DOHA – Qatar received just over 765,000 visitors during the first two weeks of the World Cup, according to an organisers’ report obtained by Reuters – falling short of the country’s expectations for an influx of 1.2 million during the month-long event.

A huge surge in visitors at this stage is unlikely with only eight teams staying on in Doha, and eight games left out of the 64 in the tournament that began on Nov 20.

Organisers had previously identified the peak period for international visitors to be Nov 24-28 during the group stage, when the 32 teams were playing four matches every day.

The Dec 7 report was prepared by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), which organises the tournament.

It said that the first 17 days of the World Cup saw 765,859 international visitors, more than half of whom have now left.

The report registered 1.33 million match ticketholders and 3.09 million tickets sold across the eight stadiums in Qatar for the tournament which ends on Dec 18.

A Qatari official, who did not wish to be named, confirmed the figures.

The SC did not respond to Reuters’ requests for comment.

The tournament in Qatar, the first in the Middle East, is considered one of the most expensive in terms of tickets, hotels and alcohol, the sale of which is restricted.

Fewer international visitors than originally forecast led to an unexpected glut of accommodation but has also averted major over-crowding or traffic headaches.

Qatar is the smallest host by both population and area.

The influx of visitors represents a 25 per cent boost to the country’s resident population of 3 million, of which only about 10-12 per cent are Qataris.

“With over a week of competition still to go, a wave of new visitors has started arriving from the nations that made it to the quarter-finals,” the Qatari official told Reuters.

More visitors are expected to flock to Qatar for popular matches after the country lifted entry restrictions for nationals and residents of fellow Gulf states.

Cumulative stadium attendance at the first 52 matches was 2.65 million, the document said.

Previously, world football’s governing body Fifa said that stadium attendance in Qatar had surpassed attendance during a corresponding period at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

On Tuesday, hundreds of Moroccan fans flew in on special flights arranged ahead of their team’s victory over Spain.

Similar fights are expected to allow last-minute fans to fly in to watch their teams advance through the tournament’s final three rounds.

Visitors to Qatar must obtain a Hayya identification card ahead of travel as it doubles as a mandatory entry visa during the tournament.

On Tuesday, Qatar dropped this requirement for Gulf Cooperation Council countries. REUTERS