DOHA: Qatar said on Tuesday that World Cup fans have “a lot of options” with more than 100,000 rooms currently available and tens of thousands more expected by the tournament’s kickoff.
Some football supporters have expressed concern that they have been unable to find accommodation in line with their budget for the World Cup, which runs from November 21 to December 18.
Prices range from 300 Qatari rials (just over $80) to several thousand dollars per night.
Qatar has so far taken more than 25,000 bookings, said Omar Al-Jaber, the official in charge of accommodation for the tournament’s organizing committee, specifying that he was taking about “bookings, not rooms or nights.”
“If you go through our website, you will find a lot of options,” he told reporters on a tour of an available apartment in Doha.
“And if you don’t find it today, you need to check tomorrow or after tomorrow... because... we add more inventory to this portal.
“More than 100,000 rooms (are) available as of today,” he said. “If we go to November, maybe we’ll reach more than 130,000 rooms or 140,000 rooms.”
Supporters normally find accommodation themselves for such tournaments.
But Qatar — set to host the most geographically concentrated World Cup in history and with limited hotel capacity — is seeking to channel supporters through an official platform that is reserved for ticket holders and managed by the tournament’s organizers.
Eighty-five percent of accommodation — whether permanent or temporary — is now complete and the remainder will be finished by a “deadline” of end-August, according to Jaber.
The country will be closed to visitors without match tickets during the course of the tournament, Jaber said.
As of Tuesday, the US, Mexico, United Kingdom, Argentina and India accounted for some of the biggest sources of reservations.
Qatar says World Cup fans seeking rooms have ‘a lot of options’
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Qatar says World Cup fans seeking rooms have ‘a lot of options’
- Prices for accommodation range from 300 Qatari rials to several thousand dollars per night
Dubai Basketball in good form ahead of Bayern Munich clash
- Dubai tackle German club on the back of wins in ABA League and tight EuroLeague clash
DUBAI: Dubai Basketball closed a demanding week on two fronts with a statement win in the ABA League and a narrow, hard-fought EuroLeague battle in Bologna, underscoring the team’s rising profile across Europe’s top competitions.
Last night, Dubai Basketball extended their flawless start to the ABA League Group A campaign, securing an 8-0 record with an impressive 74-88 road victory over Igokea in Laktasi.
The team controlled the game from the early stages to build a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter. From there, the visitors managed the contest with confidence and precision on both ends of the floor.
Mfiondu Kabengele delivered a standout performance, producing 20 points, 10 rebounds and a 29 valuation. McKinley Wright guided the offence masterfully, contributing 10 first-half points and shaping Dubai’s rhythm throughout the night.
The win preserved Dubai’s perfect ABA League record as they continue to set the pace in Group A.
Reflecting on the team’s performance, Dubai Basketball’s Head Coach Jurica Golemac said: “This was a very important victory for us after a tough loss three days ago. The team showed a professional approach from the start and controlled the game for 40 minutes.
“Twenty-seven assists tell the story; we played team basketball, shared the ball, stayed physical on defense and deserved the win. We take the positives and move forward.”
A dramatic EuroLeague Round 14 encounter against Virtus Bologna on Friday saw Dubai fall just short, 79-78, after a tense fourth-quarter finish.
Despite overturning a 13-point deficit to lead at half-time and winning the rebounding battle 39-30, a pair of late three-pointers from Virtus Bologna’s Luca Vildoza proved decisive.
With the club sitting at 6–8 in the EuroLeague and firmly in the hunt, all eyes now turn to the home game against Bayern Munich in Round 15 at Coca-Cola Arena on Dec. 12.
