FIFA World Cup Accommodation Rates Expected To Spike Up As The Event Approaches; But There Is A Cheaper Alternate For Fans

The FIFA World Cup in Brazil next year is treated as one of the most prestigious and grandest sports event in the world and for fans who are hoping to witness such elite competition, expect prices of tickets and accommodation to be at their grandest, too.

FIFA has signed agreements with MATCH Services who will serve as the official accommodations agency for the World Cup. The company is collaborating with the majority of hotels in Rio and other cities where football games will be played.

In a study conducted by the city's Olympic organizing committee and an Associated Press review, it was revealed that the prices of lodges offered by MATCH are way higher than those offered by the city for the 2016 Olympics that will be also held in Rio. MATCH posted room rates with incredible prices in FIFA's website, which prompted the government if the accommodations agency is operating under the watch of some cartels.

However, for some hotelier experts, the prices are just right given that football is one of the largest crowd magnet sports and in Brazil, it is treated as a religion.

"It's normal that having the FIFA agency involved in the negotiations affects the prices," said Alfredo Lopes, president of the association's Rio de Janeiro bureau. "MATCH negotiated all the prices with almost 90 percent of the hotels in Rio. Now it's just reselling the packages."

"What may play a role in the difference in prices is the magnitude of having the World Cup in a country like Brazil, where football is everything," said Gabriela Otto, a hotel industry consultant. "That may attract a lot more people compared to the Olympics, and prices are always linked to supply and demand."

Before this report, reports surfaced that some football fans have resorted to slum areas in order to have cheap accommodations for the FIFA World Cup. With top-of-the-line hotel rooms in Brazilian cities charging at least $450 for a bed during the World Cup, residents of Rocinha and other favelas, or slums have opened up their homes to fans from different parts of the globe. The average price for 'slum hotels' is $50.

Tags
FIFA
2014 FIFA World Cup
Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
accommodation
expensive
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