Qatar is the country that has undergone the biggest transformation to welcome international football to its streets. Between 6 and 10 billion euros have been invested in the development of a project that has built a multitude of stadiums and facilities.
It has been more than ten years since Blatter announced at the FIFA gala which countries would host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The first of these tournaments was held four years ago in Russia, an offer that was completely attractive as it was the first venue in Eastern Europe to hold an event like this. The other proposal for 2022 was the luxurious and growing Qatar, the second nation to host the World Cup in Asia after South Korea. It is just 12 years to the day and in that time, the country's leading magnates have poured money into a complete overhaul of their country.
With more than 5,000 million euros spent, the entire Asian country has been transformed into a city for and by football, and it shows in the renovations and constructions that have been built. In total, eight stadiums will host the matches of this event, which is celebrating its 22nd birthday with the most efficient and futuristic facilities. Of these eight, only two have been refurbished, while the rest of the venues have been built from the ground up. With modern and dynamic architecture - more on that later - the monetary capital of Asia awaits its guests, with less than a month to go.
The architects who have built each of the World Cup stadiums have been inspired by concepts or ideas drawn from the folklore and cultural situation of Qatar. So much so that the style of the stadium that will host the opening match of the tournament is based on the 'bayt al sha'ar', a type of tent used by the nomadic Qatari people in the desert and which gives its roof its peculiar umbrella, or canopy, shape. The designer Dar Al-Handasah said that his aim with this work "was to honour Qatar's past and present with a vision of the future".
Eight matches will be played here in addition to the opening match, with two quarter-final and one semi-final.
TECHNICAL DATA
Opening: 30th November 2021 (kick-off day of the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup)
Capacity: 60,000 spectators
Turf: Natural
Location: Al Khor City, Qatar
Cost: 686,422,300 euros
Designed by a Spanish studio, this stadium is also known by the nickname of the 'Desert Diamond', as its circular diamond shape with glittering details on its roof gives it the appearance of such a jewel. It was the first World Cup venue to be awarded a five-star rating for its design by the Global Assessment and Sustainability System organisation.
It is located as the main meeting area of the headquarters, as it has facilities and green areas designed for the students who come to the area, as it is one of the leading places in terms of academics. It will host eight matches, including one quarter-final and one round of 16.
TECHNICAL DATA
Opening: June 2020 (venue for a solidarity event with sanitary workers during COVID)
Capacity: 45,350 spectators
Turf: Natural
Location: Education District. Al Rayyan City, Qatar
Cost: 814,617,261 euros
It is the oldest stadium of all the World Cup venues. It has hosted historic events such as the Asian Games, the Gulf Cup and the AFC Asian Cup. Although it was closed for a while and it was not until 2017 that the stadium was reopened for the Emir's Cup finals. Today, it has been refurbished for the international event and features new stands, a reconstructed front and an innovative LED lighting system.
Five championship matches will be played there, including the most important one, which is the third and fourth place match. So at this venue, the captain of one of the two nations will win the tournament's consolation trophy.
TECHNICAL DATA
Opening: 1976, although it was not until 15th May 2017 that it was reopened as a venue for sporting events (it hosted the final of the Emir's Cup 2017)
Capacity: 40,000 spectators
Turf: Natural
Location: Al Waab District. Doha City, Qatar
Cost: 71,279,010 euros
A stadium built using materials reused from its former site, also known as Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. With a shiny exterior and also in the form of a Qatari tent, the studio that created this piece defined it as a venue where the main motifs of the country's culture are structured: the family, the desert, the indigenous ecosystem and trade as a business. The conjunction of an idea that engages a country that is moving forward in its history, but does not forget its past roots.
The venue will host seven matches in the city, almost all of which are group matches, except for one, which will play for a place in the quarter-finals.
TECHNICAL DATA
Opening: 18th December 2020 (as the venue for the Amir Cup 2020 final)
Capacity: 40,000 spectators
Turf: Natural
Location: Umm Al Afaei District. Al Rayyan City, Qatar
Cost: 366,490,111 euros
It is the stadium that is the main focus of attention. As the venue chosen to host the final, this stadium is already the venue for major events in the Qatari country. Its structure, designed by Foster+ Partners, is an allegory of the lights and shadows of the "fanar" lantern so typical of this nation's culture. In the shape of a bowl, this archetype of sustainability also recreates one of the most important vessels in the golden age of trade and craftsmanship in the Islamic world.
As the stadium that hosts the most matches, a total of ten, this venue will also host matches in the semi-finals, quarter-finals, round of 16 and groups. The main reference within this organisation.
TECHNICAL DATA
Opening: 9th August 2022 (as home of the Qatar Super League)
Capacity: 80,000 spectators
Turf: Natural
Location: Lusail City, Qatar
Cost: 360,000,000 euros
Created by Zaha Hadid's architectural studio, its design is inspired by the city's maritime life, which is why it recreates the shape of the 'dhow', the region's traditional fleet. It is one of the most innovative stadiums in the world, with an operable roof and a solar-powered cooling system. Designed as a removable venue, it has 40,000 seats, of which 20,000 are removable to be placed in other countries in need of such infrastructure for charitable purposes.
With a total of seven World Cup matches, the venue will host most of the group stage matches as well as one match in the round of 16.
TECHNICAL DATA
Opening: 16th May 2019 (on the occasion of the final of the Amir Cup 2019)
Capacity: 40,777 spectators
Turf: Natural
Location: Al Wakrah City, Qatar
Other name: Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Stadium
Cost: 291,156,032 euros
The most innovative of the World Cup stadiums. For Stadium 974 is constructed from exactly 974 modified shipping containers - which is also the code for Qatar's branding - making it the world's first fully demountable stadium. In this way, it can be transported to any location that needs a venue that can accommodate around 40,000 spectators.
It is the football pitch with the most curious and striking architectural motif of all the 2022 World Cup stadiums, where a total of seven matches will be played: one in the Round of 16 and the rest in the group matches.
TECHNICAL DATA
Opening: November 2020 (on the occasion of the opening match of the Arab Cup 2021)
Capacity: 40,000 spectators
Turf: Natural
Location: Ras Abu Aboud City, Qatar
Cost: 234,092,868 euros
The last stadium we are going to talk about in this article is the one in the city of Al Thumama. This stadium is inspired by the 'gahfiya', a traditional hat of the region that symbolises the dignity and independence of the Qatari country. One of the stadiums with the longest useful life in the future, it plans to be the reference in sports structures for the city of Qatar, where it will house a pavilion, an aquatic centre and a mosque after the World Cup. In addition, two local teams will play their home games in the stadium.
One of the most promising venues of the tournament, where eight matches will be played there, including groups, round of 16 and quarter-finals.
TECHNICAL DATA
Opening: 22nd October 2021 (on the occasion of the final match of the Amir Cup of the same year)
Capacity: 40,000 spectators
Turf: Natural
Location: Al Thumama City, Qatar
Cost: 356,228,277 euros