Qatar unveils 6,000 cabin World Cup fan village

Qatar on Wednesday unveiled a 6,000-cabin fan village in an isolated lot near its airports, an offering for housing toward the lower end of what's available for the upcoming World Cup just days away from starting. As journalists toured the cabins, desert winds kicked up sand at the 3.1 square-kilometer (1.1 square-mile) site, which housed a metro station, a bus stop, and a planned temporary restaurant and convenience store. The area could in theory hold as many as 12,000 people if booked at capacity, officials said. Artificial green grass covered the walkways outside, with common areas filled with large bean-bag style chairs under a gray sky on Wednesday. Competing nations' flags flapped in the strong desert wind, a large screen also present at the site for fans to watch matches. Workers milled about the site, checking on its final touches. The brightly coloured cabins, each with thin walls, are designed to hold one or two people with twin beds, a nightstand, a small table and chair, air conditioning, a toilet and a shower inside. Each will go for around $200 a night, or $270 with board, as the tournament goes on. Some 60% of the cabins are already booked for the tournament, said Omar al-Jaber, the head of accommodation at Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy for the tournament. There will be other rooms offered at $80 a night farther out than this site near Doha International Airport and Hamad International Airport, both of which will be seeing flights at all hours during the tournament. Planes rumbled overhead during the visit on Wednesday. Those staying at the fan village can expect a 40-minute commute to stadium sites.