Qatar World Cup: 24 teams to be based within 10km radius in Doha

FIFA on Tuesday said 24 of the 32 teams at the football World Cup in Qatar will have their base camps within a 10-kilometre radius in and around Doha.

The world ruling body said that due to the compact nature of the 21November to 18 December tournament, no domestic flights to matches were needed by the teams.

“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,” Colin Smith, FIFA’s World Cup chief operating officer, said.

Among the teams that are based a little further away from the country’s capital city are four-time champions Germany, Belgium, and Saudi Arabia.

FIFA also said it would alongside local organisers be implementing “an unprecedented due diligence process to protect the rights and well-being of workers at a total of 159 hotels.

This will include all of those that will host participating teams and it will be in cooperation with trade unions, independent monitors, and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Qatar has been criticised for its treatment of migrant workers, but officials have said that progress has been made.

However, rights groups insist that more efforts are needed.

(NAN)