By Samindra Kunti
October 6 – Qatar’s infrastructure work for the 2022 FIFA World Cup is progressing with the Al Khalifa stadium expected to be delivered by 2017, while work on the Lusail stadium has commenced.
The Al-Khalifa International Stadium will be the first venue delivered by the Supreme Committee for Legacy and Delivery with 90% of the concrete structure approaching conclusion and new levels of seating areas adding to the height of the stadium. Work is expected to come to an end in a month’s time. The stadium is located in the Al Rayyan municipality of Doha and has a prominent place in the Aspire Zone.
“Our first stadium Al-Khalifa will be ready by the beginning of 2017,” Nasser Al-Khater told Insideworldfootball at the Aspire Academy Global Summit on Football Performance and Science in Berlin. “We are looking to complete our stadiums by 2020. The metro have just announced that they have completely 50% of all the tunneling work. Qatar is placed well and we are happy with the progress.”
Earlier this month construction on the Lusail stadium began north of Doha. The 80,000 all-seater will be Qatar’s flagship venue during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, hosting the opening match and the final.
The first phase of site investigation, assessing the quality of the soil and the groundwater levels, has been completed. The proper groundwork can now get underway. British architects Foster + Partners are leading the design. In 2016 the design plans for the Lusail venue will be disclosed.
Qatar will integrate Lusail fully into the urban center of Doha by 2022. For the moment general infrastructure construction is underway in Lusail with housing and hotels mushrooming.
“There is more than you expect in Lusail,” said Al-Khater. “If it’s going to be a natural environment by the time of the World Cup, we have to wait and see. Lusail is already part of the city. You don’t really see that it’s been very separate from Doha. It will feel like it’s part of the city.”
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