World Cup 2022: Complaints from fans living in a Qatari fan village that costs $200 a night

“It’s still under construction, during the day it’s just hell. It’s a desert, it’s too hot“. Surprisingly, when Shogo Nakashima gives this scathing overview of the place that will be his home for the next two weeks, a smile appears on his face. the one who speaks “I laugh so as not to cry.”

“I can’t change my location right now, so I have to accept that and wait for the game in Japan,” he says.

“I will only be here to sleep. I’ll go out and explore the city i don’t want to stay here“.

The 31-year-old Japanese man was one of the first to arrive on the scene. Fan Village on Quetaifan Islandfan village north of Doha where construction work was still going on in some areas a few hours after the opening of the institution.

But long before most of the guests arrived at the venue, there were signs that things might not go as expected.

Premium camp

On the long winding road to the camp, there are audible and visual signs of heavy equipment. Construction cranes soar into the sky, and workers are busy with everything from laying asphalt paver to electrical wiring.

And when you pull up to the front desk, the perimeter fence doesn’t quite convey the atmosphere. from the “premium fan camp”, which is written on the official page seat reservation.

There are 1800 tents, each of which can accommodate two people.

Pedro and Fatima live in Spain but came to support Mexico. They got married in April and this trip is part of their honeymoon.

“Worth about $200 per night. To be honest It wasn’t what I expected. When you see the pictures and read the description – and this is the World Cup – you expect a bit of quality,” said Pedro.

“It’s like a low standard hostel that you can find while hiking around the world.”

“It’s like a greenhouse”, he added, “so we couldn’t sleep after 9am even though we were exhausted from the flight.”

Thick plastic tents have two single beds and a bedside table with a lamp. On the floor, a thin layer of carpet is lumpy in places, as it rests on sand and gravel. A single electric fan completes the layout of the room.

“no organization no one knows anything at all,” Fatima told BBC Sport. “Businesses are closed, there is no drinking water. It’s definitely not what we paid for.”

far from the hotel

When we walk, everyone we talk to has similar thoughts.

For some, the reality of the situation calls for more decisive action. Jamal, who flew in from Paris, paid about $3,000 for a three-week stay at the Fans’ Village, but less than 24 hours on site. he packs his bags and heads for the exit.

“It’s not a very good experience for me. No shower gel, no toothbrush, no toothpaste,” he says. Jamal shared with us his booking confirmation sheet and the fact that He thought he was going to a hotel.

There is one positive moment, albeit a small one. the staff here are enthusiastic, helpful and always smiling. Even if they sometimes give conflicting information, for example, where and when you can buy water on the spot, and that you need a bracelet to buy it.

A short walk from the fan village is Qetaifan Beach Fest, a fan park at the beach club. It has a big screen where matches are projected and alcohol is sold there.

The beach club was also showing signs of not being fully completed on time. Heaps of building material were scattered around the site, the rumble of moving cars and the clang of structures under construction were constantly heard.

Since Qatar has US$220 billion in the World Cup There is no doubt that his plans are not ambitious, although the question is how they were carried out.

In 2010, the country was awarded the biggest competition in football, so this last-minute rush does not bode well for fans who have traveled from the other side of the world and spent thousands of dollars to be here.

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