What you need to know about the latest tournament-ready venue for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™
The stunning Al Bayt Stadium will be inaugurated on 30 November when it hosts the FIFA Arab Cup™ group stage match between hosts Qatar and Bahrain.
It will become the sixth FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ tournament venue to be inaugurated after Khalifa International, Al Janoub, Education City, Ahmad Bin Ali and Al Thumama.
The 60,000-capacity stadium features a design inspired by the tents historically used by nomadic peoples in Qatar and the region. It will host five matches during the FIFA Arab Cup™, including the final on 18 December, and nine matches during Qatar 2022 up to the semi-finals stage.
Here are five facts about Al Bayt Stadium:
Uniquely Qatari design
Located in Al Khor, 46km north of Doha, Al Bayt’s design is inspired by the ‘bayt al sha’ar’ – which were tents historically used by nomadic peoples in Qatar and the Gulf region. The design honours Qatar’s past and present, while keeping one eye on the future of the community. As well as being incredibly eye-catching, the tent design is deeply practical. The shade provided by the tent structure and its retractable roof system will complement the stadium's cooling technologies, helping maintain a comfortable temperature inside the venue without using any extra power.
Semi-final venue during Qatar 2022
Al Bayt will be the second busiest venue during Qatar 2022, with nine matches up to the semi-finals stage taking place at the stadium. This includes the opening match of the FIFA World Cup™ on 21 November 2022. After Qatar 2022, the modular upper tier will be removed, reducing the stadium’s capacity to 32,000. The removed seats will then be re-purposed to create sporting facilities in Qatar and overseas.
Serving the Al Khor community
Once it has helped stage Qatar 2022, Al Bayt and the surrounding precinct will serve the needs of the Al Khor community and provide a legacy of healthy living. The stadium’s upper concourse will be converted into various facilities, with the sky box level turned into a five-star hotel. A shopping centre, food court, gym and multipurpose hall will be incorporated into the stadium building, as will a branch of the sports medicine hospital Aspetar. The surrounding precinct contains 400,000m² of green space, which is equivalent to more than 30 football pitches. Al Bayt Park, which opened in February 2020, features running and cycling tracks, play areas, coffee shops and restaurants.
A benchmark in sustainability
A symbol of Qatar 2022’s commitment to staging a sustainable World Cup, Al Bayt received top marks for its design and construction from the Global Sustainability Assessment System. Al Bayt was awarded five stars for design and construction respectively, along with a Class A* rating for its construction process and a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio Compliance certificate.
Team effort
A number of companies played a key role in delivering Al Bayt. Qatari contractor Galfar Al Misnad, in collaboration with Italian companies Salini Impregilo Group and Cimolai, oversaw construction of the stadium and energy centre. Landscaping and underground utility works were carried out by Qatari contractors Bin Omran Trading and Contracting and Al Sulaiteen Agricultural & Industrial Complex. KEO International Consultants served as the construction supervisors, Dar Al-Handasah delivered the design, while Projacs were responsible for project management in the initial phase.
Tickets for the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021™ are now available on a first-come, first-served basis at FIFA.com/tickets. Currently, tickets for all 32 matches are available. This includes a selection of affordable category 4 tickets costing QAR 25 each (Qatar residents only) for all matches, except the semi-finals and final.
