The Lusail Stadium, the largest stadium in Qatar and the centerpiece venue for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, is now open to the public. On 9 September, the stadium hosted the Lusail Super Cup final between Al Hilal SFC and Zamalek, an event seen as the precursor to the FIFA World Cup Qatar that will be played later this year. Located in Lusail City, 15 kilometers north of Doha, the 80,000-seat stadium aims to create an immersive atmosphere for both players and spectators. The building was designed with Foster + Partners’ joint venture partner Arup, and sports specialist Populous.
Our ambition was to create a striking yet simple form that reflects the building’s function, responds to the climate of Qatar, and enhances the theatre of the event. The arrival experience is intuitive and immersive. Spectators enter the vessel between two tiers of seating that have been intentionally compressed to heighten the sense of drama as they emerge into the generous seating bowl flooded with natural light. - Luke Fox, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners
The facade features triangular openings which create a perforated screen that provides shade and filters the light entering the internal concourses. This, in combination with the roof design, represents an adaptation to the climatic profile of Qatar and helps reduce energy consumption. The 307-meter-diameter ‘spoke-wheel’ cable net roof is one of the largest tensile cable-net roofs in the world. The outer compression ring connects to a central tensioned ring by a complex cable system. Outdoor cooling technologies are also implemented to maximize comfort in the open-air stadium.
Located at the end of the commercial boulevard that connects the football stadium to the corniche, four towers are under construction, arranged symmetrically around a central plaza. The Lusail Towers, also designed by Foster + Partners, are planned to become the center of a new business district in the city. Measuring 70 storeys and 50 storeys respectively, the towers are expected to be completed this year, ahead of the 2022 Football World Cup in Qatar. The project is part of a larger masterplan also designed by Foster + Partners.
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, the quadrennial international men's football championship, is scheduled to be held in Qatar, for the first time in an Arab country, from the 21st of November to the 18th of December 2022. Since announcing the event in 2010, Qatar has been preparing a total of 8 stadiums to host one of the most anticipated sports events. Lusail Stadium is the largest of all 8 structures and it will be hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ final. Other stadiums are designed by Zaha Hadid Architects + AECOM, Ibrahim Jaidah Architects & Engineers, Fenwick Iribarren Architects, and more.
Check out the full list of stadiums, and ArchDaily's coverage of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.
