The all new Al Janoub stadium, built exclusively for the 2022 World Cup to be held in Qatar, has been unveiled in Qatar on Thursday.
The stadium will host the 2019 Amir Cup final between Al Sadd and Al Duhail, becoming the second stadium after the Khalifa International Stadium to be delivered by Qatar's Supreme Commitee (SC) for Delivery and Legacy for the 2022 showpiece event.
An inauguration ceremony was held before the match as the 40000-capacity venue was thrown open to the world.
Thani Khalifa Al Zarraa, the SC’s Al Janoub Stadium Project Manager, described the inauguration as a major milestone as Qatar continues preparations for the World Cup.
“The launch of Al Janoub Stadium is a significant step on the road to 2022,” said Al Zarraa. “Its innovative and futuristic design means it is set to be one of the iconic venues during the first FIFA World Cup in the Arab world. We hope thousands of football fans across the country will join us for this landmark occasion as we celebrate the progress we have made to-date and look forward to 2022 with renewed excitement.”
The stadium features a dhow boat design as a tribute to the city's seafaring past. Interestingly, the installation of the pitch at Al Janoub Stadium was completed in a world record time of just 9 hours 15 minutes.
The stadium, designed by Zaha Hadid and AECOM Architects, has a retractable roof and features innovative cooling technology which is capable of cooling the spectator areas to 18°C and the field of play to 20°C.
Post the World Cup, the spectacular venue is set to become the home venue of Qatar Stars League (QSL) outfit Al Janoub.
Numerous Qatari firms like MIDMAC, Qatar National Aluminium Panel Company, Coastal Qatar and PORR Qatar have been involved in the construction of the stadium.
