An Arab Campo Bahia modeled on the legendary neighborhood in Brazil will not be available for the national team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Germans will have to choose one of the accommodations that the world association offers the 32 associations to choose from. Instead of going its own way with a creative solution like at the 2014 World Cup or the European Championship last summer, this time the DFB has to compete against other tournament participants for the best places under the Arabian sun. Therefore, a German delegation will start next Monday on a business trip to the desert state. In addition to the coaching team around Hansi Flick, Oliver Bierhoff and his most important employees are on board.
The national team’s office has already made a preselection at previous local appointments, apparently the Germans have already placed their towels here and there, now the task is to make the reservation with Flick’s approval. The national coach has the last word. At the 2018 World Cup, Joachim Löw reluctantly submitted to the diplomatic constraints that brought him and his team into exile in Watutinki on the outskirts of Moscow.
The team certainly didn’t miss the sporting task back then because of the accommodation, but the domicile in the desolate suburb and phenomena such as the security forces hidden in the bushes, called “forest people” by the inmates, contributed to the bad mood.
The trip to Qatar is not just about looking for a hotel, the DFB Group also wants to make contacts and experience
Flick sounds frugal when he names his most important criteria for the World Cup in the Advent season: He values ”short distances to the training ground” and a home “with a good atmosphere”. Still, it will probably not be enough for the hotel to offer commercial amenities such as a swimming pool, color TV and electric trouser press.
Instead, Flick envisions “getting the home ready for our needs”. He has already been to Qatar twice with FC Bayern, both times he agreed to the luxurious conditions in each case, but this time it’s not about a comfortable roof over your head, but about a complex solution that should ideally last four to five weeks . The trend is apparently towards a resort that is outside the 2.4 million population of Doha.
The trip to Qatar is not just about looking for a hotel, the DFB Group would also like to make contacts and experience in the host country. On the day of arrival, a visit to the semi-finals of the Fifa-hosted Arab Cup at Al-Thumama Stadium, one of the eight new stadiums in the country. “Meetings with various organizations” are also planned, as Flick said.
According to DFB director Oliver Bierhoff, Human Rights Watch is one of them, and he also brought up the political premises to be taken down before the tour: A boycott because of the critically assessed human rights situation in Qatar is “out of the question. We want to give the tournament a chance. But we also want to get a complete picture “. Flick added: “We will be well prepared not only in terms of sport, but also on these issues. Our team stands for certain values, and they will show that too.”