Dubai’s first football-themed hotel where fans can base themselves for the duration of the 2022 Qatar World Cup and be shuttled in and out of Doha for the day will open in November.
NH Dubai on the western side of The Palm Jumeirah will become a hotspot for supporters heading to Qatar to take in the biggest sporting event staged in the region.
Demand for hotel rooms from international football fans planning to stay in the UAE has surged in recent weeks, as the sporting showpiece edges closer to its November 21 kick-off.
The Football Fans Dubai Experience, hosted by the Expat Sport tourism agency, will offer a package of flights from Dubai to Qatar, airport transfers and accommodation at the new NH Dubai The Palm.
Separate hospitality packages will include match tickets.
“This is a completely new addition to the Dubai hospitality landscape," said Sue Holt, executive director of Expat Sport, the exclusive sales agent of official match day hospitality.
"We are collaborating with the official partners of the Fifa World Cup to make this is a unique and immersive experience for our guests.
“As a specialist sports tour operator, we fully understand the travel needs of football supporters, which can be quite specific compared to general holidaymakers.
“There will be international fans who are coming to this region for the first time, so being in a relaxed environment with other like-minded individuals in a stunning location on The Palm should make this an enjoyable and unforgettable holiday.”
Doha day trips planned
During the month-long tournament, NH Dubai The Palm, which is due to open in early November, will be transformed from a modern, 533-room hotel into a hotbed of football fever.
Hotel guests will have access to sports challenges and competitions throughout the tournament, while the hotel’s sports bar will be transformed into a fan zone.
Supporters flying to Doha on a day trip and staying at the hotel will receive welcome packs, tickets and discounts to other designated fan zones around the city to watch games.
Shuttle buses will be laid on so fans can watch other matches at official fan zones around the city at Dubai Harbour, the Coca-Cola Arena and Football Park at DIFC.
Expat Sport is offering a four-night stay for $1,290 (Dh4,700), $2,580 (Dh9,400) for eight nights and a 12-night package for $3,870 (Dh14,200), all of which include twin or double-room accommodation.
Travel and hotel packages are aimed at those already with a match ticket sourced through the Fifa lottery or elsewhere.
The hospitality packages start at $950 (Dh3,500) for a group match and includes stadium parking, food and drink. The most expensive hospitality package is a seat in the Pearl Lounge at $4,950 (Dh18,000) per person for a group match. It includes a six-course meal, entertainment, cocktails and a dedicated concierge service.
A stadium suite can be hired for $22,450 (Dh82,450) for a private dining experience.
Since Expat Sport offered deals to the International Sports Travel Agencies Association, 150 packages have already been snapped up in the UK.
World Cup ticket applications close on August 16
Demand is also expected to flow in from the US, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, the Netherlands and Canada. who qualified for a World Cup finals for only the second time — 2022 will be the country's first for 36 years.
So far, 1.8 million tournament tickets have already been sold, with the final window for applications closing on August 16.
Tickets for the first World Cup held in the Middle East will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis with an online queuing system in place for those hoping to buy.
Fans are limited to buying a maximum of six tickets per match and a maximum of 60 for the tournament to deter bulk-buying by touts who look to resell admissions on the black market for inflated fees.
Supporters have been warned that buying tickets outside of official selling agents could invalidate their purchase, leading to their match tickets being cancelled.
More information on World Cup tickets can be found at FIFA.com.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Company Profile
Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
Initial investment: $150,000
Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Meydan racecard:
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 (PA) Group 1 | US$75,000 (Dirt) | 2,200 metres
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas (TB) Listed | $250,000 (D) | 1,600m
7.40pm: Meydan Classic Trial (TB) Conditions | $100,000 (Turf) | 1,400m
8.15pm: Al Shindagha Sprint (TB) Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,200m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (D) | 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,000m
10pm: Handicap (TB) | $135,000 (T) | 1,600m
The Africa Institute 101
Housed on the same site as the original Africa Hall, which first hosted an Arab-African Symposium in 1976, the newly renovated building will be home to a think tank and postgraduate studies hub (it will offer master’s and PhD programmes). The centre will focus on both the historical and contemporary links between Africa and the Gulf, and will serve as a meeting place for conferences, symposia, lectures, film screenings, plays, musical performances and more. In fact, today it is hosting a symposium – 5-plus-1: Rethinking Abstraction that will look at the six decades of Frank Bowling’s career, as well as those of his contemporaries that invested social, cultural and personal meaning into abstraction.
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
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
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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.
Chatham House Rule
A mark of Chatham House’s influence 100 years on since its founding, was Moscow’s formal declaration last month that it was an “undesirable
organisation”.
The depth of knowledge and academics that it drew on
following the Ukraine invasion had broadcast Mr Putin’s chicanery.
The institute is more used to accommodating world leaders,
with Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher among those helping it provide
authoritative commentary on world events.
Chatham House was formally founded as the Royal Institute of
International Affairs following the peace conferences of World War One. Its
founder, Lionel Curtis, wanted a more scientific examination of international affairs
with a transparent exchange of information and ideas.
That arena of debate and analysis was enhanced by the “Chatham
House Rule” states that the contents of any meeting can be discussed outside Chatham
House but no mention can be made identifying individuals who commented.
This has enabled some candid exchanges on difficult subjects
allowing a greater degree of free speech from high-ranking figures.
These meetings are highly valued, so much so that
ambassadors reported them in secret diplomatic cables that – when they were
revealed in the Wikileaks reporting – were thus found to have broken the rule. However,
most speeches are held on the record.
Its research and debate has offered fresh ideas to
policymakers enabling them to more coherently address troubling issues from climate
change to health and food security.
