Where Will the 2022 FIFA World Cup be Held?

The 2022 World Cup is different from all those held before it. Firstly, the competition will occur not in summer but autumn-winter for the first time. Secondly, all stadiums, places of residence for athletes, and other infrastructures are located near each other. Also, for the first time in 88 years, the competition will be hosted by a state whose national team has never participated in a tournament of this level. Before this, the Mundial was not held in any other country. The authorities of Qatar promised that they would be able to give athletes and tourists an unforgettable holiday.

Choice of organizer

The question of where the 2022 FIFA World Cup will take place was already decided on December 2, 2010. Then in Zurich, a vote was held between the countries that applied to acquire the right to host the Mundial on their territory.

Qatar’s path to the capital of the world championship

Initially, four countries applied:

• Australia;
• Japan;
• The Republic of Korea;
• Qatar.

The future country – the hostess of the championship, went through several stages, in which Australia first flew out of the number of contenders, then Japan and North Korea. In the final, Qatar faced an application from the United States of America, which they defeated significantly.

During the preparations at FIFA, there were disputes about the number of participating countries, and it was decided to increase from 32 to 48. However, the idea will likely be implemented only for the Mundial, which will be jointly held by the USA, Mexico, and Canada, and the next World Cup 2022 will proceed according to the usual pattern.

The draw for the qualifying tournament will be held in July 2019, and the draw for the final stage in April 2022. The opening of the main round is scheduled for November 21, 2022, and the final will take place on December 18.

Championship preparation

Immediately after it was determined where the 2022 FIFA World Cup would take place, a Supreme Committee in charge of preparing the tournament began to operate in Qatar. These competitions promise to be the most expensive in the history of world football. The hosts announced that more than $200 billion would be spent on their preparation (for comparison, Russia invested “only” $11 billion in the 2018 championship).

Even though the host country is usually required to provide at least 12 stadiums, the Qatari authorities convinced the FIFA leadership that they could adequately host the championship on 8 fields.

This became possible due to the proximity of the stadiums – it will be possible to get to any of them in no more than an hour. A new metro is being built especially for the championship, and for match visitors, travel in it will be free (using the experience of Moscow).

Compactness is one of the unique characteristics of this tournament. Fans will be able to attend several matches on the same day, and the players will not have to travel to the training grounds, which are located within walking distance from their place of residence.

Qatar is hosting the 2022 FIFA World Cup at an unusual time – it is too hot in the summer in this region, so for the first time, the competition will begin in the fall and end in the winter. And even at this time, the heat remains unusual for guests, so all stadiums are equipped with air cooling systems. And for fans of betting with bookmakers, on the eve of the World Cup, we recommend visiting the portal with football predictions.

Stadiums

Initially, the 2022 FIFA World Cup host country submitted an application that met the requirements – it indicated 12 stadiums. But after winning the vote for several years, Qatar negotiated with FIFA about the possibility of reducing their number. As a result, it was decided that 8 structures would be enough for 32 teams, 5 of which would be built on the site of existing ones or reconstructed. The distance from each of them to Doha, the state’s capital, is from 5 to 60 kilometers.

Khalifa

Khalifa International Stadium is a fully finished stadium that is already hosting competitions. It has been operating since 1976, and in 2017 it was reopened after a deep reconstruction. Capacity – 40 thousand spectators. After the end of the tournament unchanged and will be used for major events.

El Bait

Located 60 kilometers from the capital in the city of Al-Khor. The name takes from the Bedouin camping awning “bay al shar” and is made in the form of a tent covering the stadium. Both semi-finals will take place here. The capacity for the championship is 60,000 seats. After the end of the competition, it is planned to remove 28 thousand seats, which a shopping center and a hotel will occupy, and the field will be at the disposal of the football club. Armchairs will be transferred to developing countries for the construction of sports facilities.

El Rayyan

It is being built in the city of the same name on the site of the old stadium. Capacity – 40 thousand spectators. The luminous facade will consist of geometric figures characteristic of Islamic culture. After the 2022 World Cup, the capacity will be reduced to 22 thousand, and the building itself will become a sports hub, next to which it is planned to build an ice rink, an athletics complex, a water sports center, and tennis courts.

El Wakra

El Wakra is a port city, the oldest in Qatar. The location inspires the stadium’s design – it will look like a sail inflated by the wind. The capacity is 40,000 seats, the pose will be reduced by half, and the site will become the center of social and sports urban life with a mosque, a hall for wedding ceremonies, and basketball and tennis courts.

Qatar Foundation

Another name for this stadium is Education City. It is being built on the territory of the so-called fund, 7 kilometers from the center of the capital. It is the location of the largest public universities. The capacity is 40,000 (at the end of the competition, it will decrease to 20,000 seats), and group matches and play-off meetings up to the quarterfinals will be held here. The design of the building will combine modern trends and Islamic architecture. The façade patterns will resemble diamond facets that change color depending on the sun’s movement.

El Tumama

The stadium located in Doha is being built in the form of a traditional Muslim cap – kufi. The capacity is 40 thousand spectators; after the competition, it will decrease to 20 thousand, and the stadium will be converted into a FIFA medical center and other sports facilities.

Ras Abu Aboud

One of the most interesting objects, the 40,000-seat stadium consisting of modular blocks, is being built from port shipping containers and will be dismantled after the championship. Such a solution has also never been applied to such large sports facilities. Located on the coast of the Western Gulf in Doha.

Lusail

The main tribune of the 2022 World Cup. It is being built in the city of Lusail, which appeared from scratch in the desert in just 2006 and is located 15 kilometers from Doha. The stadium will be “golden” – the facades, made in local traditions, will be finished with materials that imitate this precious metal. The facility’s capacity that will host the first match and the final game is 86,000 people. Curiously, not a single completed building had yet been built in the city itself at the time of application.

Features of Qatar

What should be considered for those planning to go to the 2022 FIFA World Cup is that the venue has many features. First, it’s hot. Even in winter in Qatar, the temperature can be understood to be above 30 degrees.

The second is alcohol. Its use is officially prohibited, and only foreigners with special cards can purchase alcoholic beverages.

But the organizers promise to organize fan zones of two types: non-alcoholic and alcoholic. Bringing a drink with you will also not work – it will be taken away at the airport and returned during the return.

And the third is women’s clothing. Ladies are not allowed to be naked here. And even if a girl goes out into the city in high heels or jeans, a scarf on her head is an indispensable part of the wardrobe.

However, the authorities will most likely turn a blind eye to such manifestations of violation of local traditions during the World Cup.