In May 2017, Qatar celebrated the reopening of its most beloved stadium with a spectacular inauguration ceremony and by hosting the final of the Emir Cup. To warm up for its FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ fixtures, the stadium has hosted Arabian Gulf Cup and FIFA Club World Cup™ matches, as well as the IAAF World Athletics Championships.
The New Khalifa International Stadium was delivered by Aspire Zone Foundation, one of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy’s stakeholders.
Qatar’s most historic stadium & a crucial player for 2022
Built in 1976 in Al Rayyan, Khalifa International Stadium has long been the cornerstone of the country’s sporting tradition – and the gatekeeper to its promising future. This accomplished 40,000-seat arena already has an illustrious hosting history, having previously welcomed the Asian Games, the Arabian Gulf Cup and the AFC Asian Cup, among other events. Over the years it has become a worthy ambassador for the Middle East, symbolising sporting excellence in all its forms. For people in Qatar and the region, Khalifa International Stadium is an old friend, a familiar face which brings communities together.
Located at the centre of all the 2022 venues, the stadium will play a pivotal role in this tournament, whose unique geography and advanced transport systems will make it the best-connected international football competition ever.
A new look, new technologies & a new legacy
The latest chapters in this veteran arena’s history have seen it help the dazzling Aspire Zone to grow up around it and mature into a global centre of sporting excellence. In this sporting complex, Qatar’s next generation of talent is being honed at Aspire Academy, close to Aspetar – the world’s leading specialised orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital – and the largest indoor multi-sport facility in the world.
Khalifa International Stadium’s futuristic new neighbours have become part of this area’s fabric, bringing with them bold ambition and a passionate desire to achieve international development through sporting innovation. Ideas and technologies generated here in Aspire Zone are already changing the game – and people’s lives – for the better.
The arena itself has also undergone some changes. It now boasts an ultramodern shape and dual arches that represent continuity and embracing fans from all over the globe. Inside the stadium, all seating areas are protected from the elements by a canopy, with further climate control delivered by advanced cooling technologies.
Attached to the stadium via a walkway is the 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, adding to the appreciation of how this venue cherishes its past as it creates an exciting future.
