Every tournament venue – including Lusail Stadium – has been completed as the country marks less than a year to go until the big kick-off of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

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With exactly one year to go until the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world, Qatar has proudly completed construction work at all eight tournament venues. The finishing touches were recently applied to Lusail Stadium – the 80,000-capacity venue that will host next year’s final on December 18. To celebrate the one-year-to-go milestone, we take a closer look at the eight amazing stadiums that will host the FIFA World Cup 2022.

Khalifa International Stadium

The first tournament-ready venue for Qatar 2022, Khalifa International has a long history of hosting major sporting events since 1976. Serving as Qatar’s national stadium, the venue underwent extensive redevelopment in order to prepare it for the FIFA World Cup.

Qatar 2022: The stadium will host eight matches up to and including the third-place play-off.

Al Janoub Stadium

Located in Al Wakrah, Al Janoub Stadium was the first Qatar 2022 venue to be built from scratch. The stadium’s design is inspired by the sails of traditional dhow boats, in tribute to Al Wakrah’s seafaring past. Built with an innovative cooling system and retractable roof, the venue can be used all year round.

Qatar 2022: Al Janoub will stage seven matches up to the round of 16 stage.

Education City Stadium

Located in Education City, home of Qatar Foundation, the stadium’s façade features triangles that form complex, diamondlike geometrical patterns which appear to change colour with the sun’s movement across the sky.

Qatar 2022: Education City will stage eight matches up to the quarter-finals stage.

Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium

Located in the city of Al Rayyan, the stadium was built on the site of the old venue – also named Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium – with many of the materials from the deconstructed venue being used in the new project.

Qatar 2022: Ahmad Bin Ali will host seven matches up to the round of 16 stage.

Al Thumama Stadium

Qatari architect Ibrahim M. Jaidah’s inspiration for the design of Al Thumama Stadium was the ‘gahfiya’ – a traditional woven cap worn by men and boys across the Middle East.

Qatar 2022: Al Thumama will stage eight matches up to the quarter-finals.

Al Bayt Stadium

Located in Al Khor, the spectacular Al Bayt Stadium takes its inspiration from ‘bayt al sha’ar’ – which were tents historically used by nomadic peoples in Qatar and the Gulf region.

Qatar 2022: Al Bayt will stage nine matches up to the semi-finals stage. This includes the opening match of the tournament.

Stadium 974

Built using modified shipping containers and modular steel elements, Stadium 974 is the first fully demountable stadium in FIFA World Cup history. The design is inspired by Doha’s character and history as a major port city on the Arabian Gulf.

Qatar 2022: 974 will stage seven matches up to the round of 16 stage.

Lusail Stadium

Located in Lusail City, the stadium is Qatar’s largest tournament venue. The design is inspired by the interplay of light and shadow that characterises the ‘fanar’ lantern.

Progress: The stadium has been completed and will be inaugurated in 2022.

Qatar 2022: Lusail will host 10 matches during every stage of Qatar 2022, including the final. ✤