FIFA World Cup 2022 Stadiums - All You Need to Know

A country renowned for its fine Arabian hospitality and generous natives, Qatar is set to host the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022. A competition that is set to receive over a million followers into the country, the FIFA 2022 will be played in the fewest number of stadiums which in itself is set to be different.

As confirmed by FIFA and Qatar officially, there will be only 8 FIFA World Cup 2022 Stadiums , and out of those eight stadiums, seven will be newly constructed. So if you're a footballing fan ready for a month-long spectacle of football, we have compiled a detailed guide to all the stadiums that have been selected for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.

But before we proceed with that, let's have a quick round-up of some amazing facts around the upcoming world cup in Qatar.

Facts About FIFA World Cup 2022

Have a look at some amazing quick facts that make the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2022 special in its own way.

• The FIFA World Cup in Qatar will be the first-ever winter world cup to be held in the Northern Hemisphere as it will commence on the 21st of November and end with the final scheduled for the 18th of December 2022. The decision has been taken in order to avoid the excessively hot condition of Qatar during the months of June and July.
• The Hamad International Airport and Qatar Airways will join hands to bring a whopping 1300 flights into the country in a single day. This will last for the whole month during the FIFA World Cup. The decision has been taken in order to bring some ease to the visitors who would book a flight to Qatar during this time.
• The Doha metro network in Qatar which is 300 km long and has 100 stations along the way would ferry an estimated one million visitors during the FIFA World Cup. In fact, if the figures turn out to be true, there will be twice as many visitors in Qatar as there were in Brazil during the World Cup in 2014.
• The FIFA 2022 will be the most commutable world cup ever owing to the country's central location and the fact that Qatar is a small nation, almost 1478 times smaller than the size of Russia who hosted the last world cup in 2018. Likewise, the commutability of the world cup is also evident from the fact Qatar's two most remote stadiums, Al Byat and Al Wakrah are only 90 miles apart. Similarly, the education City Stadium is located a mere 51 minutes away from Bahrain through the high-speed rail network.
• There may well be no alcohol in the stadiums during the FIFA World Cup 2022 as there are question marks around it. Being an Islamic nation, Qatar has strict laws against the consumption of alcohol on streets and in public places. Hence, whether alcohol will be available during the world cup or not remains a major talking point. In fact, according to multiple reports, the country may set up specialized establishments as fan zones where alcohol will be served to the visitors during the world cup at cheaper prices.
• Now here’s a thing, the stadiums selected for the FIFA World Cup 2022 will be fully-conditioned. The decision to construct such stadiums has been taken in order to give some respite to the visitors from the heat of Qatar. This is, in fact, for the first-time ever that the stadiums constructed would be fully air-conditioned.

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FIFA World Cup 2022 Stadiums Details

For the first time ever, the FIFA World Cup is set to take place with only eight stadiums, and the excite about them amongst the fans couldn’t be higher. So, here's our take on the venues that are there for the upcoming event.  

1. Khalifa International Stadium

Perhaps one of the second biggest stadiums in Qatar, the Khalifa International Stadium has a maximum seating capacity of 68,030 set for the FIFA World Cup. Originally, the stadium holds a capacity of 50,000 which has been upgraded in accordance with the rules of FIFA for minimum seating requirement.

Having said that, the stadium is a familiar venue as it hosted the 2011 AFC Asian Cup final and has been the venue for the number of high-profile international friendlies, most notably the one between England and Brazil.

2. Al Rayyan Stadium

Another venue for the FIFA World Cup 2022, the Al Rayyan Stadium is a marvel in itself. The specialty of this stadium is its exterior that consists of a media membrane that covers the whole stadium. The membrane would be used to show the whole coverage of the world cup matches, including the pre and post-game shows along with live matches from all camera angles.

The best part? Visitors who fail to get the tickets would be able to watch live matches from the outside as well while feeling the same atmosphere.

3. Education City Stadium

The Education City Stadium is located between many university campuses and has a unique design that makes the stadium glitter during the day while it glows during the night. As officially confirmed by Qatar, the stadium is already ready to host FIFA World Cup matches and will be used by university teams once the world cup is over with a reduced seating capacity of 25,000.

4. Lusail Stadium

A venue that is perhaps one of the most important in terms of the world cup, the Lusail Stadium will be the venue for the final of the FIFA World Cup 2022. The stadium has a maximum seating capacity of 86,250 and its architectural design is a true marvel in itself which represents a dhow boat. It is also perhaps the biggest stadium in Qatar as far as the world cup is concerned.

5. Al Bayt Stadium

Being one of the most remotely located stadiums in Qatar and still very commutable owing to the size of the country, the Al Bayt Stadium will be the venue for the FIFA World Cup and will host some crucial games during the world cup. It has a maximum seating capacity of 60,000 and is near completion with the interior almost done.

6. Al Janoub Stadium

Another stadium on the list of venues is the Al Janoub Stadium. Located in Al Wakrah, the stadium has already been opened and holds a maximum seating capacity of 40,000 set for the world cup. In fact, It was the venue for the recently held Amir Cup final and even hosted the 24th edition of the Arabian Gulf Cup in December 2019.

7. Al Thumama Stadium

Located perhaps in one of the most picturesque locations of Qatar, the Al Thumama Stadium is situated a mere 12 km from Doha's skyline and waterfront promenade. It has a maximum seating capacity of 40,000 and represents a Gahfiya (traditional cap that men and boys wear in the middle east) for its design which makes it a giant symbol of independence and dignity.

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8. Ras Abu Aboud Stadium

With a maximum seating capacity of 40,000 for the FIFA World Cup 2022, the Ras Abu Aboud Stadium is remarkable in its own way. The stadium has been built in such a way and with such a material that it will be completely dismantled and repurposed after the world cup, eventually upholding the ideas of sustainability and new ideas of legacy planning which Qatar has been laying stress upon lately.

Closing Thoughts

Preparing for what promises to be a grand spectacle, Qatar is building some of the finest stadiums in the world that are set to get the fans excited. The weather conditions of the country have become a huge factor and the fact that the stadiums are set to be fully air-conditioned is a giant step towards making this upcoming world cup a success.

So, if you’re a footballing fan already planning your trip to Qatar for the FIFA World Cup, the above-mentioned details about FIFA World Cup 2022 Stadiums would definitely excite you.                  

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