The World Football Cup is a tournament that takes place every four years and brings together qualified nations from every continent to compete and entertain football fans around the globe. This year, Qatar will play home to this prestigious event, which will take place from Nov. 21 through Dec. 18, 2022. Accommodation is an important part of attending this event and whether you’ve sought a hotel or an Airbnb, neither of them provide available spaces. So what do you do if you need to find accommodation during the World Cup? Here is a quick guide on where to stay during the World Cup in Qatar.
Firstly, event attendance will not be limited to football fans, the 28-day football competition, is expecting 1.2 million tourists. The event is facing a lack of accommodations with just under 30,000 hotel rooms in Qatar, according to Qatar Tourism and 80 percent of these rooms already reserved for FIFA players, referees, media, and other official guests, according to Omar Al-Jaber, head of lodging at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy according to DMarge.
Bedouin-style tents
One possibility is that Qatar may be building 1000 tents in “Bedouin-style” for football fans who want to travel there for the World Cup. In addition to “a true flavor of Qatari camping,” Al-Jaber promised that they would, “provide fans the opportunity to live in a desert.” Al-Jaber also revealed that 200 of the 1000 tents will be incredibly opulent and magnificent, but DMarge claims that these tents would have an “expensive” nightly charge.
Staying in neighboring countries
In towns like Muscat (Oman), Dubai (UAE), Abu Dhabi (UAE), and Dammam (Saudi Arabia), there are many from which to pick. You can fly into Qatar for the games and conveniently stay in a nearby country. Hotels in any of these mentioned cities offer reasonably simple cross-border travel. Staying in hotels in nearby nations has a lot of benefits too with cost being more reasonable.
Fan villages
There are currently three places for the fan communities outside of Qatar. This is the most economical choice for visitors to Qatar for the World Cup, costing $208 per night according to Doha News. This type of accommodation might either have two twin beds or one full bed. Remember that this is a far cry from the luxury that Qatar has developed in Doha or its surrounding nations. In essence, it serves as a location to rest and prepare for the day. With the exception of location, every fan village is essentially the same. There is free WiFi, two bottles of water each day, a twice-weekly housekeeping service, and relatively easy access to Doha via metro according to Doha News.
Cruise Ships
This is an intriguing choice because two MSC Cruises cruise ships will be docked at Doha’s Grand Terminal, which is located just outside the city’s core. It makes events and transportation to the stadiums accessible. Currently, a night on any of the two cruise ships costs $180 per night on the MSC Poesia and $350 per night on the MSC World Europa. The World Europa is still being built as of May 2022, making the Qatar World Cup supporters residing there some of the ship’s first residents according to Goal. It would just be similar to taking a cruise holiday to stay on a cruise ship during the World Cup in Qatar. Aboard, there are dining and beverage options as well as entertainment alternatives. As is typical on cruise ships, the accommodations are very compact.
Apartments& Villas
Additionally, there are apartments and villas that, in a way, ensure that you’ll feel at home while visiting Qatar. They are private areas, complete with a kitchen, bathroom, and regular rooms to enjoy privacy after spending all day enjoying football. Alternatively, you can help fellow guests and visit hayya.qatar2022.qa and select “Host Family and Friends.” Before you can validate your QID via text there, you must input your QID number and birthdate according to Time Out. After your ID has been verified, you must give your property address, which must include the zone, street, building, and unit number, as well as clarify whether you are the owner or renter of the property.
If you’re planning to stay in Qatar or even a neighboring country, you will surely enjoy some football while exploring the splendor of Qatar. This is due to Qatar’s unique ability to combine tradition and modernity, which is uncommon elsewhere in the world. Qatar honors its history while also providing visitors with a diverse society.