<div><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-402146" src="https://media.worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/2022/09/COVID-19-tests-World-Cup-1200x725.webp" alt="COVID-19 tests World Cup" width="1200" height="725" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></div>
<p>Travelers heading to <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/category/world-cup-2022/">the World Cup</a> in Qatar will have to show a negative <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2022/03/21/socceroos-coach-fined-for-breaching-covid-19-isolation/">COVID-19</a> test upon <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/how-to-travel-to-qatar-for-world-cup-2022/">entering the country</a>. This rule is in place for all people over the age of five, regardless of vaccination status.</p>
<p>The negative PCR test must also be taken no more than 48 hours before departure time. For fans using a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), a negative result can not be older than 24 hours before departure time. These negative test results have to be presented at the airport check-in counters in Qatar.</p>
<p>Organizers of the tournament also claimed that these COVID-19 tests must be done at a medical center. RAT self-tests done at home will not be valid. Children under six will not have to take the tests.</p>
<p>Fans <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2022/09/28/hummel-makes-statement-with-world-cup-kits-for-denmark/">arriving in Qatar</a> for the World Cup will not have to quarantine for any period of time, regardless of vaccination status. However, anyone that tests positive for <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2022/03/09/covid-proves-to-be-el-dorado-for-matchfixers-expert/">COVID-19</a> will be ordered to isolate.</p>
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">We are pleased to announce that Covid-19 vaccination is no longer mandatory for the fans visiting this year’s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFA</a> World Cup. More details can be found below:<a href="https://t.co/J7EgLmdyup">https://t.co/J7EgLmdyup</a></p>
<p>See you in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Qatar2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Qatar2022</a> ! <a href="https://t.co/bLA7Dyy1o7">pic.twitter.com/bLA7Dyy1o7</a></p>
<p>— Qatar Embassy – Switzerland (@QatarEmb_Bern) <a href="https://twitter.com/QatarEmb_Bern/status/1575483056672370688?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2022</a></p></blockquote></div>
<p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<h3>COVID-19 tests ahead of the World Cup</h3>
<p>Visitors will not have to take any COVID-19 tests once they arrive to the country. Also, Qatar currently does not require travelers to take a test prior to departing the airport. Nevertheless, many countries have different rules on the issue. Travelers should check their destination country to make sure of the guidelines.</p>
<p>Masks must also be worn in public transportation in Qatar. This includes the subway system in Doha that many fans will use to get around town and to the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/qatar-world-cup-2022-stadiums/">stadiums in the area</a>.</p>
<p>According to a <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/region/qatar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> by Johns Hopkins University, Qatar has had nearly 450,000 positive cases of COVID-19. The Middle Eastern country currently has a population of nearly 2.9 million people. The study also claimed that over 97% of Qatar’s inhabitants have received at least one dose of the vaccine. Data suggested that many people inside the country have had multiple doses.</p>
<p><em>PHOTO: IMAGO / Action Pictures</em></p>


Qatar affirms COVID-19 tests requirements ahead of World Cup

Qatar reaffirmed its stance that, in order to enter the country for the World Cup, travelers must have proof of negative COVID-19 tests.

Qatar affirms COVID-19 tests requirements ahead of World Cup - World Soccer Talk

<div id="attachment_363501" style="width: 1210px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><div><figure class="image"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-363501" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-363501 size-full" src="https://media.worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/2021/12/usa-women-2021-attendance-1200x751.webp" alt="" width="1200" height="751" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-363501" class="wp-caption-text">Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images</p></div>
<p>This year brought many things to celebrate for the US Men’s National Team. The same cannot be said for the US Women’s National Team.</p>
<p>On one hand, the men’s side pulled in its highest audience in recent years while lifting the CONCACAF Nations League and Gold Cup. Contrarily, the USWNT failed to even reach the gold medal game at the Olympics for the second consecutive Games. Additionally, the attendance at home left much to be desired.</p>
<p>Some of the factors that led to the poor attendance were outside of their control. For example, repeated use of the same venues took away some of the grandeur. Similarly, COVID-19 restrictions on capacity limited attendance numbers, especially early in the year.</p>
<p>However, failing to win the gold medal in Tokyo prevented the USWNT from being going on a <a href="https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2019/08/victory-tour-2019-uswnt-vs-portugal-preview-roster-schedule-tv-channels-start-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">long victory tour</a>. That is something they did after lifting the Women’s World Cup in 2015 and 2019.</p>
<p>Here’s how the USWNT attendance in 2021 panned out.</p>
<h3>USWNT attendance in 2021</h3>
<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow">
<th>Date</th>
<th>Competition</th>
<th>Opponent</th>
<th>Stadium</th>
<th>City</th>
<th>Attendance</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>January 18</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Colombia</td>
<td>Exploria Stadium</td>
<td>Orlando, FL</td>
<td>2,042</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>January 22</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Colombia</td>
<td>Exploria Stadium</td>
<td>Orlando, FL</td>
<td>3,202</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>February 18</td>
<td>She Believes Cup</td>
<td>Canada</td>
<td>Exploria Stadium</td>
<td>Orlando, FL</td>
<td>3,104</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>February 21</td>
<td>She Believes Cup</td>
<td>Brazil</td>
<td>Exploria Stadium</td>
<td>Orlando, FL</td>
<td>4,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>February 24</td>
<td>She Believes Cup</td>
<td>Argentina</td>
<td>Exploria Stadium</td>
<td>Orlando, FL</td>
<td>3,702</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>June 10</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Portugal</td>
<td>BBVA Stadium</td>
<td>Houston, TX</td>
<td>9,951</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>June 13</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Jamaica</td>
<td>BBVA Stadium</td>
<td>Houston, TX</td>
<td>8,737</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>June 16</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Nigeria</td>
<td>Q2 Stadium</td>
<td>Austin, TX</td>
<td>20,500</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>July 1</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Mexico</td>
<td>Pratt and Whitney Stadium</td>
<td>East Hartford, CT</td>
<td>21,637</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>July 5</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Mexico</td>
<td>Pratt and Whitney Stadium</td>
<td>East Hartford, CT</td>
<td>27,758</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>September 16</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Paraguay</td>
<td>FirstEnergy Stadium</td>
<td>Cleveland, OH</td>
<td>14,117</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>September 21</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Paraguay</td>
<td>TQL Stadium</td>
<td>Cincinnati, OH</td>
<td>22,515</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>October 21</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>South Korea</td>
<td>Children’s Mercy Park</td>
<td>Kansas City, KS</td>
<td>18,467</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>October 26</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>South Korea</td>
<td>Allianz Field</td>
<td>Saint Paul, MN</td>
<td>18,115</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>TOTAL: 177,847</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td>AVERAGE: 12,703</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The 14-game average of 12,703 for the USWNT in 2021 marks their lowest average attendance since 2014 when they drew 10,791 through 15 games. That average represents a 13% drop from 2020 when the four-time World Cup Winners averaged 14,559. The USWNT attendance in 2020 benefitted from eight home games prior to COVID shutdowns. Moreover, the USWNT attendance in 2021 shows a drop of an eye-popping 49% from 2019. That year, the World Cup Winners pulled 25,122 per game. That was also the last year with a full slate of home games.</p>
<h5>Standout numbers</h5>
<p>One of the biggest things that stands out is first seven games of the year all drawing fewer than 10,000 fans per game. The reason is probably two-fold. First, similar to the Gold Cup group stage for the MNT this year, multiple games being played in the same stadium over the course of a few days is usually going to hurt the attendance for several of those games. Furthermore, games that were played in January and February were still subject to COVID capacity restrictions. And, as mentioned earlier, the lack of a gold medal victory tour in the late summer and early fall caused US Soccer to miss out on</p>
<p>Despite the overall depressing tone of the attendance for the USWNT this year, there were still one or two bright spots. Selling out the brand new Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas was certainly a positive as was drawing a large crowd for the first international game at the brand new TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio. With qualification for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia set to take place in July of 2022, hopes are high that bigger crowds will come back to see the USWNT play in meaningful matches.</p>


USWNT attendance in 2021 dips due to COVID, lack of success

USWNT attendance in 2021 did not benefit from COVID restrictions. A relative lack of success for the World Champions hampered that as well.

USWNT attendance in 2021 dips due to COVID, lack of success - World Soccer Talk

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