One of the most interesting features of the 2020 AFC Champions League West Zone matches are undoubtedly the use of the three 2022 World Cup venues - the Khalifa Internaitonal, Al Janoub and Education City stadiums.
Of the eight planned venues for the 2022 World Cup, these three have already been inaugurated and has inspired awe among the players.
The cutting edge technology and innovative features at these venues have already been well detailed. But the AFC Champions League has given Qatar Football Association (QFA) and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & legacy (SC) to put them to an extensive test in an international tournament.
One of the most striking and most talked about features at these stadiums is the revolutionary Advanced Cooling Technology that control the temperature inside the venue. By utilising district cooling, the stadiums are cooled in a way which lowers energy consumption and keeps fans and players alike comfortable regardless of the temperatures outside.
When it was launched after redevelopment in May 2017, Khalifa International Stadium was the largest cooled open-air venue in the world. However, the Education City stadium has taken over that honour after being thrown open to the world earlier this year.
Abilash Nalappat
And the experience of playing in such a stadium certainly rubbed off in the right way on Walid Abbas, UAE-based Shabab Al-Ahli's defensive mainstay. The veteran UAE international felt that the stadiums and the facilities are unlike any he has ever seen anywhere in the world.
"The stadiums are modern and unlike any we've seen elsewhere (especially the cooling technology). The infrastructure is well developed and I believe the country is ready to host the FIFA World Cup in 2022," he said at a press conference after Shabab Al Ahli's 0-0 draw against Pakhtakor at the Al Janoub stadium.
It must be noted that South Korean attacking midfielder Nam Tae-Hee, who plays for Al Sadd SC in the AFC Champions League, had also earlier told Goal about the impressive facilities at the 2022 World Cup stadiums and praised the cooling technology.
"It has been an amazing experience to play in all three completed World Cup stadiums. Especially the pitches and the air-conditioning were very good," he told Goal.
The cooling system is intelligent and can control the temperatures to the optimal conditions for the amount of spectators in the venues. It has allayed all concerns regarding the heat and climate in Qatar during the 2022 World Cup. As of now, the players and officials alike have all been left impressed during the AFC Champions League.
Qatar will host all the remaining matches of the 2020 AFC Champions League until the West Asia finals which is set to be held on October 3.