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Al Thumama Stadium will be a fusion of Arab cultural heritage and modern architecture. During the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™, it will welcome 40,000 excited football fans for matches up to the quarter-final stage.

As we reveal this arena to the world for the first time, here are six facts about Al Thumama Stadium that you might not know.

Its design is based on a traditional head covering

The design of the stadium is inspired by the woven cap known in Qatar as the gahfiya. This is a part of the traditional outfit worn by men all around the Arab world, which has different styles, colours and names, depending on the country and the culture it belongs to. In Qatar, the um nira gahfiya has been, throughout the years, one of the most widespread head coverings in the Qatari community.

The name comes from a local tree

The stadium's name comes from the area where it lies, which, in turn, took its name from al thumama tree that grows locally. Today, the Al Thumama area, 6km away from the center of Doha and close to Hamad International Airport, is considered to be the southern gateway to the Qatari capital. Once completed, it will have extensive transport links, making it easy for fans to get to and from matches here.

Qatar's cooling technology was born here

Al Thumama Stadium is being built on the site where our bid team demonstrated our cooling technology to FIFA, cooling a mini-stadium using solar energy. This prototype demonstration proved to FIFA that conditions in Qatar are perfect for the world's favourite football tournament. The mini-stadium remains on site and is now a research and study centre.

It has an all-Qatari design

Al Thumama Stadium is the first FIFA World Cup™ stadium to be designed solely by Qatari nationals. Arab Engineering Bureau, the oldest architectural and engineering consulting firm in Qatar are responsible for the striking look of the venue. The team was led by Qatari architect Ibrahim M. Jaidah, who has designed many landmarks in Doha, including the new Ministry of Interior building and Sharq Village & Spa.

In legacy mode it will have a hotel attached

After the tournament in 2022, 20,000 seats will be removed from the stadium and donated to development projects abroad. This space will then be transformed into an extraordinary 60-room hotel facing the pitch. Guests will enjoy complete comfort, the hospitality for which the Arab region is famous and a magnificent view of a pitch where footballing history was made.

It will be more than just a stadium

Al Thumama Stadium will be home to technologies that make it one of the most state-of-the-art stadiums in global sport, including features that will ensure people with disabilities enjoy a complete matchday experience. There will be tennis and basketball courts, running and horse riding tracks, and even a branch of Aspetar, a FIFA-accredited sports medicine clinic.