Qatar’s unique plan to house World Cup fans: Arabian tents

Photo: Artist impression of the interior of Al-Wakrah SC Stadium in Al-Wakrah, Qatar

Have you ever dreamt of staying in a plush, Arabian desert tent by the beach? Do you enjoy watching football up close? If you fly to Qatar for the 2022 World Cup, you may get to do both.

The kingdom has made plans for a unique kind of accommodation for the teeming World Cup fans—a plot village made up of desert tents. The village will be built near the Sealine Beach Resort and will offer fans “an immersive cultural experience”, according to the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC).

The project will be built in the south of Qatar, close to the Al-Wakrah SC Stadium, which is currently under construction. The village will include 350 temporary tents and 300 permanent tents, accommodating 2,000 people altogether. It will also include all types of services in each precinct, including entertainment areas, health centres, and retail spaces.

Photo: Aerial view of Al-Wakrah SC Stadium

The SC is currently studying five different locations for these types of fan villages, which will have different themes such as heritage, the culture and history of Qatar and the Middle East, sand dunes, and the sea. However, the final proposed locations of these sites are yet to be decided, the SC said on its website.

Abdulaziz Ali Al-Mawlawi, Technical Manager at SC, said, “This type of accommodation is a great way to experience Qatar and the Middle East, giving fans the option of a tournament experience which will showcase the best of the culture, traditions and unique landmarks of our country.”

“There will be options for all kinds of budgets, which will be in addition to the existing hotel-based fan accommodation which we are delivering based on our bid commitments,” he added.

Interestingly, the plot villages will remain standing well beyond the duration of the World Cup as part of the Kingdom’s wider plans for sustainability.

“Each fan village is also being developed with a pre- and post-tournament use to ensure that we are making sustainable developments for the country to benefit from them in the long term,” Al-Mawlawi said. “These ideas offer tourism options and facilities in addition to what Qatar currently has to offer its visitors,” he added. 

Photo: Al-Wakrah SC Stadium

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