Qatar is not a nation that is renowned for football, but securing the hosting rights for the 2022 FIFA World Cup has put it in the soccer limelight.
It will be the first-ever Arab country to host the global Mundial, and to ensure a wonderful experience for football fans; the country has been putting everything in place.
One of such arrangements is the construction of amazing stadiums. Eight stadiums will be used for the World Cup.
In this article, TOP SOCCER BLOG brings you the top 7 best football stadiums in Qatar.
All the stadiums in this post will be used at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
1. Lusail Iconic Stadium
Lusail Stadium is the biggest football stadium in Qatar, with a capacity of 80,000. It is one of the 8 stadiums being converted for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The stadium is located in the city of Lusail, which is about 23 km north of Doha, the country’s capital.
Like the other stadiums planned for the 2022 World Cup, the Lusail Stadium will be cooled using solar power and has a zero carbon footprint.
It will host 10 World Cup matches, including the final.
After the 2022 World Cup, the Lusail Stadium is expected to be reconfigured into a 40,000-seat stadium. Excess seating will be removed, and other parts of the building will be repurposed as a community space with shops, cafés, athletic and education facilities, and a health clinic.
2. Al-Bayt Stadium
Al-Bayt Stadium is the 2nd biggest stadium in Qatar with a 60,000 capacity. It will host 9 matches at the FIFA World Cup later this year. It is the venue for the opening ceremony and the opening game.
The stadium is located in the city of Al Khor, which is located about 35 km away from Doha.
It was inaugurated on November 30, 2021, during the occasion of the opening ceremony for the FIFA Arab Cup 2021.
The architectural design takes its inspiration from the traditional tents of the nomadic peoples of Qatar and Al Khor. It will feature a retractable roof, providing covered seating for all spectators.
It is connected to a number of transportation systems, with the onsite parking capable of holding 6,000 cars, 350 buses, and the coming and going of 150 public buses/shuttles, as well as 1,000 taxis and water taxis.
The stadium is certified for its sustainability credentials under the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) for a number of certifications representing sustainable design & build construction management practices and the efficiency of its energy center.
The stadium will also include luxurious hotel suites and rooms with astonishing balcony views of the football field.
After the World Cup, the Al Bayt Stadium is expected to be reconstructed into a 32,000-seat stadium. Excess seats will be removed from the upper-tier and donated to other countries or placed on the infrastructures planned for the 2030 Asian Games.
The vacated space will then be converted into a five-star hotel, shopping mall, and other sports facilities.
3. Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
Ahmad bin Ali Stadium is the 3rd biggest stadium in Qatar, with a capacity of 50,000. It is undoubtedly one of the best football stadiums in Qatar.
Popularly called Al-Rayyan Stadium, it is a multi-purpose stadium located in the city of Al Rayyan. It is mostly used for football matches, and it is home to Al-Rayyan Sports Club and Al-Kharitiyath Sports Club.
The stadium is named after Ahmad bin Ali Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, from 1960 to 1972. It was initially built in 2003 with a seating capacity of 21,282 but got demolished in 2015 in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Ahmad bin Ali Stadium will host 7 matches at the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup. After the World Cup, it will be reduced to 21,000 seats.
4. Stadium 974
Stadium 974 was previously known as the Ras Abou Aboud Stadium. It has a 40,000 capacity and will host 7 matches at the World Cup.
The stadium is constructed on a 450,000 square-meter waterfront site and is situated on an artificial promontory. It has a modular design and is comprised of 974 recycled shipping containers as a tribute to the site’s industrial history and also the international dialing code of Qatar (+974).
Some of the containers contain stadium amenities such as bathrooms and concessions. The shipping containers and seats used by the stadium will be dismantled after the World Cup and donated as assistance to under-developed countries.
Stadium 974 will be the first temporary venue in the history of the FIFA World Cup.
5. Education City Stadium
Education City Stadium is a 45,350-capacity stadium located in the city of Al Rayyan.
The stadium is located within several university campuses at the Qatar Foundation’s Education City.
It has been nicknamed the “Diamond in the Desert” because 20% of its building materials were identified as green. The stadium is among the world’s most environmentally sustainable stadiums.
It will host 8 matches at the World Cup, and after the tournament, the stadium will retain 25,000 seats for use by university athletic teams.
6. Khalifa International Stadium
Khalifa International Stadium, also known as National Stadium, is the Qatar national football team’s home stadium.
It is a multi-purpose stadium in the Qatari capital of Doha and part of the Doha Sports City complex, which also includes Aspire Academy, Hamad Aquatic Centre, and the Aspire Tower.
It is named after Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar’s former Emir. The stadium was opened in 1976, and in 1992, it hosted all 15 games of the 11th Gulf Cup, which Qatar won for the first time.
It was renovated and expanded in 2005, before the 2006 Asian Games, to increase its capacity from originally 20,000 to 40,000 seats.
A roof covers the western side of the stadium. The eastern side has a large arch, which was used as a platform to launch fireworks during the 2006 Asian Games opening ceremony.
The Khalifa International Stadium has a 45,416 capacity.
7. Al Janoub Stadium
Al Janoub Stadium is a retractable roof football stadium in the city of Al-Wakrah.
It features a curvilinear postmodernist and neo-futurist design. The appearance of the roof was inspired by the sails of traditional Dhow boats, used by pearl divers from the region, weaving through currents of the Persian Gulf.
The stadium includes a multi-purpose room with swimming pools and spas and a shopping center with green roofs. The entrance to the stadium will be on a wooded square.
A school, wedding hall, cycling, horse riding, and running tracks, restaurants, marketplaces, and gyms within the vicinity are planned to be built to accompany it.
Al Janoub Stadium will host 7 World Cup matches. It has a 40,000 capacity, which is expected to reduce in half to 20,000 after the World Cup.
It is the home stadium of Al-Wakrah SC.
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