13 March 2015
British architects Foster + Partners has been chosen to design Lusail Stadium, the proposed host venue for the final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
The London-based company has been awarded the contract by Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC). As the design architect on the Lusail project, Foster + Partners will carry out the architectural design work as part of a team of designers that also includes Arup and Populous.
“It is an honor to design this centerpiece stadium – we are delighted to have won the international competition,” said Lord Foster, Foster + Partners ‘s chairman and founder. “This is an exciting step forward in stadium design – it will be the first to break the mould of the free standing suburban concept, and instead anticipates the grid of this future city, of which it will be an integral part.”
The 80,000-capacity Lusail Stadium, the largest proposed venue for Qatar 2022, will be located in Lusail City, a planned conurbation 15km north of Doha. Like other venues in the Qatar 2022 stadium program, the venue will incorporate a cooling system to keep spectators and players at a comfortable 26ºC (80ºF) during matches. It is slated to host the tournament’s opening ceremony as well as the final.
At present, five stadia are currently under construction for the Qatar 2022 World Cup, which is to take place in the northern hemisphere winter for the first time ever.
