Khalifa International Stadium, also known as National Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium located in Doha and is a part of the Doha Sports City complex, which also includes Aspire Academy, Hamad Aquatic Centre, and the Aspire Tower. It is named after Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, Qatar’s former Emir. Built in 1976, the stadium was redeveloped in 2005 and in 2017. Khalifa International Stadium has hosted the Asian Games, Arabian Gulf Cup, AFC Asian Cup, IAAF World Athletics Championships and matches at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Between 2014 and 2017 the stadium underwent an extensive redevelopment in order to prepare it for the World Cup. It has a capacity of 45,416, although the original plan before the latest redevelopment was 68,000, but that plan was later revised. Following the redevelopment, the stadium’s dual arches remained intact and have now been complemented by a wide canopy below which supports the stadium’s integration of the new cooling system. The new LED lighting system adds a new dimension to the fan experience. It is the only 2022 World Cup stadium that wasn’t built specifically for the tournament.
The stadium was the first FIFA World Cup 2022 venue to achieve Global Sustainability Assessment System certification.
At the World Cup, the stadium will host eight games, six group-stage matches, one Round-of-16 game and the play-off for third place.
