Qatar to make World Cup 'as affordable as possible' for all

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 organisers will make the event “as affordable as possible for everyone”, an official has said.“We have always been committed to offering every fan who wants to come the opportunity to enjoy an affordable World Cup,” FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC CEO Nasser al-Khater told ‘SunSport’ while speaking on concerns over accommodation costs in Qatar during the World Cup for travelling fans.“We’ve learned from previous tournaments. We know there have been price hikes in previous tournaments to take advantage of the fans who have bought tickets,” he said. “That’s something we have always been determined to avoid.“I completely understand the concern when fans see these prices, but we will make this World Cup as affordable as possible for everyone.”Fans with tickets can book their accommodation through a portal (https://www.qatar2022.qa/book) launched by the organisers. It offers a number of options covering different categories of hotels, apartments & villas, fan villages and two cruise ships with around 4,000 cabins that can accommodate more than 8,000 fans. “It’s important that that fans visit our accommodation portal once they have booked their tickets,” al-Khater said. “There will be other ways for them to book their accommodation, but if they want the cheapest options, this is where they find them.”Meanwhile, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) stressed its commitment to ensuring good preparation in terms of the accommodation of FIFA World Cup 2022 fans, through the official platform it launched specifically for that purpose, the official Qatar News Agency reported.The platform includes almost 80% of the available options during the competition.A statement from the SC released on Thursday said available rooms for World Cup guests will reach 130,000, which shows that accommodation will be readily available to fans. The statement said Qatar expects to host a million fans during the competition.The cost of accommodation in some apartments does not exceed $80 per night, while booking some rooms in the luxury floating hotels, which include restaurants and provide many recreational activities, costs about $180 a night.Floating hotels will be one of the special options available during the World Cup. The SC recently signed an agreement with MSC Cruises to rent two cruises, with a total capacity of 4,000 cabins. The statement also said the SC signed an agreement with Accor, the biggest hospitality operator in Europe, to provide 10,000 employees who will operate more than a million nights of stay in 60,000 apartments and villas during the competition.Al Khater assured football fans looking to travel to Qatar that there will be plenty of suitable options that fit all needs. He stressed the commitment to provide affordable accommodation options that guarantee all fans who travel to Qatar to enjoy the Middle East’s first World Cup can do so.