Stadiums are the building blocks upon which FIFA have held the prestigious World Cup. But this time, the world football's premier association, in collaboration with hosts Qatar have taken the meaning of this phrase to another level! From state-of-the-art cooling systems to large screens outside the stadiums for the fans to see the matches, and a stadium that quite literally is built with building blocks, the Qatar World Cup is bound to be a feast for football-crazy fans.
Here, we take a dive deep into these stadiums, and look closely at the various amenities available, and their costs!
Al Bayt Stadium
Location: 35 km away from Doha
Capacity: 63,000
Cost: Rs 68.987 Billion or $ 847 Million
This stadium will host the first match of the FIFA World Cup between Qatar and Ecuador on Sunday, November 20. Made out of hardened and special woven tent fabrics, the whole stadium looks like a giant tent. It also has a shopping centre and a five-star mall. Eight matches will be played in this stadium.
Al Bayt Stadium
Location: 22 km away from Doha, in Alwakra city
Capacity: 40,000
Cost: Rs 53.419 Billion or $ 656 Million
Designed by British Iraqi designer Zaha Hadid, the Al Janoub stadium is one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world. It is shaped like a sailing boat and has a complex cooling system, spa, shopping centre, and marriage halls. Seven matches will be hosted in this stadium.
Ahmad Ali Bin stadium
Location: 15 km from Doha in Al Rayyan City
Capacity: 45000
Cost: Rs 29.238 Billion or $ 360 Million
Built over the original Al Rayyan stadium in Al Rayyan on the boundaries of the desert, this venue has four outer walls with screens where tv matches will be telecast. Seven matches will be played in this stadium.
Al Thumama stadium
Location: Near Hamad International airport
Capacity: 40,000
Cost: Rs 27.690 Billion or $ 342 Million
Located near the city's major airport, the Hamad International airport, this special venue is inspired by the Gahfiya, the traditional cap used by Arab men, meaning that the whole stadium is built around a 50,000 sq. m public park area, with grass imported from Switzerland.
Education City stadium
Location: 7 km away from Education City in Al Rayyan
Capacity: 45,350
Cost: Rs 62.72 Billion or $770 Million
One of the most expensive projects taken up by Qatar for the FIFA World Cup, this stadium has a special diamond-like structure in the desert, which changes colour with the movement of the sun. It also offers advanced cooling techniques. Eight matches will be played at this venue.
Khalifa International stadium
Location: Doha Sports City complex
Capacity: 45000
Cost: Rs 30.394 Billion or $ 374 million
Named after the former Emir of Qatar, Khalifa Bin Hamad Al Thani, this is the national stadium of Qatar. This stadium will also act as the host for the Asian games in 2030, the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, and the Arabian Gulf Cup. Eight matches will be hosted in this stadium.
Lusail stadium
Location: 23 km north of Doha
Capacity: 80000
Cost: Rs 62.416 Billion or $ 767 million
Among the biggest venues of them all, the Lusail stadium is cooled by solar power. Inspired by traditional handcraft bowls, vessels, and other art pieces of the Arab and Islamic world, the stadium has a shiny golden tinge to it. 10 matches, including the final, will be held here.
Stadium 974
Location: Ras Abu Aboud
Capacity: 40,000
Cost: Unknown
Among one of the many indigenous ideas to strike the Qatari constructors, is the first transportable stadium in the world. The venue was made out of shipping containers, and 974 represents the Qatar international phone code. The colours of the containers denote different things, like blue for food stalls, yellow for the bathroom, black for prayer and green for medical. After hosting seven matches at this stadium, it will be dismantled after the World Cup.
