São Paulo – Qatar will open next month the Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, the capital city of the Arab country, which will host FIFA World Cup 2022 matches. The opening will take place in October 22, marking the completion of the sixth venue ready for the matches after Khalifa International, Al Janoub, Education City, Ahmad Bin Ali, and Al Bayt stadiums.
According to information released by the Qatar Cup media team, the new 40,000-seat stadium is located in the Al Thumama ditrict. The stadium’s design represents the gahfiya, a traditional cap worn by Arabs, and it was designed by Qatari architect Ibrahim M. Jaidah.
The stadium will host the annual football tournament Amir Cup Final between the clubs Al Sadd and Al Rayyan, coached by Portugal’s Xavi Hernandez and France’s Laurent Blanc respectively. The stadium will also host matches up to and including the semi-final at the FIFA Arab Cup 2021, taking place this November and December, as well as matches up to and including the quarter-final at the World Cup.
According to the media team, after the Cup, the stadium’s capacity will me reduced by half. The remaining 20,000-seat arena will be used for football and other sporting events, and a sports clinic and a boutique hotel will open on site. The hotel will replace the stadium’s upper stands.
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The precinct surround Al Thumama will become a community hub with facilities for multiple sports including handball, volleyball, basketball and swimming, as well as tracks for running and cycling. There’ll also be a number of retail and commercial units created to ensure the area becomes a hub of activities.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
