The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) and Qatar Foundation (QF) have announced the completion of the third tournament venue for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. Located in the heart of Education City – Qatar’s education, research and innovation hub – the 40,000-capacity Education City Stadium is slated to host matches up to the quarter-finals stage during the tournament.
The stadium’s completion will be marked digitally on the SC’s social media platforms, in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, and via special 60-minute programmes in both Arabic and English on beIN SPORTS on Monday night. The ‘Road to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™’ Arabic show will commemorate the stadium’s completion and official unveiling, while the English show will feature special guests who debate the future of sport in a post-pandemic world. Notable guests will include FIFA Technical Director and former Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, Bundesliga CEO, Christian Siefert, and Belgium national team manager, Roberto Martinez, among others.
Al Kass TV, Al Rayyan TV and Qatar TV will also provide intensive coverage to mark the stadium’s completion.
H.E. Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson and CEO of QF, said: “The eyes of the world will be on this stadium when it hosts matches as the World Cup comes to Qatar and the region in 2022, but its value will extend far beyond the tournament.
“The stadium’s place at the heart of Qatar Foundation’s vibrant, open community will make it an enduring focal point and a hub of activity, social interaction, and knowledge. It will continue to bring people together long after the World Cup, encourage them to embrace sport and healthy living, and – as one of the world’s most sustainable sporting venues – promote the importance of making sustainability a key element of our lifestyles.
“This is a stadium to experience, enjoy, learn from, and be inspired by, with a lifespan that will stretch across generations. We are delighted and proud that it stands within our community at Qatar Foundation and congratulate all involved in bringing the vision of this stadium to magnificent reality.”
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Chairman and Secretary General of the SC, H.E. Hassan Al Thawadi, said: “The completion of the third tournament-ready venue is a proud moment for the SC, QF and the entire country. We remain on track to deliver the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab world – and hope to unveil two more stadiums by the end of the year.”
Al Thawadi continued: “While the world continues to battle COVID-19, we hope news of the stadium’s completion shows there is light at the end of the tunnel. We will soon return to something approaching normality – including football matches in packed stadiums.
“The first World Cup in our region – and only the second in Asia – was already incredibly symbolic. However, due to COVID-19, I believe our tournament has taken on added importance. It can be football that brings everyone together after COVID-19 and Qatar looks forward to brighter times and uniting the world at this very venue in 2022.”
The Arabic show will be broadcast on beIN SPORTS HD1 at 7 PM Doha time. The English show will air simultaneously on beIN SPORTS HD11. Both shows will be streamed via the SC and QF’s social media accounts, along with the beIN SPORTS free-to-air channel. Al Kass TV, Al Rayyan TV and Qatar TV will also mark the event on their channels.