Qatar is an extremely expensive destination. “It’s a huge barrier for most ordinary fans,” said Ashley Brown of the FSA, the organization representing football supporters in England and Wales.
Going to the FIFA World Cup and watching their country compete against the best teams in the world is every soccer enthusiast’s dream. That dream will be out of reach for many this year and the tournament in Qatar, which starts in two weeks, is the most expensive ever for visitors.
According to a survey by the Polish financial company Conotoxia, match tickets are the most expensive in the history of the World Cup, but the prices for travel and accommodation will be just as staggering.
There is a systemic problem that tournament organizers generally do not care enough about traveling fans. Specifically, now they have an offer from Qatar that does not match the real fan profile and budget.
While the tickets are discounted for local residents, for foreign visitors the tickets for the basic part cost between 70 and 220 dollars (1,700 to 5,500 crowns) and for the knockout matches between 600 and 1,600 dollars (14,800 to 40,000 crowns). General sale ticket prices for the final on 18 December are 46% higher than the 2018 final in Russia.
Tickets for most matches are already sold out, but FIFA is organizing an official platform for additional sales.
Excluding tickets, Conotoxia estimates that the cheapest 10-day trip to Doha for two people during the tournament – including flights from New York, accommodation, car hire and money for food and drink – would cost $5,400. The trip from Prague would then cost approximately 3,800 dollars (approx. 95,000 crowns) for two.
But beware, the prices will rise due to the fast selling out of flights and accommodation, so it could end up being much more.
According to Booking.com, a seven-day stay in Doha with flights from New York for the third week of the tournament costs somewhere between $4,600 and $18,500 per person. For Prague, subtract $800 for the lower ticket price. Of course, that’s without match tickets.
Qatar Airways also offers luxury packages that include flights, accommodation and match tickets. These start at 3,500 USD per person (88,000 crowns), but can cost up to 7,000 USD (160,000 crowns).
The cheapest accommodation for fans during the tournament is on the houseboats, which have sleeping cabins for two with a private bathroom. These are available for around $200 per night. Again, however, most dates are sold out.
Brown said the price of a trip to Qatar will put off many fans. “It’s another World Cup supposedly for the fans, where the cost to watch their team’s matches until the final is at least $1,400,” said Brown. “Add to that the cost of flights, human rights concerns and expensive accommodation – it’s a huge barrier for most ordinary people. It will probably discourage thousands of fans from attending the tournament.”
Ronan Evain, chief executive of Football Supporters Europe, an umbrella group for football fans across Europe, said according to DW Sports: “There is a systemic problem that tournament organizers generally do not care enough about traveling fans. In particular, they now have an offer from Qatar that does not match the real profile and budget of people who like to travel.”
