Al Bayt Stadium

Al-Bayt Stadium (Arabic: استاد البيت, romanized: ʾIstād al-Bayt, lit. ’The House Stadium’)is a retractable roof football stadium in Al Khor, Qatar, which was opened in time for matches in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which began on 20 November 2022.
The stadium’s construction contract was awarded to Qatari contractor Galfar Al Musnad, We build S.p.A. and Cimolai in 2015.
In January 2020, the stadium received sustainability certificates of green design, construction management and energy efficiency.
International observers have criticized the treatment of workers in the construction of the stadium.
The stadium is located about 35 km away from Doha.

• Full name: Al-Bayt Stadium
• Location:  Al Khor, Qatar
• Coordinates: 25°39′08″N 51°29′15″E
• Capacity: 68,895 (2022 FIFA World Cup)32,000 (post-World Cup)
• Record attendance: 68,895 (Spain vs Germany, 27 November 2022)
• Surface: Grass

Construction

• Broke ground: 2014
• Opened: 30 November 2021

Construction

The Al Bayt Stadium in Qatar is one of eight stadiums being used in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and is the second largest stadium after Lusail Stadium. The stadium was designed by Dar Al-Handasah. Following the World Cup, it is expected to be reconfigured into a 32,000-seat stadium. Excess seats will be removed from the upper tier and donated to other countries or placed on the infrastructure planned for the 2030 Asian Games. The vacated space will then be converted into a five-star hotel, shopping mall and another sports facilities.

The tent-like structure has four stands, each of whose exterior walls and peaked roofs are covered in polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) woven fibreglass membrane. The exterior part of the PTFE membrane is coloured in traditional black, white and red colours to further reference Qatar’s nomadic people’s tents. A retractable roof connects the four stands to enclose the stadium.

A 2021 investigation by The Guardian revealed that over 6,500 migrant workers from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka died between 2010 and 2020 during construction of World Cup venues in Qatar.The figures used by The Guardian did not include occupation or place of work so deaths could not be definitively associated with the World Cup construction programme, but “a very significant proportion of the migrant workers who have died since 2011 were only in the country because Qatar won the right to host the World Cup.” Commenting on the investigation, Construction News noted, first, a 2014 BBC Newsnight investigation that claimed migrant workers employed by Carillion subcontractors in Qatar were forced to work in unsafe conditions and had wages withheld; secondly, it recalled a 2019 report by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre showing construction firms working in Qatar and the UAE were “failing” to protect workers’ rights – firms included former Carillion subsidiary Al-Futtaim Carillion, Interserve, Laing O’Rourke, Multiplex and Vinci QDVC.
 

History

The inauguration of the stadium took place on 30 November 2021, on the occasion of opening ceremony for the FIFA Arab Cup 2021, followed by a match between the host Qatar and Bahrain, in which the reigning Asian champion Qatar survived a last-minute scare to fend off the visitor 1–0, courtesy of a header from Abdulaziz Hatem in the 69th minute.

This event was attended by the Emir (head of state) of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. FIFA President Gianni Infantino, several Heads of State and authorities and Presidents from member associations to enjoy the inauguration ceremony of Al Bayt Stadium and to mark the official opening of FIFA Arab Cup 2021. The newly built stadium hosted five matches during FIFA Arab Cup 2021, including the final of the tournament on 18 December 2021.

On 20 November 2022, the stadium hosted the opening game of the FIFA World Cup between Qatar and Ecuador; 67,372 were reported to be in attendance at kick off, despite the capacity of the stadium being 60,000.