The 2022 FIFA World Cup will feature eight stadiums, and each will show off its unique design and innovation. The number of stadiums being used for the World Cup will be the fewest venues since the 1978 event in Argentina.
The 1978 tournament, in which Argentina defeated the Netherlands in the final, had just six venues. In comparison, the 2018 World Cup in Russia featured 12 stadiums across the country.
🏟 Al Janoub Stadium🗓 6 group stage matches & 1 Round of 16 match🌅 Located in the coastal city of Al Wakrah, just south of Doha pic.twitter.com/qZgUSVw74x— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) July 15, 2020
🏟 Al Janoub Stadium🗓 6 group stage matches & 1 Round of 16 match🌅 Located in the coastal city of Al Wakrah, just south of Doha pic.twitter.com/qZgUSVw74x
Here is a look at the eight stadiums for 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The Lusail Iconic Stadium can hold 80,000 fans on matchdays, and it is the tournament's largest venue. Ten matches will be played at the Lusail Stadium, including the opening fixture and the final.
Al Janoub, formerly the Al Wakrah Stadium, has a design inspired by traditional Qatari dhow sailboats. It also has a retractable roof to keep out the heat and sandstorms that may crop up during November and December.
Al Bayt Stadium can accommodate 60,000 fans on matchdays. The second World Cup semifinal will take place there. The stadium has a unique design based on traditional Middle Eastern Bedouin tents. Al Bayt will be one of the most difficult stadiums for fans to reach. It isn’t connected to the metro system in Doha and is located 35km outside the capital.
Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium is situated in Al Rayyan and can hold 40,000 supporters. The venue is home to Qatar’s most successful football club, Al Rayyan. The venue replaced Al Rayyan’s former stadium. The building materials for the previous venue were reused in the design of the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium.
The Education City Stadium will hold one of the World Cup quarterfinal games. Once the tournament is completed, the stadium will be home to the Qatari women’s national team. Education City Stadium previously hosted the 2021 FIFA World Club Cup final between Tigres and Bayern Munich.
Al Thumama Stadium will hold 40,000 spectators. It is located in the city of Doha and is centrally located for fans to reach. The stadium’s design resembles a gahfiya, a traditional Arab men’s cap. It will host a World Cup quarterfinal game.
Stadium 974 could be the future of football stadia. It was constructed using old shipping containers, 974 to be exact, and is situated on the Doha waterfront. Stadium 974 is called a pop-up stadium, as it can be dismantled and assembled elsewhere. The 40,000-seat stadium was designed to use as few building materials as possible.
Khalifa International Stadium was the only sports arena used in Qatar before the World Cup was given to the country. It was built in 1976 and has held football games for nearly half a century. The venue can hold 40,000 fans for games. It previously held the 2018 FIFA Club World Cup match between Flamengo and Liverpool.