The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar will start on 20 November and the 64 matches on the schedule will be played in eight stadiums. Each arena will host at least seven matches of the tournament, with the highest number of matches – ten, including the final match on 18 December – to be played at the Lusail Stadium.
Another feature of the 2022 World Cup is the tournament’s legacy. What the organizing committee and the national authorities mean by this term is a clear plan for the use of the stadiums and infrastructure after the tournament.
According to this plan, some of the 2022 Qatar World Cup Stadiums will be rebuilt and will cease to be sports facilities, others will have their capacity significantly reduced, and one stadium will be demolished completely.
How many stadiums in Qatar to host the 2022 World Cup
Qatar will host the 2022 World Cup in eight stadiums, although the original bid outlined a plan to build 12 arenas. However, in April 2013, the organizers of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar asked FIFA to approve a smaller number of stadiums due to rising costs.
One of the features of the 2022 World Cup stadium locations is their compactness. So, if we take the maximum distance between the two stadiums, it will be only 75 km. And if you take the center of Doha, the most distant arena, Al Beit, is only 46 km away.
Let’s take a look at all the stadiums that will host the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup.
Lusail Iconic Stadium
- City: Lusail
- Capacity: 80,000
- Matches: 10
The arena will host the World Cup semi-final and final. In total, the stadium will host ten matches in different stages of the competition. The exterior of the sports complex resembles a golden palace, and the Norman Foster architectural studio was responsible for its construction.
After the tournament, the stadium will be reconstructed, and the total number of seats will be reduced to 20,000. The arena will undergo a major transformation, which will include the construction of a school, hospital, shopping centre, cafés and restaurants.
All 2022 World Cup matches at Lusail Iconic Stadium:
- 22 November. Group C: Argentina v Saudi Arabia
- 24 November. Group G: Brazil v Serbia
- 26 November. Group C: Argentina vs Mexico
- 28 November. Group H: Portugal v Uruguay
- 30 November. Group C: Saudi Arabia v Mexico
- 2 December. Group G: Cameroon v Brazil
- 5 December. 1/8 finals: 1H v 2G
- 9 December. Quarter-final
- 13 December. Semi-final
- 18 December. Final
Al Bayt Stadium
- City: Al Khor
- Capacity: 60,000
- Matches: 9
An amazing stadium that resembles a Bedouin tent, as a tribute to the ancestors who lived on the shores of the Persian Gulf. The stadium is constructed in a very environmentally friendly way. Therefore we can conclude that the arena is a symbol of the link between Qatar’s past and future.
The stadium will host a total of nine games, including the semi-final. After the tournament, the upper tier of the stands will be demolished and sent to developing countries to support football.
All 2022 World Cup matches at Al Bayt Stadium:
- 20 November. Group A: Qatar v Ecuador
- 23 November. Group F: Morocco v Senegal
- 25 November. Group B: England v USA
- 27 November. Group E: Spain v Germany
- 29 November. Group A: Netherlands v Qatar
- 1 December. Group E: Costa Rica v Germany
- 4 December. 1/8 finals: 1B v 2A
- 10 December. Quarter-final
- 14 December. Semi-final
Al Janoub Stadium
- City: Al Wakrah
- Capacity: 40,000
- Matches: 7
Previously, El Wakrah was a fisherman’s town, and so the arena was built on the basis of its past. The design of the stadium features a roof shaped like the sails of the Dow shuttles. The arena will host seven games: the group stage and one match of the 1/8 finals. After the World Cup, the stadium will have a capacity of 20,000 spectators.
Prior to that, the arena hosted the Arab Cup of Nations and the Asian Champions League.
All 2022 World Cup matches at Al Janoub Stadium:
- 22 November. Group D: France v Australia
- 24 November. Group G: Switzerland v Cameroon
- 26 November. Group D: Tunisia v Australia.
- 28 November. Group G: Cameroon v Serbia
- 30 November. Group D: Australia v Denmark
- 1 December. Group H: Ghana v Uruguay
- 5 December. 1/8 finals: 1E v 2F
Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
- City: Al Rayyan
- Capacity: 40,000
- Matches: 7
The stadium was designed by the architectural studio Pattern Design, which designed Everton’s stadium. In order to build this arena, the previous one had to be demolished, which happened in 2015.
Although the number of spectators at the arena will be reduced after the tournament, there will be no major reconstruction. One of the country’s most popular clubs, Al Rayyan, already plays here. The stadium is used by local teams and has also played host to Club World Cup and Arab Cup of Nations games.
All 2022 World Cup matches at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium:
- 21 November. Group B: USA v Wales
- 23 November. Group F: Belgium v Canada
- 25 November. Group B: Wales vs Iran
- 27 November. Group B: Japan v Costa Rica
- 29 November. Group B: Wales v England.
- 1 December. Group F: Croatia vs Belgium
- 3 December. 1/8 finals: 1C v 2D
Khalifa International Stadium
- City: Al Rayyan
- Capacity: 40,000
- Matches: 8
One of Qatar’s oldest stadiums, built in 1976 and already renovated in 2017. The arena was named after Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, the sixth Emir of Qatar, who was deposed in 1995 by his son, the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
The arena has already hosted the 2019 Club World Cup final when Liverpool triumphed. The stadium will host eight World Cup games, including the third-place match.
All 2022 World Cup matches at Khalifa Stadium:
- 21 November. Group B: England v Iran
- 23 November. Group E: Germany vs Japan
- 25 November. Group A: Netherlands v Ecuador
- 27 November. Group F: Croatia v Canada
- 29 November. Group A: Ecuador v Senegal
- 1 December. Group E: Japan v Spain
- 3 December. 1/8 finals: 1A – 2B
- 17 December. 3rd place match
Education City Stadium
- City: Al Rayyan
- Capacity: 40,000
- Matches: 8
The name of the stadium comes from its location – the education district of Qatar. FIA Fenwick Iribarren Architects, a Spanish architectural company, was responsible for the project. The arena’s exterior resembles a diamond, and the façade is styled with translucent triangular panels. The stadium has a lot of greenery, which is why Education City is recognised as one of the world’s most eco-friendly arenas.
The tournament will feature eight matches: six group-stage games, one round of 16 and one quarterfinal. After the World Cup, the stadium will have a capacity of 25,000 spectators and the arena will be used by university sports teams. The surplus structures will be sent to developing sports countries.
All 2022 World Cup matches at the Action City Stadium:
- 22 November. Group D: Denmark v Tunisia
- 24 November. Group H: Uruguay vs South Korea
- 26 November. Group C: Poland vs Saudi Arabia
- 28 November. Group H: South Korea vs Ghana
- 30 November. Group D: Tunisia v France.
- 2 December. Group H: South Korea v Portugal
- 6 December. 1/8 finals: 1F v 2E
- 9 December. Quarterfinals
Stadium 974
- City: Doha
- Capacity: 40,000
- Matches: 7
One of the most extraordinary stadiums of the World Cup, and one of the things that makes it special is its construction. The arena is built from shipping containers – a first in the world. The name is Stadium 974. 974 is the number of containers used for the construction and the international telephone code of Qatar.
The tournament will feature seven matches: six group stage games and one round of 16 match. After it finishes, the stadium will simply be dismantled. It is a temporary project.
All 2022 World Cup matches at Stadium 974:
- 22 November. Group C: Mexico v Poland
- 24 November. Group H: Portugal v Ghana
- 26 November. Group D: France vs Denmark
- 28 November. Group G: Brazil v Switzerland
- 30 November Group H: Poland vs Argentina
- 2 December. Group G: Serbia v Switzerland
- 5 December. 1/8 finals: 1G v 2H
Al Thumama Stadium
- City: Doha
- Capacity: 40,000
- Matches: 8
This stadium was designed by the Qatari architect Ibrahim M. Jaidah. The design is special because the stadium resembles the traditional Qatari headdress. The arena is named after a tree growing in the region. This stadium hosted the national cup final and also played host to city teams.
The arena will host eight matches at the World Cup: six in the group stage and one each in the 1/8 and 1/4 finals. After the tournament, the number of possible spectators at the arena will be halved. A sports medicine centre and a hotel will be located on the territory of the sports complex.
All 2022 World Cup matches at Al Thumama Stadium:
- 21 November. Group A: Senegal v Netherlands
- 23 November. Group E: Spain v Costa Rica
- 25 November. Group A: Qatar v Senegal
- 27 November. Group F: Belgium v Morocco
- 29 November. Group B: Iran v USA
- 1 December. Group F: Canada v Morocco
- 4 December. 1/8 finals: 1D v 2C.
- 10 December. Quarterfinals
Each stadium has its own story, design, purpose and special feature. Would love for the national teams to create a fairy tale that we will always remember.
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