8 Qatar World Cup stadiums and their locations
The FIFA World Cup is less than two weeks away, and the world is preparing to watch the most anticipated football tournament of the year. Of course, every football fan knows that Qatar will be hosting the tournament, and the Middle East country has gone all out to ensure everything is ready, including building new stadiums. FIFA has approved eight Qatar World Cup stadiums for the tournament that will run from November 20 to December 18, 2022. These stadiums are spread across five Qatari cities that will host 32 teams in 64 matches.
We should also note that Qatar is the third Asian country in history to host the FIFA World Cup, the first being the 2002 World Cup co-hosted by South Korea and Japan. Let’s look closely at the 8 Qatar World Cup stadiums and their locations.
Table of Content hide 1About the 8 Qatar World Cup stadiums and their locations 1.1Al Bayt Stadium 1.2Lusail Stadium 1.3Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium 1.4Al Janoub Stadium 1.5Al Thumama Stadium 1.6Education City Stadium 1.7Khalifa International Stadium 1.8Stadium 974 2ConclusionAbout the 8 Qatar World Cup stadiums and their locations
Construction of the stadiums began in November 2015. There were previous concerns that the stadiums would not be completed on time, especially when news of human rights abuses against construction workers began to filter into the media. However, after seven years of work and billions of dollars spent, Qatar is ready to host the FIFA World Cup, and the stadiums are some of the most impressive globally. The eight stadiums are:
Al Bayt Stadium
The Al Bayt Stadium is a retractable roof football stadium located in Al Khor, 35 kilometres north of central Doha, Qatar. The stadium has a capacity of 60,000 and will host the opening match between Qatar and Ecuador in Group A. It is also the second-largest stadium in Qatar. Dar Al-Handasah Consultants designed the stadium while the construction contract was awarded to Webuild S.p.A. and Cimolai in 2015. The AL Bayt Stadium features a retractable roof, and covered seating for all spectators and is connected to some transportation systems. The onsite parking lot can accommodate 6,000 cars, 350 buses, the coming and going of 150 public buses/shuttles and 1,000 taxis and water taxis.
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Lusail Stadium
Lusail Iconic Stadium or Lusail Stadium, is the biggest stadium in Qatar. It is located in Lusail City, 20 kilometres north of central Doha and has 80,000 capacity. Lusail Stadium will host the final game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Designed by British firm Foster + Partners, and Populous, the construction contract was jointly awarded to HBK Contracting (HBK) and China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC). Like other stadiums that will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the Lusail Stadium has five-star rating for its design and construction from the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) on August 16, 2022.
Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
The Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, popularly known as the Al-Rayyan Stadium, is located in Umm Al Afaei, 20 kilometres west of central Doha. It is also the home to Al-Rayyan Sports Club and Al-Kharitiyath Sports Club. The stadium was named after Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, from 1960 to 1972 and had a capacity of 40,000. However, the capacity will be reduced to 21,000 after the World Cup. Ahmad bin Ali Stadium is a multipurpose stadium that includes a huge ‘media facade’ with a membrane that will act as a screen for projections, news, commercials, sports updates, current tournament information and matches. Construction contract was jointly awarded to Al-Balagh and Larsen & Toubro.
Al Janoub Stadium
Formerly known as Al-Wakrah Stadium, the Al-Janoub Stadium is located in Al Wakrah, 22 kilometres east of central Doha and has a capacity of 40,000. It is the second stadium to be renovated ahead of the World Cup. The Al-Janoub Stadium has a retractable roof which is 230 meters long, and it is made from pleated PTFE fabric and cables.
According to the stadium designer, Zaha Hadid, the Al-Janoub Stadium was inspired by the sails of traditional Dhow boats used by pearl divers from the region. The stadium also features swimming pools and spas and a shopping centre with green roofs. In addition, there is a cooling system installed for stadium users to overcome Qatar’s typical hot climate. After the World Cup, the seating capacity will reduce to 20,000 as the stadium will be the home of Al-Wakrah Sports Club in the Qatar Stars League.
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Al Thumama Stadium
Al-Thumama Stadium is located in Al Thumama, 12 kilometres south of central Doha. The stadium has a 40,000 capacity. Construction was a joint venture between Al Jaber Engineering of Qatar and Tekfen Construction of Turkey. In addition, the stadium was designed by the Chief Architect of the Arab Engineering Bureau, Ibrahim Jaidah, who revealed that it was inspired by the traditional taqiyah hat, a traditional cap worn by men and boys across the Middle East.
Education City Stadium
Education City Stadium is located in Al Rayyan, 13 kilometres northwest of central Doha. The stadium has a seating capacity of 40,000. It is also located within several university campuses at the Qatar Foundation’s Education City. Nicknamed “Diamond in the Desert”, the stadium was completed in June 2020, making it the third World Cup stadium to be completed.
Khalifa International Stadium
Khalifa International Stadium, also known as National Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium that is located in Aspire, 5 kilometres west of central Doha. It is part of the Doha Sports City complex, which also includes Aspire Academy, Hamad Aquatic Centre, and the Aspire Tower. Named after Qatar’s former Emir, Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, the stadium is the first to be completed ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Stadium 974
Stadium 974, formerly Ras Abu Aboud Stadium, is located in Ras Abu Aboud, 10 kilometres east of central Doha. The stadium is a temporary venue constructed from 974 recycled shipping containers. It is the first temporary venue in FIFA World Cup history. With a capacity of 40,000, the stadium received a four-star rating from the GSAS. After the World Cup, Stadium 974 will be dismantled, and the containers and seats will be donated to underdeveloped countries around the world. Fenwick Iribarren Architects designed the stadium which is constructed on a 450,000-square-meter waterfront site.
Conclusion
These are the 8 stadiums that will host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Although human rights abuse cases have reportedly led to the death of over 6000 migrant workers, FIFA has appealed to countries, football federations and football fans to overlook these reported cases and simply enjoy the tournament.
