From immersive AR experiences to the latest content from Snap Stars and unmissable football highlights, here’s how you can tap into Snapchat’s fan engagement dimensions

The highly-anticipated football tournaments just kicked off, and Snapchat has revealed a bevy of fan-engaging AR-inspired experiences for its community to enjoy. From immersive on-ground experiences in Qatar to partnering with MENA creatives to craft new AR lenses for the games to immersive challenges and curating content from the region’s biggest broadcasters, football fans from across the world can experience the games and celebrate memorable moments with their families and friends through Snapchat’s in-app features this football season.

AR is giving fans new, previously unimaginable ways to be part of the football experience, here’s what Snapchatters can expect!

MENA AR developers create for a global audience

Snapchat has partnered with four MENA AR developers – Mohamad El Asmar from Oman, Maha Aldosary and friends Ibrahim Boona and Fahad Mutlaq from Saudi Arabia – to create a series of AR lenses set to go live during the exciting days leading to the games, throughout the celebratory month and after the world’s biggest sports event.

Now live on Snapchat, Mohamad’s lens has added an artistic touch to the countdown representing fans’ captivation with all things football. Maha’s anticipation lens embodies the competitive nature of sports through a miniature football game in which fans can challenge their friends. While brothers Ibrahim and Fahad’s lens captures the excitement of the games, and depicts the electric atmosphere in the stadiums.

Don’t miss the chance to try out the lenses for yourself by scanning the Snapcodes below, and stay tuned for their new drops throughout the games!

Snapcodes

The Doha Corniche comes alive through AR

Using Snap’s AR technology, Qatar Tourism has created several AR experiences for tourists to try out and enjoy at Al Dafna Park. Visitors can show their groove and snap their photos at the Giant AR Mirror located at the popular Doha Corniche. By creating an augmented frenzy of celebration, swirls, zigzags and footballs, the lens will start animating using Snap’s body tracking technology, allowing guests to download and save the memory by simply scanning the QR code on the screen.

Through another immersive AR experience, Snapchatters at Al Dafna Park will be transported to a magical night sky filled with stars that transform into a falcon, whale shark and oryx, thanks to Snap’s Sky Segmentation technology. As the constellations are discovered and illuminated, the animals come to life to represent air, sea and land, inviting guests to ‘Feel more wonder in Qatar’.

Show off your football skills with the Ooredoo FIFA World Cup challenge

Are you up for a challenge? Snapchat is calling out all fans to show off their football skills through the Ooredoo interactive AR game.

• Keepy Uppy – using AR body tracking, Snapchatters can put their juggling skills to the test as they juggle an AR ball using only their head and knees. Keep the ball in the air to score points, let the ball hit the ground and the game is over!
• Ball Balance – Snapchattters will be challenged to balance an AR ball on their head for as long as they can. This challenge tests your ability to maintain focus. Balls were designed to roll so you have got to keep it still. How long can you keep the ball balanced on your head?
• Table Top – Using world view AR, players must score as many goals as they can in 45 seconds. In this final challenge, Snapchatters put their tactical skills to test against an AI opponent. Lead your team to victory with powerful offensive and defensive plays. Every goal counts so go all out until the final whistle!

Challenge your friends and family to beat your high score and see who takes top spot on the global leader board!

Snapcode

The biggest in the game! Snap Stars to follow during the games

• Specialized in local and international leagues, Jordanian sports personality and sports analyst Mohammed Adnan (@mohdadnan23) is at the heart of the action in Doha. With 675K subscribers, the Snap Star is providing fans with his expert analysis on the teams participating through his popular Snapchat account.
• Saudi Snap Star Khaled Al Olyan (@k-1555) will bring football lovers the latest content around the iconic stadiums as well as the different areas designed to host fans from across the world. Not only is Khaled the most followed sports Snap Star in the region, he is also a member of the Sports Media Federation, and is certified by FIFA.
• Another one you’d want to follow is Abdulla Al Ghafri (qqq). Those on the lookout for the latest initiatives rolled out by FIFA and Qatar Football Association can look no further than the Snap Star’s account. Join Abdulla’s 745K subscribers to be amongst the first to get the updates.
• Saudi journalist and TV Spot Personality, Waleed Swoad (rabanalsafena) is another must follow Snap Star. Through his profile, football fans can catch the latest news around the highly-anticipated Qatar World Cup preparations.
• Famous for his unique travel content, Jordanian Snap Star Nael Abualteen (naelabualteen), also known as ‘Nael around the world’, is promising football lovers’ exclusive content around each of the team’s fan associations.
• And finally, Saudi adventurer Fahad Alyahya (r.fahadalyahya) is making his way to Qatar by bicycle to witness the historic games. No stranger to long routes, Fahed embarked on a similar journey to Russia in 2018 to experience the World Cup after travelling 5,140 kilometres in 75 days.

Show your support for your national World Cup team through creative AR lenses

Snapchatters will also be able to celebrate the FIFA World Cup and support their team virtually through Snapchat’s AR lenses. Share with your friends like never before with an all new set of Lenses that overlay your team’s colours and badges on your face. The National Team Lenses are now available on the teams’ public Snap profiles and you can also try them by scanning the lenses below.

Snapcodes

Introducing new tech! Snapchat launches live football kit lenses

Leveraging Snap’s leading Augmented Reality ML technology, Snapchatters will be able to express their fandom by wearing official team jerseys that move as they do, making it seem as if they’re wearing the real thing! Official team kit try-on experiences will be available for Saudi Arabia and Qatar via the National teams’ Public Profiles on Snapchat.

Snapcodes

Snapchatters can watch the latest sports content and shows from Discover and Spotlight partners before, during and after the World Cup. Snap has partnered with leading MENA broadcasters such as beIN Sports, MBC, Saudi Broadcasting Authority (SBA) and Rotana to host football highlights and talk shows on Snapchat. Snapchatters can also subscribe to digital  publishers like Augustus for football news and updates. Popular regional creators Bander Halwani, Khaled Alalyan and Abdulaziz Alabdon will share Stories about trending football topics while Omar Farouk and Huda Sports will host lively fan-inspired conversations in the heart of Doha, allowing Snapchatters to experience the World Cup through their eyes.

With over 363 million people using Snapchat every day, a highly engaged Gen Z community talks about and watches sports and football on Snapchat daily, engaging with a range of content as well as creative and immersive AR experiences that bring football fans closer to the action. Among football fans, 83% use their phone while watching TV, with fans messaging their friends and engaging with content throughout the game. Other research shows that 55% of Snapchatters share sports-related topics, while 58% connect with sports-related content.