Qatar Charters Cruise Ships to Accommodate 2022 World Cup Fans

Qatari organizers have chartered two cruise liners to accommodate fans at the 2022 World Cup.

The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, which is tasked with the preparations for the month-long event, signed an agreement with the Swiss-based European company MSC Cruises on Monday,

The vessels, berthed at the Doha port in the Qatari capital, will act as floating hotels during the tournament,  committee statement.

The floating hotels with 4,000 cabins between them will be berthed in Doha Port for the tournament, which starts on Nov. 21, 2022.

World Cup organizers did not provide details of how fans will be able to reserve cabins. Camping sites are also being planned for supporters.

Shuttle buses will be arranged to take fans from the cruise ships to Qatar’s transport infrastructure, including the country’s  first-ever metro service , which started partial operations earlier this year.

In addition to floating hotels, other accommodation options will include hotels, apartments and fan villages, the statement said.

Qatar’s Supreme Committee said it has completed more than 75 percent of the preparations for the tournament, including two stadiums: Khalifa International in Doha and Al Janoub in the southern city of Al Wakrah.

Construction for six other stadiums with advanced open-air cooling technology is also  underway.

The 32-team tournament kicks on November 21, 2022, and will run until December 18 – breaking with tradition with a winter schedule as it looks to avoid the scorching Doha summer heat.