The FIFA World Cup is set to begin in Qatar on Sunday but it appears some fan accommodation may still be being built. Meanwhile, the accomodation complexes that ~have~ been completed are literally just converted shipping containers. Oh no. The situation is prompting fans to make comparisons to 2017’s infamous Fyre Festival.
After a visit by journalists from The Guardian to the Rawdat Al Jahhaniya accommodation base this week, it’s being reported that the site still contains forklifts, a digger and no shortage of construction materials.
Rawdat Al Jahhaniya is just one of many pop-up accommodation options the Qatar government has built to meet the enormous demand.
Over the tournament, an estimated 1.5 million fans are expected to travel to Middle Eastern nation that comprises just under three million people as per CNN.
The main option for fans on a budget appears to be converted shipping containers which cost $400 AUD per night as per Fox Sports.
A first look at the World Cup fan village in Qatar 👀
Rooms start from £180 pic.twitter.com/096LiKei74
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) November 10, 2022
R3,543.60 per night accommodation in Qatar for the World Cup.🤒🤒🙆🙆😳😳 pic.twitter.com/Yij5CQXw8w
— Mlungisi (@Mlu__N2) November 9, 2022
One Twitter user even went as far as to compare the pop-up World Cup accomodation in Qatar to the Penny’s Bay Quarantine Centre in Hong Kong.
Find the difference between USD200/night Qatar World Cup fan village and Penny’s Bay!
Honestly, Penny’s Bay looks even better. pic.twitter.com/zoY8o0HfvS
— Edison (@aero_edi) November 10, 2022
Ras Bu Fontas is another pop-up accommodation site that has reportedly missed the mark.
Workers at the Ras Bu Fontas accommodation site told UK newspaper The Times that “It has been hell. The air con in the cabin barely works and sounds like a [fighter jet] is taking off.
“Even if you have it on all the time during the day it is still 27°. You can’t have it on at night because it is so noisy.”
They also described the beds as “rock hard so you might as well sleep on the floor”.
Crikey.
These updates come after footage went viral that supposedly depicted fan accommodation tents (yes, tents).
The video prompted a wave of Fyre Fest comparisons from football fans across the globe.
The fan village for the World Cup in Qatar is basically just Fyre Festival 2.0 pic.twitter.com/Yk9ujTtlaG
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) November 16, 2022
Qatar World Cup slowly turning into Fyre Festival 2.0 in front of our eyes
— babylon. (@broztitute) November 18, 2022
Fan experience at Fyre Festival …
Fan experience at World Cup in Qatar pic.twitter.com/wqEjVarQML— Ryan Jon Dunn (@RyanJon) November 18, 2022
Qatar World Cup looking like Fyre festival
— Not a photographer (@notmabdulle) November 16, 2022
It remains unclear where the footage was shot, or if the tents were merely a temporary measure until the proper infrastructure was built.
But, if recent history has taught us anything about large events, tents are never a good sign.
Australia is set to play defending champions France at 6am AEDT on Wednesday, November 23.
Here’s hoping our boys are staying in comfortable accommodation.
