Qatar’s seventh stadium for the 2022 World Cup in Ras Abu Aboud will be redeveloped into a new ‘urban neighbourhood’ looking out toward West Bay after the tournament, architects have said. The Design Consultant for Ras Abu Aboud venue – near Hamad International Airport and the old Doha International Airport – is global architecture firm Populous.
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) – which is overseeing the construction of Qatar’s World Cup stadiums and training facilities – had announced the proposed host venue in December 2015.
“The seventh proposed stadium will bring the ‘design for legacy’ concept onto the world stage as one of the first stadiums ever designed from the beginning with the ability to transform into a successful and dynamic mixed use urban neighbourhood after the tournament,” the SC reiterated in a statement on its official website on January 6.
The SC also identified the specific location of the venue on the same day. According to a map released by the committee, the stadium will be directly next to the Doha Marriott Hotel and adjacent marina, off the Ras Abu Aboud Expressway on an 111-acre site that currently contains a sports pitch, vacant land and more than a dozen existing buildings.
The 40,000-seat stadium will host matches up to the quarter finals. The 450,000 square meter site where the stadium will be located will include 6,000 car parks during the tournament and 2,000 in legacy mode.