The stunning Al Bayt Stadium – which will host the first match of next year’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ – was unveiled this Tuesday, 30 November, to mark the opening day of FIFA Arab Cup 2021™.
The 60,000-capacity venue – designed to resemble the tents historically used by nomadic people in the Gulf region – hosted Qatar’s 1-0 victory against Bahrain as the 16-team tournament got off to an exciting start.
The inauguration of Al Bayt was attended by The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, who officially announced the start of the tournament.
Straight after Al Bayt’s inauguration, Stadium 974 also hosted its first game. The 40,000-capacity venue, made primarily from shipping containers, staged the United Arab Emirates’ 2-1 victory against Syria. Stadium 974 is the first fully demountable stadium in FIFA World Cup™ history and was named after the number of shipping containers used in its development and Qatar’s international dialling code.
The Arab Cup opening day also saw the victory of Tunisia against Mauritania 5-1 at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium, while Iraq and Oman drew 1-1 at Al Janoub Stadium.
The FIFA Arab Cup™ opening ceremony was held prior to the match at Al Bayt – which in English means the home – featured performances by Rahma Riad, Abdulaziz Louis and Cheb Khaled. The crowd also enjoyed a national anthem medley of all 23 countries participating in the tournament, along with stunning choreography and a mesmerising pyrotechnics display.
According to Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) Secretary-General HE Hassan Al Thawadi, they are incredibly proud of the two new venues.
Al Bayt pays tribute to Qatari and Arab culture, while Stadium 974 is a beacon of innovation and sustainability. We are sure fans from all over the world will enjoy visiting these state-of-the-art venues during both the Arab Cup and next year’s World Cup.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said the Arab Cup represents today what the World Cup will represent next year – of people coming together, of people being united from all over the world.
So, to have games in such a beautiful stadium, in such a symbolic stadium, is something that we have to cherish and that will be crucial for the success of the World Cup.
Located in the northern city of Al Khor, Al Bayt will host nine matches during next year’s FIFA World Cup™, including the tournament opener on 21 November. During the FIFA Arab Cup™, Al Bayt will host five matches, including the final on 18 December.
Stadium 974, meanwhile, is located in Ras Abu Aboud, only 4 km from Hamad International Airport. The stadium boasts stunning views of the West Bay skyline and will host seven matches up to 16 stages during Qatar 2022. Stadium 974 will host six matches during the FIFA Arab Cup™, including the third-place play-off.
All eight of Qatar’s FIFA World Cup 2022™ stadiums have now been completed. The inaugurations of both Al Bayt and Stadium 974 mean that only Lusail Stadium – the venue for next year’s FIFA World Cup™ final – is left to be unveiled. Main works at Lusail were recently completed as the SC announced the readiness of all stadiums a full year before the World Cup.
Tickets for all remaining FIFA Arab Cup™ matches are still available from fifa.com/tickets. A number of Category 4 tickets priced QAR25 (for Qatar residents only) remain available for all matches except the semi-finals and final. All ticket holders must apply for a mandatory Hay’ya Card (Fan ID) from fac21.qa.
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