Khalifa International Stadium is a major sports venue located at the Aspire Zone in the city of Doha, Qatar, that has hosted several major tournaments including the FIFA World Cup 2022.
The stadium which was first opened in 1976, had to undergo some renovations for the 2022 World Cup. The renovations for the Khalifa International Stadium commenced in 2014 and were completed in 2017. The capacity of the facility was boosted from its 20,000 range to meet FIFA’s accepted minimum of 40,000. The renovations involved the installation of 11,496 new seats, along with a 44,000 meters square membrane roofing structure.
In addition, the building’s external shell received a complete facelift. The stadium is currently at a 50,000-seat capacity and the renovations cost about € 307 million in total.
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Reported in 2014
Qatar has unveiled the design for a third new stadium at the 2022 FIFA World Cup
The design for the Khalifa International Stadium, the third to be revealed, will be a renovation of the existing stadium on the site in the capital Doha.
A joint venture between Midmac Contracting and a subsidiary of the Belgian Besix Group, Six Construct, is overseeing the main contractor works on the stadium. Dar Al Handasah and Projacs are the design consultant and project manager, respectively.
The redevelopment will see the venue’s capacity increased to 40,000 during the tournament to comply with FIFA’s hosting requirements. A new building will be added to the stadium’s east wing to contain food courts, shops, VIP lounges, and a health center, and a single roof will be built to cover the whole seating area.
It will host a group, a round of 16, and quarter-final matches at the World Cup finals, and will incorporate the cooling technology that is under development for use at all of the stadiums during the tournament, aiming to provide a playing temperature of 26 degrees Celsius.
The renovated stadium will also include the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum.
The Khalifa International Stadium was originally built in 1976 and was first renovated for the Asian Games in 2006.
Yasir Al Jamal, acting assistant secretary general for delivery affairs at the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee, said that work will start on five of the proposed World Cup venues “before the end of this year”.
He said: “In the coming weeks, we will be unveiling the design for Qatar Foundation Stadium, which is currently in the enabling works phase, and Al Rayyan Stadium, which will be announced during Qatar’s National Day Celebrations in Darb Al-Saa’i.”
Hilal Jeham Al Kuwari, president of Aspire Zone Foundation, which is supervising the renovation project, said: “Khalifa International Stadium has been always pivotal to the sporting scene in Qatar, having hosted several international tournaments and friendly matches.
“The aim of the renovation is not only to refurbish the stadium to fulfill the FIFA requirements but to enhance it with new features as well. In this way, we will be able to keep the stadium sustainable for a longer time and ensure that it will remain a global sports hub as well as a focal point for the local community.”
