With a relatively small population of less than 3 million, Qatar has had to invest heavily in new stadium infrastructure ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Although eight stadiums will be used throughout the tournament, the construction of those places has not been done cheaply.
How many new stadiums did Qatar build?
Seven of the eight stadiums have been built for the upcoming World Cup.
After winning the right to host the tournament in 2010, Qatar began building a new stadium in 2014.
They gradually opened in later years, with Al Janub Stadium being the first in 2019.
Khalifa International Stadium is the only existing stadium used for the tournament.
However, it was developed in 2014, increasing its capacity to over 40,000.
Four of the Qatar 2022 stadiums are located outside the Doha city area, while the other four are located in Doha.
The proximity of the stadiums can alleviate any travel concerns for the teams, with Al Beit Stadium being the farthest from the city center at a relatively short 40km.
How much was spent on the World Cup stadium?
The total running cost for all eight World Cup stadiums is around US$6.5 billion, according to Sky News.
This is despite Qatari officials suggesting $10 billion is needed to complete the full site construction.
The aforementioned Khalifa International Stadium was one of the cheaper projects, requiring redevelopment only in 2014.
| Cost (USD)* | Stadium |
| $847m | Al Bayt Stadium |
| $767m | Lusail Stadium |
| $360m | Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium |
| $572m | Al Janoub Stadium |
| $700m | Education City Stadium |
| Unknown | Stadium 974 |
| $78-315m | Khalifa International Stadium |
| $342m | Al Thumama Stadium |
*Based on reported data.
Are the World Cup stadiums air-conditioned?
The 2022 World Cup kicks off in Qatar on November 20 when temperatures typically start to drop into winter.
However, it is still expected to be hot in the country, with the opening group matches set to be the hottest with high temperatures of 26–28°C (78–82°F).
To deal with that, the Qatari authorities have confirmed that all eight stadiums involved in the tournament will be air-conditioned.
The technology, developed with Qatar University, uses solar energy to power an air filtering system.
Dr. Saud Abdulaziz Abdul Ghani, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Qatar University, has led this project.
“We’re not just cooling the air, we’re cleaning it,” Dr Saud said in an interview with FIFA.com.
“We are purifying the air for the spectators. For example, people with allergies will not have a problem inside our stadium because we have the cleanest and purest air there is.
“Pre-cooled air comes through grills built into the stands and large nozzles at the sides of the pitch. Using air circulation technology, the cold air is drawn back, re-cooled, filtered and pushed to where it’s needed.”
Temperatures inside Qatar’s air-conditioned stadium are expected to hover around 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit).
In which stadium will the World Cup final be held?
Lusail Stadium has been selected to host the 2022 World Cup final.
Located north of Doha, 80,000 fans are expected to fit into the venue for the judging.
On top of the final, the stadium will host three knockout matches throughout the tournament.