Khalifa International Stadium

One of eight stadiums being converted or constructed for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Khalifa International Stadium is one of the most spectacular of all. Also known as the National Stadium, it is located in the capital, Doha. The stadium forms part of a wider sports complex – Doha Sports City – and is the first such building in the world to be awarded a four-star rating from the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS.) As with all the Qatar stadiums there has been plenty made of the aim to ensure they are carbon-neutral and eco-friendly.

The Khalifa was the first of the stadiums to be completed and had previously been used for the likes of the Pan-Arab Games in 2011, and while primarily a football stadium it is equipped for other sports. For the 2022 World Cup the crowd capacity of the Khalifa International Stadium will be more than 45,000.

Opening Games

2022 World Cup matches due to be held at the Khalifa International Stadium during the initial group stage include Spain vs. Japan, Germany vs. Japan, and England vs. Iran on the opening day of the competition, 21st of November 2022. The stadium is not the largest capacity venue in the World Cup in Qatar, as that goes to the 80,000 seat Lusail Iconic Stadium.
 
Following the World Cup many of the stadiums will be repurposed yet the Khalifa International was already an established sport stadium and will remain as such for the foreseeable future. It is one of four stadiums in or close to Doha.