History tells us now it was all an expensive charade, but when the bidders and voters gathered in Zurich in 2010 to choose the host of the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups, the public part of Qatar’s pitch was straightforward.
In a reverse to the Kevin Costner classic Field of Dreams, Qatar pledged: “If you come, we will build it.”
There was no other option. Unlike rivals Australia, Japan and the USA, who had dozens of major stadiums, Qatar had one. With a population then of 1.2 million and a landmass that could fit into Tasmania five times, that’s all the tiny Gulf country needed.
But after the FIFA executive did their thing — the vote has since been mired in revelations of corruption and multiple investigations — Qatar suddenly had the 2022 World Cup hosting duties and a dozen years to prepare.
Under Qatar’s original plan, the country would build nine new stadiums and renovate three, but that was later refined to seven new venues and refurbishing one, the Khalifa International Stadium. Under the original plan, too, the tournament was to be played in its normal window of the northern summer, despite outside temperatures routinely rising above 40 degrees.
Elaborate air-conditioning and cooling systems in stadiums were promised to beat the heat, although FIFA later woke to the insanity of a summer World Cup in the desert and switched the tournament from Qatar’s summer to the winter window, with a milder — but still stiflingly hot — climate.
The cost
Twelve years later and on the eve of the World Cup, Qatar now has seven new stadiums and a re-furbished one, and their construction has come at a huge cost; both financial and human.
With the riches of Qatar’s natural gas reserves, the nation reportedly spent $A9.7 billion on constructing the shiny new stadiums, with another $53.5 billion on a driverless metro system to serve them.
An aerial view of Al Bayt Stadium, which is designed to look like a Bedouin tent.Credit:Getty
Overall, Qatar reportedly outlaid up to $340 billion in total infrastructure — dwarfing the expenditure of both Brazil (2014) and Russia (2018), who both spent less than $20 billion. It is the most expensive World Cup of all time.
The eight stadiums are all found within a 55km strip, which is about the same as Sydney’s CBD to Penrith, or Melbourne to Frankston.
Given the tiny Gulf nation doesn’t need them post-World Cup, however, most stadiums have been designed to be downsized, re-purposed and in the case of the 974 Stadium (which is partly built of shipping containers), pulled down and its parts donated to developing nations.
The controversy
The majority of the workforce who built Qatar’s stadiums and World Cup infrastructure are migrant workers, most from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The deaths of as many of 6000 of those workers during the past decade, due to the extremely hot conditions and long hours, has drawn intense criticism of Qatar and cast a permanent stain on the 2022 World Cup.
Human rights groups revealed a disturbing number of unexplained deaths of migrant workers, who were often young and in good health, but died within a year of arriving in Qatar and working long hours in extreme heat. It was claimed Qatar mostly failed to investigate the causes of these deaths. Death certificates often recorded “cardiac arrest”, “respiratory failure” or “natural causes”, and families were told their loved one had “died in their sleep”.
“In failing to investigate the underlying causes of migrant workers’ deaths, the Qatari authorities are ignoring warning signs which could, if addressed, save lives.
“This is a violation of the right to life. They are also denying bereaved families their right to remedy, and leaving them with painful unanswered questions,” said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s Head of Economic and Social Justice, in a 2020 report.
Qatar dispute the death toll, saying only 37 have died while working on World Cup projects, but they belatedly reformed working conditions in 2018, banning work in summer and limiting work when temperatures rise above 32 degrees.
Qatar remain under pressure to not only observe the laws — particularly in the manic final push — but to fairly compensate the families of dead migrant workers, potentially from teams in the World Cup including the Socceroos.
Keeping cool
Three years after Qatar was given the World Cup, FIFA finally acknowledged it was dangerous to play at the height of summer, with former boss Sepp Blatter saying in 2013 it was “simply not a responsible thing to do”. In 2015, it was officially moved to November and December.
The installation of cooling systems inside Qatar’s stadiums continued, however, given even the winter climate is hot.
Air conditioning vents that cool the air pitchside at Education City Stadium.Credit:AP
The system, designed by a Qatari professor nicknamed “Dr Cool”, cools air via pipes chilled water and feeds into the stadium under spectator seats and via large pitchside vents. The layer of cold air is then captured and recycled back into the stadium, creating a bubble effect and reducing the radiant heat that concrete and steel stadiums usually generate. Temperatures should settle at 18 degrees in the stands, and 20 degrees on field. The entire system is powered by a solar farm in the desert, which is claimed to reduce energy loss, but critics say the Qatari claims of running a carbon-neutral World Cup is dubious.
VENUE BY VENUE GUIDE
Lusail Stadium
Capacity: 80,000
Distance from Doha city centre: 16km
The venue for the World Cup final, the Lusail Iconic Stadium has a striking gold-coloured exterior, which is said to reflect “hand-crafted bowls found all across the Arab and Islamic world during the rise of civilisation.” With the city of Lusail still being built, and home to only 200,000 people, much of the stadium’s seating will be removed and donated to developing nations post-tournament.
Al Janoub Stadium
Capacity: 40,000
Distance from Doha city centre: 23km
The Al Janoub Stadium is located in Al Wakrah, one of the Doha’s oldest inhabited regions and an area with a history of pearl diving and fishing. The stadium’s design is inspired by upturned dhow boats traditional to Qatar, which could provide shelter when huddled together.
Al Janoub Stadium, which has a retractable roof, will play host to Australia’s three pool matches against France, Tunisia and Denmark. Half of the seats will be removed post World Cup.
Al Bayt Stadium
Capacity: 60,000
Distance from Doha city centre: 43km
The venue for the World Cup’s opening game between Qatar and Ecuador, Al Bayt Stadium is designed to resemble a traditional tent, or Bayt Al Sha’ar, of Qatar’s nomadic people.
Al Bayt Stadium, which also contains a hotel, has a retractable roof and the top tiers will also be removed after the tournament.
Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Capacity: 40,000
Distance from Doha city centre: 23km
Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium stands on the site of the former Al-Rayyan Stadium, which was knocked down in 2015. Materials were then re-used to build the new venue.
Located next to a desert, the surrounding buildings of Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium were inspired by sand dunes.
The stadium was the location for Australia’s memorable, Grey Wiggle-inspired victory over Peru in June, which secured the World Cup berth.
Education City Stadium
Capacity: 40,000
Distance from Doha city centre: 11km
The diamond-shaped stadium is located within several university campuses at the Qatar Foundation’s Education City. The Education City venue was host to the 2021 FIFA Club World Cup final, in which Bayern Munich beat Tigres.
It will become home to Qatar’s women’s team after the World Cup.
Al Thumama Stadium
Capacity: 40,000
Distance from Doha city centre: 13km
One of the first venues visitors can spot as they fly into Doha, Al Thumama Stadium is inspired by the ‘gahfiya’, a traditional woven cap worn by men and boys across the Middle East. The gahfiya symbolises the coming of age for youth.
It is another stadium whose capacity will be reduced by half after the World Cup. A mosque and hotel are also open due to open on the site.
Stadium 974
Capacity: 40,000
Distance from Doha city centre: 10km
So named because the waterfront stadium has included 974 shipping containers, and contains other materials that not only made it easier — and more environmentally friendly — to build, but easier to dismantle after the World Cup finishes.
The unusual 974 stadium overlooks the Doha Corniche and the skyline of the West Bay. The calling code of Qatar is also 974.
Khalifa International Stadium
Capacity: 45,416
Distance from Doha city centre: 11km
Originally built in 1976, Khalifa International Stadium is Qatar’s national stadium and has previously hosted major football tournaments and the World Athletics Championships in 2019.
