Lusail Stadium

The Lusail Stadium will be the center of attraction in the coming FIFA World Cup 2022. This new football specific stadium will host the opening and the closing ceremony. It will also be the venue for several matches, including the final.

Also known as the Lusail Iconic Stadium, this stadium can accommodate up to 80,000 football fans. In fact Lusail Stadium is the largest stadium by capacity at the very first FIFA World Cup hosted in the Gulf.1

It is owned by the Qatar Football Association (QFA), and is one of the eight stadiums that were converted for the international football event.

Quick Facts About The Lusail Stadium

  • The cost of this humongous stadium is roughly 767 million dollars. To date, the Lusail Stadium is the biggest stadium in Qatar.
  • Lusail Stadium was designed by the British firm Foster + Partners, and Populous. HBK Contracting and China Railway Construction Corporation were responsible for the construction of this stadium.
  • This will be the biggest venue for the international football meet in the Gulf with a capacity of 80,000 fans.
  • The Lusail Stadium has a natural pitch grass.

What Sets Lusail Stadium apart from other venues?

The roof of this arena is what makes it really iconic. The design shows the unique construction techniques that was employed. The materials used allow maximum amount of light to enter the venue. The roof will allow the optimum light to enter allowing grass to grow perfectly and maintain the ideal temperature without overloading the air-conditioning facility of the venue.

Moreover, the Lusail Stadium maximizes the power of the sun. It is equipped with huge solar panels to generate electricity. It is then used to cool the stadium and will have a zero carbon footprint. The shape and the facade of the stadium re-creates the intricate ornamental motifs usually found on bowls, vessels and art pieces which abounds the Arab and Islamic world.

Lusail Stadium Beyond FIFA World Cup 2022

The planning and the construction of this stadium started in April 2017. It was originally planned to open in 2020 and was expected to host three friendly matches. However due to unforeseen events, the opening was pushed further back. The completion was postponed and it will instead host 1-0 games including the final match.

After the 2022 FIFA World Cup, this stadium will be reconfigured and some parts of it will be repurposed into shops, cafes, athletic and educational hubs as well as several health clinics. From the 80,000 seating capacity, it is expected to be reduced to a 20,000-seater stadium after being retrofitted.  Excess seats will then be donated to other venues across the globe, giving more access to the sport all over the world.2

The design and the concept of the Lusail Stadium after the World Cup hopes to provide valuable lessons for those creating and designing stadiums in the future. It is thru this design that waste will be minimized if not eliminated. The Lusail Iconic Stadium is indeed a game changer.

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