“It’s still under construction, during the day, it’s a bit of hell in there. It’s the desert, it’s too hot.” Surprisingly, as Shogo Nakashima delivers the scathing review of his house for the next two weeks, he has a smile on his face…
“I can’t change places (…) So I have to accept it and wait for the Japan match, he says. not stay here.”
The 31-year-old Japanese is one of the first people to arrive at Qetaifan Island Fan Village, north of Doha, where construction work is still going on in some areas, hours following the site opened.
Long before most customers arrive on site, there are signs that things might not go as planned.
On the long and winding road to the campsite, noises from heavy machinery can be heard. Cranes soar high into the sky and workers bustle regarding with tasks ranging from laying paving stones to installing lights.
The entrance to the village for Qetaifan supporters
And as you make your way to the reception area, the Blok ‘N’ Mesh perimeter fence doesn’t quite breathe the “fan camp” tag on the site’s official booking page.
There are 1,800 tents, each of which can accommodate two people.
Pedro and Fatima live in Spain, but they’re here to cheer on Mexico. They got married in April and this trip is part of their honeymoon.
“It costs regarding 200 dollars (regarding 127,863 CFA francs) per night. To be honest, it was not what I expected. When you see the photos and read the description – and it’s a Coupe du world of FIFA – you expect a bit of quality,” says Pedro.
“It’s like a second rate hostel that you can find while traveling around the world. It feels like being in a greenhouse, and we mightn’t sleep past 9am, even if we were exhausted from the flight,” he adds.
The tents, made of thick plastic, each contain two single beds and a bedside table with a lamp. A thin layer of carpet is bumpy in places, as it sits on top of sand and gravel. A single electric fan completes the layout of the room.
“There is not the slightest organization, nobody knows anything regarding it. The shops are closed, there is no drinking water. It’s really not what we paid for”, regrets Fatima .
For some, the reality of the situation demands a vigorous response. Djamal, who came from Paris, paid around 2,700 pounds sterling (regarding 2,040,936 CFA francs) for a three-week stay at the supporters’ village – but following less than twenty-four hours at the site, he packs his bags and heads towards the exit.
“There is no shower gel, no toothbrush, no toothpaste,” he complained, showing his booking confirmation sheet. He thought he would be staying in a hotel when he arrived in Doha.
Djamal, a supporter of France, complains regarding the quality of the accommodation.
A positive, although it can be understated, is that the staff are enthusiastic, helpful and always smiling. Even if it sometimes gives contradictory information on the conditions of water supply for example…
A short walk from the fan village is the beach club fan park. It has a large screen on which the matches will be broadcast, in a place where the sale of alcohol is authorized. A wise choice, given the recent announcement of its ban in the stadiums.
The beach club is also showing signs that its construction may not be completed on time… Mounds of building materials are strewn across the site, and the beeping of moving vehicles and the rattle of the metal…
The beach club is a short walk from the supporters’ village.
Despite everything, the staff are obviously optimistic and quietly confident that the beach club will be ready. With Qatar having spent 220 billion dollars (regarding 140,558.2 billion CFA francs) on the World Cup, its ambitions cannot be questioned, even if the way in which they are achieved can be.
However, the country was awarded football’s biggest competition in 2010, so any sudden rush to be ready does not bode well for fans from faraway lands, who have spent thousands of dollars to be at the Qatar.
