Guides to FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar stadiums

 

The FIFA World Cup 2022 will be held in Qatar from November 20 to December 18. Set to be the 22nd edition of the world football championships, the FIFA World Cup 2022 is set to be a special one considering it will be the first time that a Middle Eastern country will host a football World Cup.

This will also be the second time that the FIFA World Cup will be hosted in Asia. The 2002 FIFA World Cup was co-hosted by Japan and South Korea.
A total of eight stadiums spread across five different Qatari cities will host 32 teams in 64 matches during the FIFA World Cup 2022.

The designated venues for the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar are Lusail Iconic Stadium in Lusail, Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor, Al Janoub Stadium in Al Wakrah, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, Khalifa International Stadium and Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan and Stadium 974 and Al Thumama Stadium in Doha. All the venues are located within a 55-km radius of Qatar's capital city of Doha.

Barring the Khalifa International Stadium, which has been operational since 1976, all the other stadiums have been constructed over the past three years with the FIFA World Cup in mind. The Khalifa Stadium will host the third-place playoff match.

Lusail Iconic Stadium has the highest capacity (80,000) among the eight venues. It will also be the busiest stadium of the lot, hosting a total of 10 matches, including the final and closing ceremonies.

The Al Bayt Stadium, set to host nine matches, will be the stage for the opening ceremony and FIFA World Cup 2022 opener between hosts Qatar and Ecuador on November 20.

Following is the list of stadiums which will host the Nov. 20-Dec. 18 World Cup in Qatar.

LUSAIL STADIUM

Capacity: 80,000

Location: 15km north of central Doha

Lusail Stadium is the largest venue for the tournament and will host the World Cup final on Dec. 18.

Eight stadiums in Doha will host 64 matches at the World Cup and the unique nature of the tournament, which is being held in one location, allows fans to attend more than one game a day, with the venues a maximum of one hour's drive from each other.

Lusail Stadium is the largest venue for the tournament and will host the World Cup final on Dec. 18.

It is accessible by a metro line (Lusail QNB Metro Station, red line) and will host matches in all rounds of the competition.

Matches:

Nov. 22: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia

Nov. 24: Brazil vs Serbia

Nov. 26: Argentina vs Mexico

Nov. 28: Portugal vs Uruguay

Nov. 30: Saudi Arabia vs Mexico

Dec. 2: Cameroon vs Brazil

Dec. 6: Last-16 game

Dec. 9: Quarter-final

Dec. 13: First semi-final

Dec. 18: Final

AL BAYT STADIUM

Capacity: 60,000

Location: 40km north of Doha

Named and designed after the tents used by nomads in the Gulf, the Al Bayt Stadium is the farthest venue from central Doha but also one of the biggest and has a retractable roof.

Al Bayt Stadium will host the opening match between Qatar and Ecuador.

The hosts say that after the World Cup, its upper tier of modular seating will be removed and given to developing countries.

Matches:

Nov. 20: Qatar v Ecuador

Nov. 23: Morocco v Croatia

Nov. 25: England v United States

Nov. 27: Spain v Germany

Nov. 29: Netherlands v Qatar

Dec. 1: Costa Rica v Germany

Dec. 4: Last-16 game

Dec. 10: Quarter-final

Dec. 14: Second semi-final

EDUCATION CITY STADIUM

Capacity: 40,000

Location: Doha

Inaugurated in 2020, the venue has already hosted the Club World Cup where Bayern Munich won the title in February 2021.

The venue is a stone's throw away from the metro line (Education City Station, Green Line) and will be in use until the quarter-finals.

Matches:

Nov. 22: Denmark v Tunisia

Nov. 24: Uruguay v South Korea

Nov. 26: Poland v Saudi Arabia

Nov. 28: South Korea v Ghana

Nov. 30: Tunisia v France

Dec. 2: South Korea v Portugal

Dec. 6: Last-16 game

Dec. 9: Quarter-final

STADIUM 974

Capacity: 40,000

Location: 5km from the airport

This temporary stadium is situated near the seafront corniche and is uniquely designed with 974 shipping containers (the number is also the international dialling code of Qatar).

The stadium is located near the Ras Bu Abboud Metro Station (Gold line).

Matches:

Nov. 22: Mexico v Poland

Nov. 24: Portugal v Ghana

Nov. 26: France v Denmark

Nov. 28: Brazil v Switzerland

Nov. 30: Poland v Argentina

Dec. 2: Serbia v Switzerland

Dec. 5: Last-16 game

KHALIFIA INTERNATIONAL STADIUM

Capacity: 40,000

Location: 11km from central Doha

The oldest stadium on Doha, the Khalifia International Stadium was built in 1976 for the Asian Games and has since been renovated and reopened in 2017.

It has hosted the FIFA Club World Cup and the 2011 Asian Cup, with the final being played in front of over 37,000 fans.

The venue is situated near the Sports City Metro station (Gold line) and will host the match for third place.

Matches

Nov. 21: England v Iran

Nov. 23: Germany v Japan

Nov. 25: Netherlands v Ecuador

Nov. 27: Croatia v Canada

Nov. 29: Ecuador v Senegal

Dec. 1: Japan v Spain

Dec. 3: Last-16 game

Dec. 17: Third-place game

AHMAD BIN ALI STADIUM

Capacity: 40,000

Location: Al Rayyan, 20km west of Doha

Inaugurated in December 2020, it hosted the final of the Amir Cup - Qatar's domestic cup - and Club World Cup games.

Nearly half of the seats will be dismantled and given to football projects outside Qatar.

The venue is located near the Al Riffa Metro Station (Green line).

Matches:

Nov. 21: United States v Wales

Nov. 23: Belgium v Canada

Nov. 25: Wales v Iran

Nov. 27: Japan v Costa Rica

Nov. 29: Wales v England

Dec. 1: Croatia v Belgium

Dec. 3: Last-16 game

AL THUMAMA STADIUM

Capacity: 40,000

Location: 10km south of Doha, 15-minute drive from Hamad International Airport.

The circular design of the stadium is inspired by the 'gahfiya' -- the traditional woven cap worn by boys and men in the Middle East.

This stadium's capacity will also be reduced to 20,000 after the World Cup.

Matches:

Nov. 21: Senegal v Netherlands

Nov. 23: Spain v Costa Rica

Nov. 25: Qatar v Senegal

Nov. 27: Belgium v Morocco

Nov. 29: Iran v United States

Dec. 1: Canada v Morocco

Dec. 4: Last-16 game

Dec. 10: Quarter-final

AL JANOUB STADIUM

Capacity: 40,000

Location: Al Wakrah, 30 minutes from central Doha

The stadium design takes inspiration from the 'dhow' pearl fishing boats and has a roof that looks like sails. It was inaugurated in 2019, hosting the Amir Cup final.

The stadium's capacity will be reduced to 20,000 after the World Cup with the seats to be donated to projects overseas.

Matches:

Nov. 22: France v Australia

Nov. 24: Switzerland v Cameroon

Nov. 26: Tunisia v Australia

Nov. 28: Cameroon v Serbia

Nov. 30: Australia v Denmark

Dec. 2: Ghana v Uruguay

Dec. 5: Last-16 game