The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) revealed the design for Lusail Stadium on Sunday, which is a unique architectural masterpiece. The stadium will host the opening and final games of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The 80,000-capacity venue will be the largest stadium during the tournament, which will kick off on 21 November 2022 and be the first to take place in the Arab world.
Located 15km north of central Doha, Lusail Stadium will form the centerpiece of the new ultra-modern Lusail City, the construction of which is 90 percent completed. As well as being situated in the heart of the city of the future, the area holds significant cultural and historical significance for the country, as it was once the home of the founder of modern Qatar, Sheikh Jassim bin Mohammed bin Thani Al-Thani.
Renowned British firm Foster and Partners provided the design concept for the stadium. The venue’s golden vessel takes its inspiration from an Arab architectural sense as much as it does from literal symbolism by celebrating the region’s ancient tradition of craftsmanship.
The design of this magnificent stadium is inspired by the interplay of light and shadow that characterizes the fanar lantern. There are also echoes of the intricate decorative motifs on bowls and other vessels found across the Arab world and in museums and art galleries globally.
After the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Lusail Stadium will be transformed into a community space, including schools, shops, cafes, sports facilities and health clinics. This multi-purpose community hub will allow people to find everything they need under one roof, the original roof of the football stadium.
To make way for these new amenities, many of the stadium’s modular seats will be removed and donated to sporting projects, taking this arena’s extraordinary legacy and a little bit of FIFA World Cup history to locations around the world.
This is the eighth stadium design to be unveiled by the SC, which is responsible for delivering the infrastructure and host country planning required for 2022 and ensuring it leaves a lasting legacy for Qatar, the region and the world. Khalifa International Stadium became the first tournament-ready venue in 2017, while two more stadiums will be completed early next year Al Wakrah Stadium and Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor City.
The unveiling of the iconic Lusail Stadium design is yet another significant milestone on the road to 2022.
