The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) has achieved more milestones as Qatar gears up to host the FIFA World Cup next year. The country – despite facing unprecedented challenges due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – is ahead of schedule in finishing the projects for the mega event.
SC recently announced that the brand new Al Thumama Stadium will host the eagerly-awaited final of the 49th Amir Cup between Al Sadd and Al Rayyan next month. The event will mark the completion of Qatar’s sixth FIFA World Cup 2022 venue after Khalifa International, Al Janoub, Education City, Ahmad Bin Ali and Al Bayt stadiums, with over a year remaining in the big kick off. Ras Abu Aboud and Lusail stadiums are in the final stages of completion and SC is set to deliver the two venues well in advance.
Al Thumama Stadium was designed by renowned Qatari architect Ibrahim M. Jaidah and will host matches up to and including the quarter-final at the FIFA World Cup 2022. The spectacular venue will also host matches up to and including the semi-final at this year’s FIFA Arab Cup 2021. With fans expected to attend the Amir Cup final on October 22 at the 40,000-seat Al Thumama Stadium, the historic event will be a sight to behold.
Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium was the last Qatar 2022 venue to be inaugurated as it hosted the 48th Amir Cup final on Qatar National Day last year. Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended the memorable match along with 20,000 fans (50 percent capacity).
Besides focusing on completing the state-of-the-art infrastructure, Qatar is also putting special emphasis in environmental sustainability as SC has recently partnered with Seven Clean Seas to deliver a plastic-neutral tournament, reaching another milestone on Road to Qatar 2022.
Seven Clean Seas will work with the organisers to raise awareness about plastic pollution, develop plastic waste reduction plans and offset plastics used in the tournament by physically removing plastic waste from rivers and oceans. The amount recovered will be equivalent to the plastic waste generated from the hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and will ensure the tournament is plastic neutral. In addition to plastic neutrality, Qatar 2022 will be the first FIFA World Cup to achieve carbon-neutrality as well.
Qatar has won applause from top football officials and players from around the world for its flawless preparations for the mega event and it appears to be just a matter of time before the country stages a spectacular and memorable FIFA World Cup – which will be the first edition to be held in the Middle East and the Arab world.
