As word spreads ahead of today's Al Rayyan Stadium design reveal, anticipation also builds for Al Rayyan Sports Club fans on what they can expect for one of the proposed host venue stadiums for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™, and the future home of their club.

The new stadium design, to be revealed tonight at Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Fort in Al Rayyan city, promises to highlight the close links the club has with the local community. In its early days, the team that became Al Rayyan Sports Club was funded by fans from the surrounding area. The message of the new stadium design is clear; a design inspired by heritage, incorporated in the hosting plans for the first FIFA World Cup™ in the Middle East, and supported by the largest fan base in the country.

Moza Al-Thani, a student at Qatar University, said: "As an Al Rayyan club fan, I'm very excited about seeing the new design. I love that the design is being launched in Sheikh Ali bin Abdullah Fort, which is an iconic place in Al Rayyan City."

The stadium design tells the story of a nation through the 'Naqsh' (carved panels) façade, which incorporates seven patterns that all equally represent Qatari heritage and culture. Naqsh builds on the Qatari pattern tradition of evolution and transition, reinterpreting it in a modern context and on a new scale by linking the story of Qatar's rich heritage to its present and its future.

The seven patterns of the design represented are; shield, desert rose, chain, nut heart, banana spiral, palm tree and bridal ring patterns. One of the six includes the bridal ring, a pattern referencing the heart of the stadium which unifies family and society. The pattern is also inspired by the Islamic and cultural concept of women at the core of the family and their important role in society.

"We are talking about the most supported local football club in Doha. It used to be that it wasn't encouraged for women to attend football games, but I've been to five or more now and I feel I actually got more women to support the club by attending games, which is an amazing feeling," added Moza Al-Thani.

The shield pattern, which predominantly weaves in the other six patterns, represents loyalty, unity and perseverance. The patterns unify to form one grand pattern for Al Rayyan, defining the past and future. The third and fourth patterns in the new design play on nature; the desert rose, a unique symbol of the natural ornaments in the desert, and the palm tree.

Hessa Al-Mannai said: "I was brought up in a family of Al Rayyan Club supporters; it was tradition for us to watch the games together. The new stadium shows the amount of progress that's being made for sports and development as we prepare for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar."

Rashid Al Khalifa, Vice President of Al Rayyan Club, said that the club was looking forward to witnessing the new design being unveiled: "As part of the Al Rayyan team, we are very proud that our stadium is going to become a vision of pride and a centerpiece for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar. Al Rayyan Club is an extension of my life, it's my past and my present and I stand loyal to it, proud of its achievements."

The development of Qatar as part of the Qatar National Vision 2030, and as the country moves forward with plans for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™, are also highlighted in the fifth and sixth patterns. The chain and the banana spiral elements are inspiration from the local and international trade which has been a mainstay of Qatar's economy for centuries. Finally, the seventh pattern is the nut heart, a well-known trademark of the souq and one that symbolizes healthy living in the form of the stadium facilities.

Resembling sand dunes, the Al Rayyan stadium structure will become a landmark of Qatari tradition and heritage, merged with the desert ambiance, merging an image of the past with the promise of the future.