The Americans are staying on a man-made island at a resort whose best suites cost $16,500 a night and come with a huge jacuzzi and 24-hour butler.
Belgium have chosen a billionaires’ playground featuring a water park with 56 rides, an exclusive 3.5km beach and a desert go-kart track.
Germany are in a secluded wellness spa with a Himalayan salt cave and a range of health treatments such as psycho-energetic massage.
These accommodations were revealed on Tuesday as Fifa confirmed the training bases for all 32 teams at this year’s World Cup.
And the Socceroos? When they get to their Qatar base they will be in student digs.
These will not, however, be any old digs. Australia’s World Cup squad have booked themselves into the state-of-the-art Aspire Academy.
Founded in 2004 this is the facility designed to lift Qatari sporting achievement from invisible to prominent. It has produced several leading athletes and members of the Qatar football team.
Aspire has world-class sports facilities including six outdoor and one indoor full-size soccer pitch, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, an indoor athletics track, a gymnastics hall, an outdoor gym, a table tennis area, squash courts and the intriguing footbonaut – a training cage pioneered by Borussia Dortmund.
So there will be plenty for Graham Arnold’s team to do while they prepare for November’s games against France, Tunisia and Denmark, and the December knock-out stages they aim to reach.
As for the rooms. Australia, according to FIFA, are in the facility’s athlete accommodation. The dormitory contains 128 en-suite double rooms and four suites.
While not as luxurious as most teams’ bases Australia, having been one of the last teams to qualify, had limited choice, and Football Australia’s pockets are not as deep as the likes of England’s FA and other major football nations.
The location also has the seal of approval of Socceroo legend Tim Cahill, who helped choose it – and has links with Aspire himself.
Qatar themselves and Ghana will also use the pitches but will not be staying at the academy.
Buddy
Roar Rookie
I went along to one party just before the main tournament started as I was able to take half a dozen young ladies along from college. I can only say there was an abundance of Fosters and XXXX flowing all night. That apart it struck me as being a pretty clean affair but early to mid 80’s you didn’t see much except for speed and hashish unless you mixed in much wealthier circles.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
A rather high bar to set (or low bar, depending on your perspective)
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
The Socceroos are the fourth strongest side in their group, but a win against Tunisia and a draw against Denmark would not be that much of a shock.
Coastyboi
Guest
More juicy details, please. I would like to know more about, well, the “partying”. EG: would it rival a Mark Bosnich Christmas in July celebration?
Buddy
Roar Rookie
"horses for courses" really. You'd expect countries parading the worlds best paid show ponies to be staying in gold plated stables and therefore the workhorses stay in something more appropriate. In the 1980's I worked at Wimbledon as a summer job, driving chauffeur cars and buses and met most of the top stars of the era. Of the Aussie contingent, Pat Cash, John Alexander, John Fitzgerald and quite a few others all bunked down in a shared house in Surrey, usually 2 or more to a room and often up all night partying! - that was how thing were and they won quite a few matches between them!
NoMates
Roar Rookie
If you had read my comments i %100 said the Socceroo's were destine for the play offs and that is exactly what happened. As for the world cup you know yourself where just making up the numbers. Best we can hope for is a draw and to narrow loses.
Joshua Makepeace
Roar Rookie
So when you actually describe it for what it is, a world-class training facility, it doesn’t sound as bad as it did in the title, does it?
Punter
Roar Rookie
Well considering you had them missing the WC, they have gone further than your expectations. To most countries just making the WC is the achievement!!!! This is by far the biggest sporting event in the world & for a country where football is no 4 sport, it's a great achievement!!!! Enjoy!!!!
Punter
Roar Rookie
They looking good for the coming season.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Hopefully not on a hippie trail, head full of zombie
NoMates
Roar Rookie
When your only there making up the numbers, I really dont no why they are not booked into a Caravan Park for the 2 weeks they are there.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Rodwell next!
Marcel
Guest
Student accomodation?.....more like state of the art Sports Science Campus.... As long as they have chicken, with ginger and soy... it will be fine.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Rob mate, your absolutely correct. This is the Qataris we're talking about. They dont do basic they do luxury because they have cash flowing from their proverbial. It's just a shame they didnt see it that way for the underpaid, slave labour they used to build their stadiums. It's a bloody disgrace.
Franko
Guest
Good luck to the lad. I hope either he or AH Toure come good for the Bulls this year.
Hopper
Roar Rookie
This article is your answer to yesterday's piece on how football should protest Qatar 2022.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
The Socceroos used to sleep 2 to a room in the days of Soccer Australia. The problem with that was Arnold was a heavy snorer , one of his roommates dragged out Arnold on his matress into the corridor while he was asleep. A lot of golf and tennis players at the lower end have to stay 2 to 4 in a hotel room, one case after winning a tournament, they then get single accomodation.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Headline is totally misleading. The Socceroos have decent accomodation selected & endorsed by one of the country’s leading former players. Next?
Coastyboi
Guest
Traveling in a fried-out Kombi.
Nick Symonds
Guest
NEWS: Arzani has signed with Macarthur https://www.ftbl.com.au/news/socceroo-arzani-returns-to-a-league-to-revive-career-583177