DOHA: The 31 teams travelling to Qatar will have a Team Base Camp (TBC) to call home at the most compact FIFA World Cup since the inaugural instalment in 1930. With no domestic flights required during the tournament, the same top-class facilities will be used throughout the competition. For this edition, therefore, official training sessions the day before matches will also be held at the respective training sites.
Teams will check in at their Team Base Camp Hotels (TBCHs) at least five days before their first match, with players hoping to extend their stay from the guaranteed 15 days to 33, an achievement reserved only for the finalists.
As part of the unique features of the FIFA World Cup 2022, 24 out of the 32 teams will stay within a 10km radius of each other, further ensuring that the event’s thrilling atmosphere is concentrated in and around Doha, to the delight of local and international fans.
“Qatar 2022 will be a World Cup like no other, with teams benefitting from its compact nature and warm local hospitality. Players will have more time to train and rest during the competition, while being able to experience the excitement that will take over the country at much closer quarters, as fellow players and passionate fans from all 32 nations will be gathering in a single area,” said Colin Smith, FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer – World Cup.
Nasser Al Khater, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 CEO, said: “We’re pleased to let fans see the world-class facilities that Qatar has developed for their national teams. As with all of our World Cup projects, legacy planning has been a key factor and many of the training sites renovated and built will benefit local clubs and communities long after the tournament has finished. The new hotels will also support Qatar’s growing tourism industry post-2022.”
The concept
A TBC is the headquarters of a participating team during the competition period of the FIFA World Cup. It combines a dedicated Team Base Camp Training Site (TBCTS) with a suitable hotel or other forms of accommodation (TBCH).
There will be three types of training sites in use during the tournament: local clubs, cluster training facilities and stadium training sites.
Many have been built from scratch or renovated, representing an important part of the tournament’s legacy for grassroots football in Qatar.
The TBCHs range from four and five-star hotels to villas, resorts and non-hotel accommodation, including sports academy residences and school/university housing.
Besides facilities such as treatment rooms, they feature dedicated common areas to safeguard teams’ privacy, and also comply with the relevant security protocols.
A total of 162 inspection visits were organised for the teams that participated in the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers, starting in October 2019.
Workers’ welfare at TBCHs
FIFA and the Host Country take their responsibility with respect to workers’ rights very seriously. As part of these efforts, FIFA and Qatar are implementing an unprecedented due diligence process to protect the rights and well-being of workers at a total of 159 hotels, including all of those that will host participating teams.
This work is being carried out in close partnership with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, and involves collaboration with trade unions and other independent monitors, as well as the International Labour Organization.
Over recent months, FIFA has also supported member associations in their own interactions with hotels concerning workers’ rights and is encouraged by the constructive relationships built around this important topic.