Qatar 2022: Football World Cup stadiums at a glance
A quick look at the eight stadiums that will host the Qatar 2022 matches.
Qatar will host football’s 2022 World Cup, a tournament that will be played across eight stadiums in November and December.
Al Jazeera looks at the status of all eight stadiums that will host the 2022 World Cup matches:
Khalifa International Stadium
Capacity: 40,000
Inauguration: May 2017
Location: Doha
Khalifa International Stadium was the first tournament-ready venue for Qatar 2022 and will host matches up to and including the third place play-off during Qatar 2022.
Built in 1976, it is the only venue which already existed before Qatar was awarded the World Cup, although it has since been transformed.
Al Janoub Stadium
Capacity: 40,000
Inauguration: May 2019
Location: Wakrah
Al Janoub Stadium was the first Qatar 2022 tournament venue to be built from scratch and will host matches up to and including the round of 16 during Qatar 2022.
Located south of Doha in the city of Al-Wakrah, the stadium’s design was inspired by the traditional boats used for pearl diving and fishing.
Education City Stadium
Capacity: 40,000
Inauguration: June 2020
Location: Education City
Education City Stadium was inaugurated in June 2020 during a virtual event that paid tribute to front-line healthcare workers during the coronavirus pandemic. It will host matches up to and including the quarter-final stage during Qatar 2022.
Situated among university campuses in Al-Rayyan, just to the west of Doha itself, and reachable by metro, the stadium will notably host one of the quarter-finals. Its capacity will be reduced by half after the tournament with plans for the seats to be donated to developing countries.
Al Bayt Stadium
Capacity: 60,000
Inauguration: November 2021
Location: Al Khor
Al Bayt Stadium is set to host matches up to and including the semi-final stage during Qatar 2022.
The organisers said about 28,000 seats from the stadium will be donated to developing countries after the tournament.
The venue for the opening game between Qatar and Ecuador on November 20, as well as the group-stage showdown between Spain and Germany and the second semi-final.
It is constructed in the form of a Bedouin tent although there are plans for the upper tier to be removed after the competition. Situated on Qatar’s northeast coast, around 35km (22 miles) from Doha.
Al Rayyan Stadium
Capacity: 40,000
Inauguration: December 2020
Location: Al Rayyan
Al Rayyan Stadium was inaugurated on December 18, 2020, to mark two years until the World Cup 2022 final. It is set to host matches up to and including the round of 16 during Qatar 2022.
The home of one of Qatar’s most successful clubs, Al-Rayyan, the stadium has been built on the site of the old venue of the same name. Located where the city meets the desert, its capacity will also be reduced by half after the tournament.
Al Thumama Stadium
Capacity: 40,000
Inauguration: October 2021
Location: Doha
Al Thumama Stadium is set to host matches up to and including the quarter-final stage during Qatar 2022.
Situated to the south of central Doha, close to the city’s Hamad International Airport, the stadium is built in the form of a gahfiya, the traditional cap worn by men across the Middle East. Its capacity will be reduced to 20,000 after the World Cup.
Ras Abu Aboud Stadium
Capacity: 40,000
Inauguration: November 2021
Location: Doha
Ras Abu Aboud Stadium will be the first fully demountable tournament venue in football World Cup history.
It will host matches up to and including the round of 16 during Qatar 2022. Its structure is built out of shipping containers on Doha’s waterfront. The number 974 is the international dialling code for Qatar but also represents the number of containers used for the stadium’s construction.
Lusail Stadium
Capacity: 80,000
Inauguration: September 2022
Location: Lusail City
Lusail Stadium will be the biggest tournament venue for the 2022 World Cup and will host the final on December 18, along with matches during every stage of the event.
Built in Lusail, a planned city for a population of 200,000 people situated 15km (nine miles) north of central Doha, there are plans for the stadium to be transformed into a community hub after the World Cup, with most of its seats being removed and donated elsewhere.
