Al Janoub Stadium at Al Wakrah
Doha: With the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 approaching, CNN published a report highlighting the ongoing preparations that Qatar is making to host fans, as it predicts that over one million fans will travel to Doha over the duration of the World Cup.
And because housing is usually a challenge on such major occasions, CNN report mentions a number of options that Qatar will offer, including two luxury cruise ships, which will be moored at Doha's port for the entirety of the World Cup. Between them, they have nine pools, 3,898 cabins, and 10 fine dining options. Other facilities include a spa, tennis courts, and the world's largest dry slide at sea.
The ships are a 10-minute shuttle ride to the center of Doha. They should range from $605 to $2,779 per night -- though that's a snip compared to some of the other options available to ticketholders, considering it includes a buffet breakfast.
According to the report, Qatar aims to make 100,000-130,000 rooms available on any given night of the 28-day tournament.
There are already listings for ticketholders for one to six-bedroom apartments and villas, with prices for ticketholders ranging from $84 to $875 per night. Most are easily accessible by public transport and the villas are fully equipped with kitchens, washing machines, pools and gyms.
On top of official accommodation, it will provide a booking platform similar to Airbnb for residents to rent out their homes to traveling fans. By applying for a license from Qatar Tourism, residents or owners of buildings can also list their apartments on such portals.
Fan villages, cabin-style accomodations, come at a cost of $207 a night, and are dotted on the outskirts of Doha. Another option the report lists is the desert camping, Bedouin style, which is not yet available for booking but the head of accommodation at the Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC), Omar Al-Jaber is quoted as sayig that 1000 Bedouin style tents will be set up during the tournament. Around 200 of those will be classified as "luxury" and cost an "expensive" fee, providing an "authentic" experience for fans, Al-Jaber told Reuters, the report added.
Another spokesperson for SC told CNN that "Our objective has always been providing fair and reasonable pricing for visiting fans." "We work closely with key stakeholders to ensure affordable pricing across all types of accommodation, he added.
