Presenting new features for football fans ahead of the FIFA World Cup™
We are all excited about the FIFA World Cup™ this year, especially since it’s being held in our region for the first time. This is why we were keen on helping people make the most out of the experience by offering new features to stay up-to-date with the tournament, discover local businesses and get more insights from matches, so they can continue to enjoy this global event whether they’re following virtually or the over 1.2 million people expected to attend in person in Qatar. So let me tell you more about what we’re doing this year!
Follow tournaments, athletes and teams on Google Search:
When you search for the “World Cup” on Google, you can now click on the bell in the top-right hand corner to receive notifications about your favorite matches, teams or players. If you’re using Android, you can pin the scores on your screen to keep up with matches while on the go.
If you’re a sports enthusiast, you will be able to follow in-depth match stats to assess the performance of each team individually. Moreover, you will be able to track win probability and changes, including important moments during matches.
Search provides football fans with in-depth information about any match including the win probability measure
To feel the sense of community that comes with sports, you will be able to rate players based on how you think they performed, and see how that rating stands up against the others. There will also be a multiplayer online game where you along with others from around the world will work together to help your favorite chosen team score the highest number of goals to win after each real-life match.
A snippet of how the interactive scoring game works
Finding exciting content from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ on YouTube and Google Search
World Cup fans around the globe can catch up on and rewatch the most exciting moments of every game on YouTube via the FIFA channel and official broadcasters channels. As some matches are aired at times that may not suit everybody’s schedule, you can find match highlights and video recaps from FIFA+ and official broadcasters including beIN SPORTS linked in Google Search after every game.
You can also find exclusive Shorts and long-form content for this year’s World Cup from creators including gaming creators AboFlah and Rima, sports creator Amr Nassouhy (Saba7o Korah), and lifestyle creator Noor Stars. Additionally, fans at home can join in the excitement by following #ShortsFIFAWorldCup and create their own reactions on top of FIFA's historic archive on YouTube utilizing the Shorts Remix feature.
Watching the matches with convenience, inside and outside Qatar
You can find the best and most convenient places to watch the World Cup across the Middle East and North Africa region by typing “Where to watch the world cup near me” on Search. It’s important to highlight that business owners should review their local rules about showing sporting events to the public before applying the new attribute. Those interested in adding the information to their business profile can follow guidance available on the Google Business Profile Help Page.
To help over a million visitors expected to land in Qatar, Google Maps now offers more detailed information about transit systems and road closures. Additional information on roads, footpaths across central Doha and points of interest in Qatar have also been added to Google Maps.
Enjoy this football season with so many ‘goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaals’ scored by your favorite team!
