October 6- Plans for a stunning centrepiece World Cup stadium have been unveiled by Qatar’s 2022 Bid Committee during the Leaders in Football conference in London today.
The 86,250-seat facility in the heart of New Lusail City, which will have the world’s largest fully retractable cable-net roof, was revealed to delegates at the events at Chelsea FC.
It would host both the opening game and the World Cup Final if the country’s bid to host the 2022 event is successful.
Designed by world-famous architects Foster & Partners, the iconic Lusail Stadium would be built in the Al-Daayen section of the city – a new development north of Doha.
The stadium is one of 12 that form Qatar’s 2022 World Cup hosting concept.
All are within an hour of central Doha, enabling fans to see at least two games in a day, Qatari officials claim.
The Lusail Stadium is the last to be unveiled by Qatar 2022, and reflects various elements of Qatari heritage, including the traditional dhow sail.
It will serve as a model for future sports stadiums throughout the region, officials said.
Its design includes a fully retractable roof and the same environmentally-friendly solar cooling technologies that will ensure all of Qatar’s stadiums are cooled to around 27 degrees centigrade.
Situated on an east-west orientation, the stadium will have shade across the entire .
Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, chairman of the Qatar 2022 Bid, said: “The Iconic Lusail Stadium will serve as the perfect venue for the opening and final matches of the World Cup.
“The stadium will inspire a new generation of regional and international sports venues, incorporating environmentally-friendly cooling technologies to ensure ideal conditions for players and spectators alike.
“The design of the stadium provides fans with optimum views of the action in a cool and comfortable setting.
“Its beauty and ambition represent the pride and enthusiasm that we have displayed in our bid thus far and will continue to display until the day FIFA awards the 2022 World Cup and beyond.”
Like all of Qatar’s proposed stadiums, the Lusail Stadium will have its own metro station and be linked with major Qatar highways and bus routes, ensuring – what officials claim – will be easy and seamless access for fans.
With flexibility at its core, the stadium will be able to adapt to a wide variety of future sporting, cultural and social events in Qatar after 2022, they said.
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