Qatar has thousands of World Cup rooms available

Qatar World Cup organisers said that there are still thousands of rooms available for the tournament despite fears that the tiny Persian Gulf state would be overflowing with fans when the tournament starts this month.

There are at least 25,000 rooms free even during the peak days of the World Cup, expected between November 24 and November 28, organising committee accommodation director Omar Al-Jaber told a press conference.

Qatar has been at the centre of widespread criticism over its rights record, but organisers say 2.9 million of the 3.1 million tickets have been sold. Jaber said the country was still expecting more than one million visitors during the 29-day event that starts November 20.

Jaber said the average stay was between five and seven nights and that he expected 20-30 percent of total bookings on the official portal to be made between now and the opening game between Qatar and Ecuador.

Qatar is the smallest country to hold the World Cup, leaving many foreign fans worrying about prices and the availability of rooms.

Jaber spoke at the Free Zone Fan Village where 6,000 air-conditioned, six-metre-long container cabins, costing from $200 a night for two people, are spread out near one of the World Cup stadiums.

Alcohol is not sold in the villages but at the Free Zone, hundreds of bean bags have been laid out around a giant screen where matches will be shown.