Saudi Arabia will offer multiple-entry visas to fans at the Qatar World Cup as neighbouring Gulf countries look to reap benefits from the competition.
People with a Hayya Card, which is reserved for ticket-holders and used to access Qatar during the tournament, will be able to apply for the electronic visas, the foreign ministry said.
The move comes as Qatar, which has a population of 2.8 million, tries to accommodate an expected 1.2 million visitors during the 20 November to 18 December World Cup, and as Saudi Arabia ramps up efforts to attract tourists.
"Holders of the visa will be able to enter and exit the Kingdom several times during the validity of their visa," the ministry said on Twitter.
Deeply conservative Saudi Arabia largely cut itself off from visitors for decades until it started issuing tourist visas in 2019, part of attempts to diversify its oil-reliant economy.
The Gulf power shares a land border with gas-rich Qatar, which is hosting the first World Cup in the Middle East and the first held in winter months.
The Saudi visas will be in effect 10 days before the start of the World Cup and will be valid for 60 days.
Human rights issues remain as Saudi Arabia seeks to integrate itself within sport and grow tourism, with accusations of "sportswashing" by the nation to change its perception, via boxing, Formula 1, golf and soccer, among other sports.
The United States has raised "significant concerns" over a 34-year prison sentence imposed on women's rights activist Salma al-Shehab earlier this month in Saudi Arabia.
"We have raised our significant concerns with Saudi authorities," State Department spokesman Ned Price said of the sentence given to the Saudi woman for following and retweeting dissidents and activists on Twitter.
"We have made the point to them that freedom of expression is a universal human right to which all people are entitled," Mr Price said, adding that it should "never be criminalised or punished."
Airlines are expected to put on more than 160 daily shuttle flights to bring fans on day-trips for matches to Qatar, with Saudi one of the nations which could benefit.
Qatari officials say more than 20,000 fans could arrive each day on shuttle flights from Gulf countries, some of which are offering special hotel packages.
Large numbers of Saudis will also flood across the border.
Saudi Arabia's Group C clash with Argentina is one of the most in-demand games, World Cup CEO Nasser al-Khater told the official Qatar News Agency in a Twitter interview late on Wednesday.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt cut ties with Doha in June 2017, accusing it of being close to Iran and supporting extremist groups, accusations which Qatar denied.
The diplomatic, trade and transport blockade was only lifted in January 2021.
