters in silhouette. 

56 individual installations were created. But visual appearance was only part of it. This was nothing if not a show. We combined live performers, DJs, installations with work from local artists and vendors to ensure that local culture and tastes were fully to the fore. Fans danced together at the DJ booths, embodying FIFA’s mantra that “Football unites the world”. And the VIP entrances went from grey concrete to lushly carpeted, picture-perfect foyers ready for Royalty. 

The installations became the backdrops for media, live streams and millions of Instagram moments. It’s safe to say selfies were taken.