By Duncan Mackay in Dubai
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year
April 28 – Qatar today unveiled a $4 billion (£2.6 billion) plan here to build or renovate 12 stadiums with high-tech cooling systems as part of its bid to host the 2022 World Cup.
Officials claimed that all venues would be fitted with a cooling system to alleviate concerns that the weather might be too hot to stage the sport’s most prestigious tournament.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the chairman of Qatar 2022, showed models of five stadiums during SportAccord here, including one shaped like a sea shell and another inspired by a traditional local sailing vessel.
Plans also include the renovation of three stadiums.
The oil and gas-rich state will pledge to take down some of the stadiums it will build for the tournament brick by brick and transport them to less well-resourced countries, leaving behind smaller community sport venues and cutting back on white elephants, which is one of the main criticisms of Qatar’s bid.
Qatar plans to build three 45,000-seater air-conditioned stadiums that will be cooled using solar technology so temperatures on the field do not rise above 27 degrees Celsius.
Summer temperatures can rise above 40 degrees Celsius in Qatar, which has been seen as a major obstacle in the way of Gulf countries hosting major sporting events such as the World Cup.
But Qatar is counting on high technology to overcome the problem and has emerged as a serious contender for the 2022 World Cup with its seemingly limitless budget.
The new stadiums planned include Al-Shamal, which will accommodate 45,120 and will be located in the north of Qatar, the 45,330-seater Al-Khor stadium (pictured) in the north east and the Al-Wakrah stadium, which will house 45,000 fans in the south of the country.
In addition, two existing stadiums will be expanded if Qatar wins the right to stage the World Cup.
These include doubling the capacity of the Al Rayyan stadium in northwest of Doha to a capacity of 44,740 and doubling the capacity of the Al Gharafa stadium to 44,740.
It is another boost for the Qatar, who last weekend appeared to receive the backing of FIFA President Sepp Blatter, who said an Arab country deserved to host the event.
“These plans show just how serious, innovative and focussed we are about hosting a FIFA World Cup that will deliver a fantastic experience for players, fans and the media,” Al Thani said.
“Our stadiums will have zero carbon cooling equipment utilizing solar technology to ensure the temperature is no higher than 27 degrees Celsius, ensuring optimum playing conditions and a comfortable environment for fans.”
The stadiums could be downscaled after the tournament or even dismantled and shipped to other less wealthy countries and reassembled there, officials claimed.
Qatar 2022 chief executive, Hassan Abdulla Al Thawadi, said: “All our state-of-the-art stadia will be linked to a brand new metro system and totally integrated with a comprehensive shuttle bus network, allowing fans to travel to games by public transport.
“Fans will be able to watch more than one game in a day while staying in the same accommodation throughout the tournament.
“We have also designed our new stadia with legacy front of mind and, with their modular design, can be reduced in size after the World Cup to fit local football and community requirements and, in some cases, transported abroad for permanent use.
“What we have unveiled today is just a foretaste of the much wider plans we will be unveiling in the coming weeks.”
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