List of FIFA World Cup 2022 Stadiums and All FIFA match stadiums in Qatar
The FIFA World Cup will start from 20 November 2022 in Qatar and will continue till 18 December 2022 with 32 teams participating. For the first time the World Cup will be held in the month of November-December, till now the World Cup was held in the month of June-July. The first match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup will be held at the 60,000 capacity Al Bayt Stadium. The final match of FIFA World Cup 2022 will be held in Lusail on 18 December 2022. It will be the first World Cup to be held in the Middle East, but it will not only be the first tournament to be held in the Arab region.
Here is a list of the stadiums that will host the FIFA World Cup in 2022:
1) Lusail Stadium
2) Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
3) Al Janoub Stadium
4) Khalifa International Arena
5) Education City Stadium
6) Al Bayt Stadium
7) Stadium 974
8) Al Thumama Stadium
This tournament is taking place in the Middle East for the first time and Qatar has erected eight large stadiums to accommodate this global event. It’s also the most expensive World Cup of all time. Qatar reportedly has an enormous bill that has skyrocketed to $220 billion. Eight stadiums will be present in Qatar, with seven of them being completely new constructions. Each stadium has costed $6.5-10 billion. For comparison, in 2014, Brazil spent a total of $19.7 billion in preparation for the World Cup. And now, let’s talk about Qatar’s stadiums. What makes them so expensive and special?
Lusail Stadium
Lusail Stadium in Doha will be the center of attraction for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Lusail being the largest stadium among the 8 nominated venues. It is also a multi-use stadium. Additionally, it covers an area of around 1,40,000 square meters and has a capacity of 80,000 people at a time. It will be the most important venue among others and will host the final match and the closing ceremony of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
| Host City | Lusail |
| Total Capacity of Stadium | 80,000 |
| World cup events | All matches through to the FIFA World Cup 2022 title match |
Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
The Stadium is located in Umm Al Afaei, west of central Doha. It is named after the late Emir Ahmad Bin Ali Al Thani of Qatar, who ruled from 1960 to 1972, the original Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium was demolished in 2015 and the rebuilt version came after. It has been reported that it will reduce its seating to 20,000 following the soccer championship.
| Host City | Umm Al Afaei |
| Total Capacity of Stadium | 40,000 |
| World cup events | Group matches, round of 16 |
Al Janoub Stadium
Zaha Hadid was British and Iraqi, and is responsible for Al Janoub Stadium. The stadium can hold up to forty thousand spectators, and is located in the city of Al Wakrah. The building’s construction was initiated in 2014 and completed in 2019.
| Host City | Al Wakrah |
| Total Capacity of Stadium | 40,000 |
| World cup events | Group matches, round of 16 |
Khalifa International Arena
It seats 40,000 spectators, named after Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, the former Emir of Qatar. It was previously known as the National Stadium and has now become a multipurpose arena, in the Doha Sports City complex in Doha, Qatar. For instance, this venue has two huge arches and a cool-setting system. It hosted the 2006 Asian Games as well.
| Host City | Doha |
| Total Capacity of Stadium | 40,000 |
| World cup events | Group matches, round of 16, and play off for 3rd place |
Education City Stadium
Al Rayyan is a municipality located in Qatar and a city that stands apart with the Qatar Foundation’s Education City and stadium situated between the nearby universities. This stadium was opened on 15 June 2020, and is considered to be one of the greenest in the world. The quarter-final match of the tournament will also be held here.
| Host City | Al Rayyan (Education City) |
| Total Capacity of Stadium | 40,000 |
| World cup events | Group matches, round of 16, FIFA 2022 quarter-finals |
Al Bayt Stadium
Al Bayt Stadium, the second largest in Qatar, will host the opening match and opening ceremony. After 7 years of construction, the Al Bait Stadium will host the FIFA Arab Cup on 30 November 2021, inspired by the nomadic tents of the Gulf region. From a retractable roof to a parking facility for around 6,000 cars and 350 buses, the venue offers every modern convenience for the FIFA Qatar 2022 World Cup.
| Host City | Al Khor |
| Total Capacity of Stadium | 60,000 |
| World cup events | Opening and all matches through to semi-finals |
Stadium 974
During the 2013 FIFA World Cup, Qatar opened Stadium 974 for the first time. This stadium is made of 974 recyclable containers. Their construction cost was lower than other locations because these recycling containers were used. According to reports, it will be dismantled after the tournament. After the tournament, the stadium can be disassembled and transported to another location. It has a seating capacity of 40,000.
| Host City | Doha |
| Total Capacity of Stadium | 40,000 |
| World cup events | FIFA 2022- Group matches and round of 16 |
Al Thumama Stadium
The Al Thumama Stadium is a football stadium located in Doha’s Al Thumama district. It opened its doors on 22 October 2021. A Qatari chief architect from the Arab Engineering Bureau designed the grounds, inspired by the traditional cap Taqiyah worn by men and boys in the Middle East. It will be used through the quarterfinals of the FIFA 2022.
| Host City | Doha |
| Total Capacity of Stadium | 40,000 |
| World cup events | Group matches, round of 16, and quarter finals |