The World Cup is taking place this year! The countdown to the World Cup in Qatar has started after a lengthy wait. In reality, there are enormous expectations for how a nation with little football heritage can host the world’s largest football tournament.
At least in terms of numbers, this is shaping up to be the most important World Cup ever. To bring the event to life, seven stadiums were constructed from the ground up with billionaire investments. On the other side, there have been allegations of vote buying and bad working conditions.
Discover how Qatar are preparing to host the World Cup, as well as some interesting facts and data concerning the tournament!
The 2022 World Cup stadiums
Unlike the previous nations that hosted the game, Qatar have only designated eight venues for the World Cup matches. The group pledges billion-dollar investments and sophisticated stadiums to attract the world’s greatest athletes.
Learn more about the eight phases of the World Cup in 2022!
- Lusail Stadium: has capacity for 86 thousand fans and will host the World Cup final. It is located in a city built just for the event.
Qatar 2022/EFE
- Khalifa International Stadium: built in 1976, it is the only one on the list that was not built from scratch. It is in an area of technological development and will be the meeting point for fans during the World Cup.
Photo: Reproduction
- Stadium 974: it was built with 974 containers, which explains its name — the number is also the country’s telephone code. The inspiration came from its proximity to the sea and the maritime culture of Qatar. It will be dismantled at the end of the tournament.
Photo: Reuters
- Education City Stadium: it was built inside the main university campus in the country. Its structure brings elements of traditional Islamic architecture.
Photo: Reuters
- Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium: located in Al Rayyan, a city on the edge of the desert. It has an undulating structure, reminiscent of the country’s sand dunes.
Photo: Qatar Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy
- Al-Bayt Stadium: stage for the opening of the Cup, with capacity for 60 thousand people. It is the furthest stadium from Doha and the most complex to access. Its design is inspired by the bayt al sha’ar, the tents used by Arab nomads.
Photo: Qatar 2022
- Al Thumama Stadium: its design is inspired by the Gahfiya, which is a hat worn by Arab boys and men. It is one of the most beautiful and representative buildings of the 2022 World Cup.
Photo: Qatar Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy
- Al Janoub Stadium: In the same vein as the previous ones, this stadium is inspired by the dhow boats, which sailed in the Persian Gulf in search of pearls. It is located in the city of Al-Wakrah, which is also known for diving.
Photo: Reproduction
Country logistics are different
Qatar is a small nation, covering approximately 11,000 square kilometers. This is about half of the State of Sergipe, which spans over 22,000 square kilometers. Despite this, it is a wealthy country, owing mostly to oil and natural gas.
The country’s overall GDP is US$150 billion, equivalent to Rio de Janeiro’s, but with a far smaller land area (43,700 km2). Organizers soon had plenty of money to invest and took advantage of the venue’s small size.
As a result, all stadiums are pretty near together. This gives supporters the option to see two games on the same day, which is unusual in the World Cup.
Another distinction will be transportation, since several stadiums will be linked by metro. Each stadium in Brazil was situated in a different city, separated by thousands of kilometers.
City was built for the World Cup
The city of Lusail’s construction for the World Cup reaffirms the event’s grandeur. The city serves as more than just a backdrop for the major decision; it also serves as a message from Qatar to the rest of the world.
The goal is to demonstrate that, in contrast to the values associated with oil exploration, the country’s future is technological and sustainable. At the same time, the authorities want to demonstrate that they can ensure the well-being of the more than 200,000 people who will reside there, in order to counter the perception of a lack of freedom in the nation.
Plans to build the city began before the announcement that it would host the World Cup, but they ramped up as the tournament approached. The area currently has an international circuit that hosts Formula 1 and MotoGP races.
Lusail will have a total area of 38 km2, making it one of Brazil’s 20 smallest cities, although its estimated cost surpasses R$200 billion. Meanwhile, The Guardian reported that approximately 6,500 migrants have died as a result of poor working conditions since construction began in 2010.
To put it another way, the “Future Cup” has a lot of bad habits from the past.
Curiosities about the Qatar World Cup
Regardless of the controversy, the World Cup in Qatar promises to be a spectacular spectacle with several technical features. It is also the first time that the World Cup has been hosted by an Arab nation.
To keep you up to date, we’ve highlighted certain statistics and interesting facts regarding the event.
- FIFA decided to change the date of the 2022 World Cup and organize the event between November and December. It will be the first time in history that this period will host World Cup games. The explanation is the intense heat that is in the country in the middle of the year.
- Most stadiums will have their capacity reduced after the World Cup. The organization will donate the material to other developing nations. Stadium 974, for example, must be completely dismantled.
- Qatar will host the last World Cup with 32 teams. The next edition, in 2026, will have the participation of 48 teams.
- By the way, the country has no tradition in World Cups. This will be their first participation, guaranteed by being the host of the Cup. However, plans include developing the sport as a legacy of the event.
