FIFA World Cup: Traditional Bedouin tents in desert to house football fans in Qatar

Qatar is leaving no stone unturned as it is gearing up to accommodate and feed the legions of football fans who will be flocking to the Arab country to watch the 2022 FIFA World Cup spectacle. To give a pleasant surprise, the small nation is pitching tents in the desert to lodge lakhs of soccer aficionados.

The authorities took this novel step not only because there would be a shortage of hotel rooms during the quadrennial event, which is from November 21 to December 18, but also to showcase the rich culture of Qatar. For this, thousands of traditional Bedouin tents would be put in place in the expansive desert. Interestingly, the Al Bayt Stadium, one of the World Cup venues, had been modelled after the Bedouin tent.

Nearly 200 tents will boast of highest levels of luxury. Traditional Arabic food and drinks will be served to the accompaniment of soothing music in the tents, said Omar Al-Jaber, the head of accommodation of the tournament.

As per the data with Qatar Tourism, the country has nearly 30,000 hotel rooms. It is expected that around 12 lakh people, which is half the population of Qatar, would descend on the nation to watch their football superstars in action.

Besides making available hotel rooms and villas, the authorities are also giving opportunities to the natives and expatriates to play host to the football enthusiasts. As per the directives, a person can provide accommodation to 10 people in his or her house. Moreover, two cruise ships are all ready to house the soccer fans. The shuttle flight services connecting Qatar with neighbouring countries will be beneficial to people who want to just attend the tournament and don’t want to stay back.