Private jet companies in Dubai are doing a roaring trade from hopeful England football fans confident their team will make it all the way to the World Cup final in Doha on December 18.
Luxury charters have been in demand from supporters in Dubai looking to fly in and out during the month-long tournament that kicks off on November 20.
ME Jets, a company operating from Dubai World Central, is providing a luxury experience for families, groups and individuals hoping to travel to Qatar in style.
At €1,750 (Dh6,500), the experience is not cheap, but that has not dissuaded fans gripped by World Cup fever from snapping up seats, despite the availability of commercial flights for about a third of the price.
I’ve committed to a private jet for each of the group games and the last 16 knock-outs. It will be expensive but worth it, I’m sure
David Mold,
England fan
It is supporters of the England team who appear most confident of making it all the way to the final, with bookings for the 64-seat passenger VIP aircraft on December 18 mostly taken up by fans of the Three Lions.
“We have sold out the whole flight for the final, which is great, and three quarters for the flight for the semi-final,” said Amy Spicer, managing partner at ME Jets.
“Most of these bookings have come from English fans, which I was fairly surprised about in case England don’t get to the final.
“We feel the price would suit the mid-range of individuals unable to afford or wanting to pay for an exclusive private jet, but who are willing to pay slightly more for the nicer experience.
“By going from the private terminal, it will be much quicker, too.
“It seems that a lot of people would like to go to the World Cup final for the experience, regardless of if their country gets through or not.”
ME Jets has secured a Boeing 737, a 64-business-class-seat private aircraft, a 16-seater Global 6000 jet and an eight-seat Hawker 750 for same-day return flights during the World Cup.
Daily flights will depart from the private Jetex FBO terminal at DWC.
Passengers can check in at a private terminal at the Dubai South airport and have access to a separate departure lounge
So far, most of the bookings have come in groups of 15 or more.
Ms Spicer said England’s match against the US was proving the most popular group game, with half the flights sold already.
More convenient
Thomas Mold, a financial trader in Dubai, will be flying to Doha to watch England play the US with his father David and friend Luke Wilson.
“We all went together to the Russia World Cup, which was a great experience,” said Mr Mold, originally from Essex, who has lived in the UAE for eight years.
“Because of the hotel situation, either not being enough rooms or too expensive, it made sense to hop on a plane and come back.
“There is a big group of us. Of the 63 people or so, I know at least 20 people on there.
“The best thing is no waiting around at the airport, it is much more convenient, as it is so close. It’s great to have a World Cup on our doorstep.”
The ME Jets flight will leave four hours before every kick-off and return three hours after the end of each match. Passengers need to arrive at the departure terminal half an hour before the flight is due to leave.
Mr Mold applied for tickets via the Fifa ballot and will join other England fans on board the private charter for match against the US at Al Bayt Stadium on Wednesday, November 25.
Although he doesn’t yet have tickets for other matches, he is hoping to join fans for the latter stages of the tournament.
His dad, meanwhile, has tickets for all three England group matches and will travel by private jet for each.
“I’ll be based in Dubai with my son for as long as England are in the tournament and will aim to fly in for each of the games,” said David Mold, a West Ham United fan.
“I’ve been to every tournament with England since 1990 in Italy, so I couldn’t miss Qatar.
“I’ve committed to a private jet for each of the group games and the last 16 knockouts. It will be expensive but worth it, I’m sure.”
High demand for flights
With commercial flights to Doha already being booked up despite a top-up in schedules to cope with demand, those who can afford it are looking at an even more private travel option.
Travel data from industry specialists Sojern showed flight bookings to Qatar during the tournament from across the Middle East have increased by more than 4,000 per cent since the start of 2022.
Demand is also high in Europe, where a spike of 400 per cent since January has been recorded, with similar numbers from Asia, Australasia and the Americas.
Jetex, another private jet operator out of Dubai World Central, has also seen surging demand for World Cup charters.
“Passengers clearly want the convenience of flying into Qatar, attending matches and then returning to Dubai afterwards,” said Oleg Kafarov, director of corporate communications at Jetex.
It will cost Dh240,000 to charter a private Jetex aircraft from Dubai to Doha for up to 10 passengers.
This includes the use of all facilities, including a private lounge at the Jetex VIP terminal.
Private aircraft available include Falcon, Bombardier and Lear jets, depending on the configuration and seats required.
“Passengers can choose what time they want to fly and return — usually they would need to be at the terminal at least 15 minutes before departure, so it is pretty flexible,” said Mr Kafarov.
“We don’t expect passengers to have much baggage, so we expect it to be very easy.
“Demand is likely to increase for the semi-final and final, and we want to ensure we can manage the expectation of passengers, as there is a lot of interest.”
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Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
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The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Racecard
6pm: The Pointe - Conditions (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m
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7.10pm: The View at the Palm - Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Retirement funds heavily invested in equities at a risky time
Pension funds in growing economies in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East have a sharply higher percentage of assets parked in stocks, just at a time when trade tensions threaten to derail markets.
Retirement money managers in 14 geographies now allocate 40 per cent of their assets to equities, an 8 percentage-point climb over the past five years, according to a Mercer survey released last week that canvassed government, corporate and mandatory pension funds with almost $5 trillion in assets under management. That compares with about 25 per cent for pension funds in Europe.
The escalating trade spat between the US and China has heightened fears that stocks are ripe for a downturn. With tensions mounting and outcomes driven more by politics than economics, the S&P 500 Index will be on course for a “full-scale bear market” without Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts, Citigroup’s global macro strategy team said earlier this week.
The increased allocation to equities by growth-market pension funds has come at the expense of fixed-income investments, which declined 11 percentage points over the five years, according to the survey.
Hong Kong funds have the highest exposure to equities at 66 per cent, although that’s been relatively stable over the period. Japan’s equity allocation jumped 13 percentage points while South Korea’s increased 8 percentage points.
The money managers are also directing a higher portion of their funds to assets outside of their home countries. On average, foreign stocks now account for 49 per cent of respondents’ equity investments, 4 percentage points higher than five years ago, while foreign fixed-income exposure climbed 7 percentage points to 23 per cent. Funds in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan are among those seeking greater diversification in stocks and fixed income.
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Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
