With less than 25 days to go before the FIFA World Cup 2022 kicks off in Qatar, fans looking to book last-minute accommodation deals can still get their hands on rooms onboard cruise ship hotels and in luxury hotels and fan villages.
Hotels
According to the tournament’s official website, there is still limited availability for hotel room bookings for the tournament’s early stages.
The Qatar Supreme Committee was responsible for the tournament infrastructure. The FIFA governing body had previously held back the rooms to prioritize teams, sponsors and their guests, royal guests, officials, and fans who had booked hospitality packages.
As the World Cup nears, several unallocated rooms are now being released.
In addition, more hotel rooms are expected to open in early October.
According to Al Arabiya English, Qatar is preparing to open three new five-star hotels as the country hosts over a million international football fans for the world’s largest football tournament.
The Wyndham Grand Doha West Bay Beach, a 278-room resort near Doha Corniche, and the St. Regis Marsa Arabia Island on the Pearl-Qatar, a resort spanning an entire island, are among them.
Downtown Doha, al-Sadd – a district just west of Doha’s old town – West Bay – home of Qatar’s iconic cityscape – and the high-end Pearl-Qatar area are all popular hotel booking destinations. Budget hotels start around $160 per night and go up to five-star hotels like the Hilton Salwa Beach Resort.
Cabin-style and casual camping options are available ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Fan villages are located on the outskirts of Doha but are still accessible by public transportation or rideshares. They offer a variety of on-site facilities and a number of food outlets serving a variety of cuisines.
Options include the Qetaifan Island Fan Camp, which is 7 kilometers from Lusail Stadium and costs $200 per night. It is made up of 1,800 tents, each with two single beds.
According to the website, campers receive free admission to the adjacent Qetai-Fan Beach Festival, which serves “international beverages and offers 50 dining options and a supermarket.” The fan village will also host “various artists and international DJs” for live concerts during the festival.
The Fan Village Cabins Free Zone – six kilometers from the airport – also offers a choice of a double or twin en-suite bedroom, sleeping up to two people, from $200 a night.
For a more upmarket offering, Fan Village Al Khor – about 40 minutes from Doha – offers outdoor camping for fans in style reminiscent of a traditional Qatari tent for about $420 a night.
Serviced apartments and villas
The tournament’s official website said there are still Airbnb-style serviced apartments and villas to rent, with one to six-bedroom properties available. Prices start from about $200.
Cruise ships
The MSC Poesia and the MSC World Europa will be permanently moored at Doha’s Grand Terminal, just 10 minutes by shuttle to the heart of Doha, Souq Waqif. Both cruise ship hotels offer various cabin options, from traditional and ocean-view cabins to cabin balconies and luxurious suites. Each cruise ship hotel offers multiple dining possibilities and an entertainment program for all ages.
Fans to stay in neighboring countries
About 1.2 million fans, roughly half the population of Qatar, are expected to descend upon the country during the event, but providing sufficient rooms for visiting fans, teams, and tournament staff has been a key challenge for Qatar. Organizers have tried everything from cruise ships and desert camps to help ease the accommodation squeeze. Many fans are expected to choose to stay in Dubai, where there are about five times as many hotel rooms.