Education City Stadium
The third stadium to be completed ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar was inaugurated on the 15th of June 2020 with a poignant tribute to the frontline workers helping in the fight against COVID-19. Located at the country’s centre for education and innovation, the landscape around Education City Stadium is dotted with leading universities, where cutting-edge research is conducted and academics inspire their students to be at their best, showcasing a determination to make the FIFA World Cup 2022™ a catalyst for social and human development.
The 40,000 capacity stadium will host matches up to and including the quarter-finals, and will continue to inspire long after the final whistle. For decades to come, Education City’s students, faculty and stand will utilise the stadium’s facilities, allowing it to remain a symbol of innovation, sustainability and progress, in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the goals of Qatar Foundation.
Doha Metro
Doha Metro opened its doors to the public on the 8th of May 2019, boasting speeds of up to 100km/h, making it home to some of the fastest driverless trains on the planet. The state-of-the-art transit system will be integral to fans’ FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar experience, allowing fans to take full advantage of the compact nature of the 22nd edition of the tournament. It is set to revolutionise the way people move around Doha and its suburbs, serving all eight of the World Cup stadiums, as well as the majority of the capital’s hotspots, quickly and conveniently.
Hamad International Airport
Since its opening in 2014, the award-winning Hamad International Airport has welcomed well over 30 million passengers per year, and plans are already in place to cater to 50 million per year by 2022.
Having welcomed tens of thousands of sports fans to the country in 2019 during the Arabian Gulf Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, HIA has already demonstrated its ability to play its part in two years' time.
Al Rayyan Stadium - Final Stages
Home to the hugely popular Al Rayyan Sports Club, Al Rayyan is known for its love of traditions and local culture. Built on the site of Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium, the new Al Rayyan Stadium will welcome up to 40,000 fans up to the tournament’s round of 16. And, with its location bridging the gap between the desert and the city, the stadium’s infrastructure mirrors its surroundings with sand dune-shaped structures.
Al Bayt Stadium - Final Stages
Located in the Northern city of Al Khor, Al Bayt stadium’s unique design pays homage to the traditional nomadic tents of the region - known as ‘bayt al sha’ar’, or ‘house of hair’ - from which it takes its name.
Qatar’s culture is strongly influenced by its nomadic, or bedouin, past. The harsh desert climate forced the inhabitants of the Gulf, or Khaleej, region to move around, turning to the sea for sustenance. While the men would traditionally take to the sea for food and pearls to trade, the women would weave tents to shelter themselves and their families, weaving wool from camel’s hair in order to do so.
Allowing for crowds of up to 60,000, Al Bayt Stadium will host matches up to and including the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup 2022, allowing fans from around the world to experience the region’s ancient past.
Al Thumama Stadium - Final Stages
Located 12km south of Doha's glittering skyline, Al Thumama Stadium's design represents the gahfiya – a traditional woven cap worn by men and boys across the Middle East, representing dignity and independence.
Despite this subtle nod to the past, Al Thumama stadium’s impact will be felt far into the future. Upon the tournament’s completion, the stadium will leave a long-lasting legacy, as its capacity will be reduced to meet local needs, while simultaneously providing sporting infrastructure to developing countries. A boutique hotel will replace the stadium’s upper stands, while a branch of the world-renowned Aspetar Sports Clinic, the world's leading specialised orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital, will also open onsite.
Ras Abu Aboud - Expected completion next year
Expected to open its doors to the public in 2021, Ras Abu Aboud Stadium is a pioneer in sustainability. The modular stadium has been constructed from shipping container “building blocks” and removable seats, allowing it to be fully dismantled once the whistle has blown on the 18th December 2022. Its parts will be repurposed for use in other sporting and non-sporting projects, allowing it to be utilised for decades to come whilst making way for a waterfront development across from the West Bay skyline.
Lusail Stadium - Expected completion next year
The magnificent 80,000 capacity Lusail Stadium will host the final of the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar on the 18th December 2022. This is a date that holds significance for more than one reason, as each year the 18th of December sees the country take to the streets to celebrate Qatar National Day.
Inspired by the light and shadow of a traditional Fanar, the stadium’s lantern-like structure echos the intricacies of ancient Islamic art. Built at the heart of Qatar’s brand-new Lusail city, this sustainability-focussed arena will ultimately serve the needs of 200,000 residents, transforming into a community space hosting schools, cafes, sporting facilities and health clinics under one roof. At the same time, the majority of the arena’s 80,000 seats will be donated to sporting projects around the globe, further amplifying the legacy of the first World Cup final to ever take place in the Arab world; a World Cup unlike any that have come before it.