Qatar hope to decide how many stadiums it will use in hosting the 2022 World Cup by the end of this year, a spokesman for the organising committee said yesterday.
Corruption allegations at soccer’s governing body FIFA have put renewed media focus on Qatar, although Qatari officials remain confident the tournament will go ahead as planned and development of the country’s stadium infrastructure continues.
Qatar has announced details for five stadiums. Its bid included plans for 12 stadiums, but those proposals were not binding and it is obliged to use at least eight.
“The final number of stadiums is still to be confirmed, but it is expected a decision will be reached towards the end of 2015,” said a spokesman for the Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, which is responsible for the delivery of all tournament-related infrastructure.
The country is set to spend more than $200 billion on infrastructure as part of a 2030 development plan, a time-frame that includes hosting the World Cup in November-December 2022.
The Supreme Committee declined to estimate the total cost of stadium construction and reno-vation.
“Due to the stadiums currently going through the tender process, we are not in a position to release any further budgetary figures at this stage,” the spokes-man added.
The five stadiums announced are a mixture of new builds and rebuilds of existing grounds.
Four – Al Rayyan, Khalifa International, Qatar Foundation and Al Wakrah stadiums – will have tournament capacities of 40,000 and will be used for matches up to and including the quarter-final stage of the World Cup.
The fifth, Al Bayt Stadium, will hold 60,000 spectators and will host at least one semi-final.
The organisers have yet to reveal plans for the stadium that will stage the tournament final.
To date, main contractors have been appointed for two venues.
A joint venture between local firm Midmac Contracting and Dubai’s Six Construct won the contract for Khalifa International.
Another joint venture comprising Qatar’s Galfar Al Misnad and Italian duo Salini Impregilo and Cimolai was given responsibility for Al Bayt Stadium.
At about 11,600 square kilometres, Qatar will be the smallest country to host the World Cup.
Most of its surface area is uninhabited desert.
Consequently, fans from the 32 competing nations will be staying within a relatively small area, which may give tournament organisers security and logistical headaches.