Qatar 2022 - Lodging Thread

It looks like FIFA just updated their site and removed the eliminated teams. You can still pick teams that are in playoffs

 

Someone in the main Qatar thread mentioned that they spoke to the accommodation center who said hotels will not be avilable on the site (or at all?). Has anyone heard of that?

 

Since you need a ticket number to book accommodations in Qatar, when will USSF begin their process? I'm concerned it may take them several months all the while, accommodations will be disappearing.

 

Also, the tent thing sounds kind of interesting, but the most recent info I've read has Qatari officials downplaying that option as merely "Qatari hospitality" that won't be widely available. I'm a bit confused why this isn't more straightforward and buttoned up.

 

Not a bad idea, but that possibly .. is what would scare me.. last minute cancelation

 

Just buy a single Cat 3 ticket to a random match and get access to the portal next round

 

With the limited amount of hotels, I am not surprised that all of the rooms are being held for federations/sponsors etc.

 

Sounds like it could make the World Cup a very in-tents experience...

 

ban for puns

 

No hotel lodging is incredible, but not surprising. Sounds like fifa is still adamant that these “fan villages” will actually happen, but that starts to sound very Frye Festival…

My group (3 of us) booked 5 nights on the World Europa cruise ship so that we’d have access to alcohol and pools before booking the remaining 11 nights in an apartment. We’re staying through December 5th in hopes that we can catch a US R16 KO game…

 

I'm taking a more devil may care attitude towards planning this trip. I already bought my flight (gave Qatar Airways their pound of flesh), applied for US tix and a handful of random matches. I'd like to have accommodations secured too, but I guess that will have to wait for the first week of June when all these ticket requests get sorted.

 

Iran anyone? Though might be a bit awkward wearing our US jerseys on gameday 3 there...

https://www.qatarliving.com/forum/n...Eh63zRXzdUbq9ybaV_yyyDVpptr6FN_uv1_Tpt151ERQc

 

Last I saw: "Those who would not be eligible for the free visa include nationals from the US, UK, Canada, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Somalia and Sri Lanka."

https://www.dohanews.co/amp/iran-proposes-free-visa-entry-plan-for-fifa-world-cup-2022-visitors

 

Ah, it's a strangely written article. Basically there's the Kish Islands which are located in the middle of the Gulf, between Iran + Qatar. They are owned by Iran, but are a free trade zone, meaning it's visa free and I believe for any nationality. However, you cannot enter Iran mainland from there. They are trying to set up accommodation options at Kish I guess for the World Cup. Inadvisable I'd say as who knows how long it'll take to get through customs at the airport. To travel to mainland Iran, I guess that'll now be visa-free except for those nationalities think that's how they put it. I tried going to Iran this summer, but backed out when I realized getting a visa would take 3 month's approval.

 

Many thanks to Atouk and Glennaldo for the informative posts. It is my understanding that Americans do not need a visa to visit Kish Island, at least this is what the US Department of State website says. Americans can apply for regular tourist visas valid for the whole country, but you must had a guide with you all the time and they charge around 140 Euros per day for your guide.
Kish is a resort island with nice beaches and hotels, and should be a lot cheaper than Qatar and some other neighboring countries. Arriving tourists in KIsh may be segregated by gender and women given headscarves to wear during their visit. Shorts are not a good idea, at least until you get to the beach. It is much easier to get alcohol in Kish than the rest of Iran, but it is very easy to get alcohol in Iran so I would not worry about this. We did not drink at all while in Iran but many people offered us booze.
I tried to get an Iranian visa several times in the eighties and nineties, but was turned down at Iranian Embassies in Budapest and Istanbul. Each time the Iranians were very polite and urged me to keep trying. We finally got 7 day Iranian transit visas, after months of negotiation, in November, 1979, flew to Tehran and bought air tickets to Shiraz. We then got a taxi to Isfahan, with 2 hours stopover in Persepolis, and took a public bus to Tehran. My wife bought a post-Halloween costume at Walgreen's in Chicago, The Grim Reaper, and this worked fine as a chador, covering her hair and body. I wore long-sleeved shirts and no shorts.
Iranians are very friendly to Americans and you will see that right away. We even had a cab driver in Isfahan who knew all about our national team. He particularly admired Brian McBride. Iran is a fantastic country and you should visit if you can.
I was sitting outside a shop in Isfahan, waiting for my wife to finish. I was reading and did not notice a crown form around me. Suddenly, I was surrounded by a group of young men, acting a bit nervous. Finally, one of them stepped forward and asked if I was an American (they had heard it in the shop). I said yes. He said: "Here in Iran we hear than American people don't like Iran. Why is that? We Iranians like Americans!'

 

So my group settled on a place in Doha and I'm having all kinds of issues getting my credit card to work even after calling my credit card company (Barclay - American Airlines card). Originally, not surprising, it was a potential fraud issue but cleared that up.

Any suggestions since it logs you out of the reservation after a certain time limit? My card has more than enough balance if that helps and even shows on the cc site as attempted transactions but the FIFA site says they are all rejected by cc company.

 

It’ll be a mix. About half of the time all the beds and couch are taken.

 

To add to my fun, I called my credit card company and the payment attempt from last night was apparently approved and they are showing it posting but the reservation is not showing on the FIFA site. So somehow I have to get in touch with the FIFA lodging people. Any ideas on how to do that?

 

hospitality.fifa.com seems to have an abundance of possibilities about lodging and other matters. It might or might not help. Good luck!

 

Thanks. I filled out a general "contact us" email and surprisingly heard right back from them. In our situation, we got it all booked. Ironically would not accept that my Mastercard but once we used a Visa card, went right thru.

As mentioned, above, some dates (particularly post Iran - 12/5), our place does have a bed + couch available in case anyone needs a place to crash.

SO glad this is finished.