Ever since FIFA awarded Qatar the hosting rights in 2010, there have been several questions that the Arab nation faced. But a crucial one is that with no football pedigree how would Qatar host a showpiece event like this one? Qatar appears to have answered by building eight state-of-the-art stadia, making them ready well ahead of time.
The eight stadia are Al Bayt Stadium, Khalifa International stadium, Al Thumama stadium, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Lusail Stadium, Stadium 974, Education City Stadium and Al Janoub Stadium. They are all located within a 55-km radius from the capital of Doha. The eight stadia are spread across five cities Doha, Lusail, Al Khor, Al Wakrah and Al Rayyan.
Al Bayt Stadium
The stadium will host the showpiece event's opener between Qatar and Ecuador on November 20, besides eight other crucial clashes, including a semifinal on December 14. Al Bayt Stadium is named after 'bayt al sha'ar', which implied the tents historically used by nomadic people in and around the Gulf region.
The stadium was inaugurated on November 30, 2021, for the opening match of FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021. The stadium is built in an area larger than 30 football pitches and can accommodate 60,000 spectators at a time.
Khalifa International stadium
Built in 1976, the stadium has a history of hosting several big events like the Asian Games, Arabian Gulf Cup and AFC Asian Cup. The stadium hosted FIFA Club World Cup Qatar along with IAAF World Athletics Championships in 2019. Overall, it will host eight World Cup matches, of which six are group-stage matches and the rest of the games are Round-of-16 match and playoff for third-place match.
The stadium has gone through extensive redevelopment under which a new tier was built, adding nearly 10,500 seats. Now, the overall seating capacity is 40,000. The opening match at the stadium is slated for November 21 between England and Iran.
Al Thumama stadium
The stadium was first inaugurated on October 22, 2021, when it hosted the Amir Cup final between Al Sadd and Al Rayyan. Now the tournament capacity of the stadium is 40,000. The structure of the stadium represents gahfiya, which means a traditional cap worn by men across the middle east.
The stadium will host eight matches — six group stage matches, a round of 16 match and a quarterfinal match. The first World Cup match to be held at Al Thumama is between The Netherlands and Senegal on November 21.
Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
The stadium was inaugurated on December 18, 2020, when the 2020 Amir Cup final was hosted. The stadium will host seven World Cup matches, including six group stage matches and a Round-of-16 match.
It was reported that more than 90 per cent of the construction materials have been repurposed and reused. Many of the materials that occupied the site before the revamping of the stadium for the World Cup have been used in the new complex, says a fifa.com report. The seating capacity of the stadium is 40,000.
The site will feature an array of facilities such as cricket pitches, football pitches, children's playground, outdoor gym, an aquatic centre, tennis courts, a skate park and an athletics park.
Lusail Stadium
The stadium is boasted of as Qatar's biggest tournament venue, which can accommodate 80,000 spectators. The Lusail Stadium will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, besides nine other matches.
The first match at this venue will be between Argentina and Saudi Arabia on November 22. A state-of-the-art material called Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) protects the stadium from warm wind, keeps out dust.
Stadium 974
The stadium with a seating capacity of 40,000 was first launched during FIFA Arab Cup Qatar on November 30, 2021, when UAE played Syria. The stadium will host seven World Cup matches, of which six are group stage matches and one Round-of-16 match.
The first match is to be held between Mexico and Poland on November 22 at this venue. Stadium 974 was constructed using certified shipping containers and modular steel elements. The stadium received a five-star rating from the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS).
Education City Stadium
Inaugurated in 2020, for an event that paid tributes to the frontline healthcare workers during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Education City Stadium can accommodate 40,000 spectators. The stadium will feature state-of-the-art cooling technology.
It will be the venue for eight matches — six group stage matches, a round of 16 game and a quarterfinal match. The first match at this venue will be played between Denmark and Tunisia on November 22.
Al Janoub Stadium
The Al Janoub stadium that accommodates 40,000 spectators will host its first FIFA World Cup match between France vs Australia on November 22. The contruction work on the stadium started in 2014, and it was inaugurated on May 16, 2019 when it hosted the Amir Cup final.
The stadium will host six group stage games and one round of 16 match.