Qatar is putting the finishing touches to the first in a series of venues that will host matches at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Khalifa International Stadium is undergoing a comprehensive revamp, which includes building a single roof to cover the whole seating area, adding a new building to the east wing, and construction of an Olympic sports museum.
The big lift operation of the roof is complete and the installation of an innovative roof membrane will continue until early January, with completion of the project planned for the first quarter of 2017, Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy said in a statement.
The roof will provide more shade to the stands and pitch while letting enough sunlight through to the turf for natural growth of the grass.
A 44,000 m2 membrane made of two materials is being used to achieve FIFA requirements regarding sunlight over the pitch. An intricate net of German and Italian-made steel tension cables weighing 4,000 tonnes has been installed to hold the 92 panels that will make up the roof.
Eng. Mansoor Al-Muhannadi, Khalifa International Stadium Project Manager at Aspire Zone Foundation, said: We are very pleased with the progress on site, from the exterior parts to the forthcoming installation of the new roof structure. It will be a proud moment for everyone in the team when the construction is completed for the first proposed host venue for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, and this is what the team on site is working towards on a daily basis.
The stadium will seat more than 40,000 spectators and will be completely cooled throughout, including the field of play and spectator seating areas. The venue will host matches through to the quarter-finals of the competition which will kick off on November 21, 2022 and end on December 18.