A Look At the Eight Stadiums that will Host FIFA World Cup in Qatar 2022

Six months to go for the World Cup, Qatar has its stadiums ready. Qatar has become almost a byword for scorching heat but some fans will still take a sweater to the stadiums because of state-of-the-art air conditioning that its mastermind says will become the norm for mega sports events. Seven of the eight stadiums are air-conditioned. Here's a look at the stadiums that will host 2022 World Cup matches from November 21 to December 18.

1. Lusail Iconic Stadium (80,000 capacity), Lusail

Qatar's biggest stadium will host the final on December 18 and among other matches, the first semi-final. Built in Lusail, a planned city for a population of 200,000 situated 15 kilometres north of central Doha, there are plans for the stadium to be transformed into a community hub after the World Cup, with most of its seats being removed and donated elsewhere.

2. Al-Bayt Stadium (60,000), Al Khor

The venue for the group-stage showdown between Spain and Germany, as well as the second semi-final, is constructed in the form of a Bedouin tent. There are plans for the upper tier to be removed after the competition. Situated on Qatar's northeast coast, around 35 kilometres from the capital Doha, it is therefore beyond the reach of the capital's metro system, making it one of the harder venues to access for supporters.

3. Education City Stadium (40,000), Al Rayyan

Situated among university campuses in Al Rayyan, just to the west of Doha, and reachable by metro, the stadium will host one of the quarter-finals. Its capacity will be reduced by half after the tournament with plans for the seats to be donated to developing countries.

4. Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium (40,000), Al Rayyan

The home of one of Qatar's most successful clubs, Al Rayyan, the stadium has been built on the site of the old venue of the same name and is one metro stop beyond the nearby Education City. Located where the city meets the desert, its capacity will also be reduced by half after the tournament.

5. Khalifa International Stadium (40,000), Doha

Built in 1976, it is the only venue that existed before Qatar was awarded the World Cup, though it has since been transformed. Hosted the 2011 Asian Cup final and also the final of the 2019 Club World Cup between Liverpool and Flamengo. It will host England's opening-day clash with Iran.

6. Al Thumama Stadium (40,000), Doha

Situated to the south of central Doha, close to the city's Hamad International Airport, the stadium is built in the form of a gahfiya, the traditional cap worn by men across West Asia. It will host the tournament's opening game between Senegal and the Netherlands as well as one of the quarter-finals. Its capacity will be reduced to 20,000 after the World Cup.

7. Stadium 974 (40,000), Doha

Built out of shipping containers on Doha's waterfront, the pop-up stadium will be completely dismantled after the World Cup. The number 974 is the international dialling code for Qatar but also represents the number of containers used for the stadium's construction.