The Guardian: “Uncertainty” hangs over the World Cup in Qatar
The British newspaper “The Guardian” reported that “uncertainty” hangs over the 2022 World Cup,
which will be hosted by Qatar, noting that there are many questions asked by followers that need
satisfactory answers.
The most frequently asked question remains, “How many fans will attend the tournament?”,
according to the newspaper, which said that the answer was “not definitive.”
She added, “It seems that the carnival of international football fans in the Gulf is unlikely… To date,
FIFA has sold 800,000 tickets out of 3.1 million, which means almost a quarter of the total number
of tickets offered.”
And she continued, “In Russia, 4 years ago, 2.5 million tickets were sold to fans. Therefore,
the organizer of the Qatar World Cup must make some progress if it aspires to achieve
the Russian number, or even come close to it.”
On the other hand, obtaining a ticket is another issue accompanied by “uncertainty”. How?
The Guardian says that once you have purchased the ticket, you can apply to the Qatari government
for a permit to enter the country, known as the Hayya Card.
She explained: “However, you cannot book a flight before obtaining the permit, as you must first find
a place to stay.”
Since Qatar launched, last March, an online portal for accommodation, followers have noticed some
confusion in the type of rooms available and their prices.
Fans found it very difficult to find accommodations worth $80, while the price of “unwanted fan village cabins,”
according to the source, starts at $ 200 a night. The cost of apartments published on “AirBnB” is about $1,000.
The Guardian asked, “To what extent will these prices be updated after the end of the second phase
of ticket sales? The answer is not clear.”
And the calculations, conducted by football supporters in Europe, suggested that the World Cup in Qatar
will be “the most expensive World Cup for fans”, as the figures indicate that the cost of accommodation
to attend 3 matches will amount to 2770 euros, compared to 1,000 euros during the World Cup in Russia 2018,
to exceed the cost of Attending the entire tournament 6,500 euros.
In this regard, Ronan Evin, CEO of FSE Group, a private loan and business investment group, said:
“It is clear that it is difficult for most fans to know the cost of attending the World Cup matches in Qatar.”
And he added, “There is a lack of information. It seems that FIFA and Qatar are doing their best to convince
people not to go there.”
The Qatar Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, which is responsible for organizing the tournament,
is still confident of organizing an event that will attract the attention of the world.
A spokesman for the committee said: “We expect to welcome more than one million visitors for the duration
of the tournament. The country will provide up to 130,000 rooms, equivalent to 3.6 million overnight stays.”
He explained, “Six months before the start of the World Cup, Qatar is on the right track to ensure that
football fans from around the world can book a wide range of unique and affordable accommodation options.
We are not worried that demand may outpace supply.”.
The Guardian: “Uncertainty” hangs over the World Cup in Qatar
