Education City Stadium
History and description- Education City Stadium
Education City Stadium, also known as Qatar Foundation Stadium, is one of the playing venues of the 2022 World Cup that will be held in Qatar. It opened in 2020, the third World Cup stadium to be completed.
Plans for the stadium were presented as part of Qatar’s bid for the World Cup. Ground preparation works were started in 2014, but it took until the end of 2016 for actual foundation works to start. The stadium was first expected to be completed in 2019, which got delayed to 2020. It officially opened on 15 June 2020 with a special TV program to celebrate the opening. The first match was played over a month later on the 3rd of September.
Education City Stadium is designed to reflect a diamond in the desert. The stadium will have a capacity of roughly 40,000 seats. After the tournament, the capacity will be reduced in half to 20,000 seats.
During the 2022 World Cup, the stadium will host 5 first round group matches, one round of 16 match, and one quarter-final.
Education City Stadium was one of the two venues of the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup, which due to the Covid-19 pandemic was played in early 2021. It, among others, hosted the final between Bayern Munich and Tigres UANL (1-0).
Education City Stadium Design
Education City Stadium has a design that draws on the rich history of Islamic architecture, blending it with striking modernity.
The façade features triangles that form complex, diamond-esque geometrical patterns, appearing to change colour with the sun’s movement across the sky. By night, the façade puts on a colourful light show, making it even more eye-catching.
Like diamonds, the stadium’s design represents quality, durability and resilience, and will become something to be treasured – both for the memories it holds and its future value to the country and region.
A stadium full of passion
The form of this impressive arena will create memories of epic football matches, fuelled by fans’ passion. The sides of the stadium reach up and envelop the pitch – helping the advanced cooling system to operate, bringing people closer to the action and keeping fans’ songs reverberating through the arena.
A carefully designed location
The stadium’s position in Education City has been carefully chosen with accessibility in mind, particularly for fans with disabilities. However they arrive, fans will only travel a short distance to their seats along shaded, tree-lined paths – giving them just enough time to enjoy a spectacular view of the venue.
Long after the FIFA World Cup 2022™ is over, the stadium complex will remain a focal point of the community. Training pitches, and other sporting and non-sporting facilities radiate outwards from the stadium, all within easy reach of the local academic community.
Education City Stadium Legacy
Incredibly, 20,000 seats from Education City Stadium will end up in new stadiums around the world. Thanks to the forward-thinking modular design of the arena, its capacity will be reduced from 40,000 to 20,000 following the FIFA World Cup 2022™.
The extra seats will be used to create sporting venues in developing countries.
This legacy plan will not only aid social, football and infrastructure development abroad – it will also leave Education City with a venue suited to the needs of its growing population of students, faculty, and staff. After 2022, the local, regional and international sporting fixtures being hosted here will attract smaller crowds than FIFA World Cup™ games. So reducing the capacity will ensure that the arena attracts a full house and keeps its energetic atmosphere.
How to get to Education City Stadium
Education City Stadium is located on the Education City complex where multiple local and foreign universities and research institutes are based. The stadium lies in the eastern part of the large area, but a local tram service connects with other parts of the complex.
Education City is located in the north-west of Doha (or actual Al Rayyan) at roughly 14 kilometres from central Doha (The Corniche and Souq Waqif) and a similar distance from the West Bay and The Pearl areas further north along the Persian Gulf coast.
The stadium can be reached by metro. Station Education City is located a short walk away of the stadium. It is on the newly-constructed green line that runs from central Doha towards the east.
Eat, drink, and sleep near Education City Stadium
Education City Stadium is part of the large Education City complex which consists of multiple university campuses, other educational facilities, parks, museums, and office buildings.
It is an interesting enough area to spend some time in and there are a few restaurants dotted around the place, though you’re more likely to simply travel in for the match.
There is one hotel near Education City, the Premier Inn Doha Education City, though it is still a few kilometres from the stadium so you’ll likely still be taking a taxi to get there (especially if the weather is hot).
Who designed Education City Stadium?
In May 2019, Education City Stadium received a five-star GSAS rating. The build contractor is JPAC JV, who appointed Pattern Design as the lead design architect, and Buro Happold for the engineering design.
How do you get to Education City Stadium?
- The stadium is easily accessible by car, taxi or metro and is also connected to the Education City tram system.
- The stadium is accessible by metro and is also connected to the Education City tram system.