Qatar faces World Cup questions as 200-day countdown looms

Eight shiny, air-conditioned stadiums are ready for the tournament's start on November 21, but every night the army of South Asian workers who underpin Qatar's energy-rich economy swarm over unfinished roads and building sites around Doha. Dozens of gigantic cranes tower over the capital's skyscrapers while organisers juggle with the dilemma of welcoming an estimated 1.4 million fans wanting entertainment and alcohol in the tiny, conservative Islamic state. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has promised the "best ever" World Cup and a FIFA spokesperson told AFP that the global body had been "impressed" by Qatar's infrastructure programme.

But many fans worry about the cost of travel and accommodation for the Qatar World Cup, the first in an Arab country. Qatar has faced frequent questions about human rights, including for the tens thousands of migrant workers who built infrastructure around the World Cup. Qatar says it has cracked down on abusive practises and introduced reforms, including a minimum wage.

But Ronan Evain, head of Football Supporters Europe, a lobbying group, said transport and beds were fans' main concerns. "This is the most complicated World Cup of the modern era for logistics," he told AFP. "Fans see prices rising and don't know when it will stop." As prices soar post-Covid, Madrid-Doha return air tickets in November have already reached more than $1,680, almost three times the cost in 2021.

Many fans still do not know if they have match tickets -- which are a third more expensive on average than for 2018 -- and they cannot book accommodation on the official website without a seat number. Qatar says there will be 130,000 rooms in hotels, apartments, cruise ships and desert camps. It has promised shared