Three-quarters of the teams at the World Cup finals in Qatar will be based within a 10km radius of each other, Fifa said on Tuesday, announcing the hotels and training venues for the 32 national sides.
Unlike in previous tournaments, all teams will stay in the same hotel and use the same training base throughout the tournament — even carrying out their sessions the day before matches at their camps rather than the stadiums.
Fifa said 24 of the 32 teams are based within a short drive of each other close to the capital Doha.
“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.
The tournament starts on Nov. 21 and runs until the final on Dec. 18 and is played at eight venues.
Teams will check in to their hotels and training camps at least five days before their first match.
Fifa said the accommodation “range from four- and five-star hotels to villas, resorts and non-hotel accommodation, including sports academy residences and school/university housing.”