By Modupe Gbadeyanka
About 5,300 contactless-enabled payment terminals have been installed by Visa at official venues of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The payment facilities will enable contactless purchases throughout all official venues, including eight stadiums and the FIFA Fan Festival for more than one million fans expected to travel to Qatar for the tournament, which commences on Sunday, November 20.
Visa, the official payment technology partner of FIFA, said in a statement that the payment innovations, including instantly-issued prepaid cards with animated card art, which supports facial biometric payments, will make the Mundial the most payment-enabled FIFA tournament ever.
The FIFA World Cup provides a global stage for Visa to showcase and test new technologies, enhance the fan experience and leave a lasting impression on the host country. Visa will bring a number of digital payment solutions to Qatar, including several limited pilots to demonstrate how future Visa payment solutions may come to life:
Earlier this month, Visa unveiled Visa Masters of Movement, a first-of-its-kind hybrid experience featuring an interactive pitch at the FIFA Fan Festival in Doha, where fans will be able to create digital art inspired by their own signature movements. Eligible fans will have the option to mint this digital art into their own NFT in partnership with Crypto.com.
“As FIFA’s long-standing partner, Visa wants to give football fans from around the world the best way to pay in Qatar while experiencing exciting new innovations such as the fusion of art, football and technology at Visa’s Masters of Movement venue.
“With thousands of contactless payment terminals, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 promises to be the most payment-enabled FIFA tournament ever for the more than one million fans coming to enjoy the magic of football,” the Senior Vice President and Group Country Manager for GCC at Visa, Dr Saeeda Jaffar, said.
Pay with Your Face
Marking the first time it will be used for payments in Qatar, facial recognition technology is a collaboration between Qatar National Bank (QNB) and POP ID and is supported by Visa via tokenization.
The solution allows customers to authenticate payments using just their face, without a physical card or mobile phone after initial enrollment. It will be piloted at three Flat White Specialty Coffee branches.
Card Art Gets Animated
As consumers become more accustomed to getting things instantaneously, Visa is piloting a digital card issuance solution for limited cardholders in Doha. After simply scanning a QR code, a digital prepaid card will be instantly issued and can be added to a mobile wallet.
The digital card will feature animated card art, with the official mascot La’eeb, demonstrating a future in which consumers could bring greater personalization and even digital animation to their Visa cards.
Accepting Payments Gets Simpler for SMBs
In partnership with three Qatar-based banks, the Visa Tap to Phone solution is now available to merchants in Qatar who want to fast-track their ability to accept digital payments in advance of the expected tourist influx. Visa Tap to Phone makes it easier for merchants to use their Android NFC-enabled devices they already own to accept contactless payments—simply by downloading an app.
Tap to Ride Around Doha
Keeping traffic flowing smoothly during FIFA World Cup has been a top priority, and Visa, in partnership with Qatar’s Ministry of Transport, is enabling contactless payment acceptance on taxis, so fans and Qatari residents will be able to pay for their trips with their Visa card or smartphone, making paying for their journeys in and around Doha faster and more convenient.
Dipo Olowookere