World Cup

2022 World Cup Stadium Guide

1 year ago

| BY News Team

The 2022 World Cup takes place this November and December in Qatar. The tournament will be held across eight state-of-the-art stadia all centred around the nation’s capital of Doha. The lower travel times required for players as well as fans are likely to be welcome and could even mean that spectators could take in multiple games in one day given the short distances between them.

The majority of the eight stadia at the 2022 World Cup are purpose-built for this specific event, with only one of them previously used as a home for a football team – Khalifa International Stadium. Each one will have at least some form of air conditioning to combat the heat in Qatar, where temperatures are known to climb above 30c during November.

Which stadium will host the opening game of the 2022 World Cup?

The opening game of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be played at Al Bayt Stadium. Here, Qatar and Ecuador will go head-to-head in front of 60,000 fans as the host nation hope to kick off the tournament with a win. Al Bayt Stadium was opened less than one year ago for the FIFA Arab Cup and is the venue of nine matches during this World Cup including England v USA.

Where are England playing at the 2022 World Cup?

England’s first game of the 2022 World Cup, against Iran, will be held at Khalifa International Stadium. Just a few miles out from the centre of Doha, Khalifa International Stadium has been hosting sporting events since the 1970s but was recently refurbished and hosted the World Athletics Championships.

England next head to Al Bayt Stadium to the north of the city, which features a distinctive tent-like structure inspired by Qatar’s nomadic people. This 60,000-seater stadium will see England take on the USA in what could be a crunch match in this group.

Finally, two British nations will go head-to-head at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium at the end of November, as the ‘Three Lions’ face Wales. Ahmad Bin Ali stadium sits right on the edge of the desert, in one of Qatar’s most historic cities of Umm Al Afaei.

Where are Wales playing at the 2022 World Cup?

Wales may have a fair distance to travel to actually get to Qatar, but once they’re settled they can rest easy: all three of their group games take place at the same stadium. Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium will play host to Wales’ three games against USA, Iran and England. The stadium’s facade is designed to reflect the rolling sand dunes that sit just beyond this ground.

Which stadium is hosting the 2022 World Cup Final?

Lusail Stadium in Doha is the centrepiece of the 2022 World Cup, and where the final will be played on Sunday, 18th December. Lusail Stadium is a brand-new 80,000 capacity venue, built specifically to host the biggest game in football. After the World Cup finishes, the stadium is planned to be repurposed into a community space for schools, shops and sporting facilities.