Khalifa International Stadium
استاد خليفة الدولي (Arabic)
Location
Coordinates25°15′49″N 51°26′53″E / 25.26361°N 51.44806°E / 25.26361; 51.44806
Public transit Sport City (المدينة الرياضية)
OwnerQatar Football Association
Capacity45,857
Record attendance45,344 (England vs Iran, 21 November 2022)
SurfaceGrass
Construction
Opened1976
Renovated2005, 2017
ArchitectDar Al-Handasah (2017)
Tenants
Qatar national football team (1976–present)

Khalifa International Stadium (/kəˈliːfə/, Arabic: استاد خليفة الدولي, ALA-LC: Istād Khalīfah al-Duwalī) is a multi-purpose stadium located in Al Rayyan, Qatar, around 9 kilometres (6 miles) west from the centre of Doha. Its ground comprises a running track and a grass pitch. Opened in 1976, the stadium was named after then-Emir of Qatar Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, and under the ownership of the Qatar Football Association, it serves as the primary home ground of the Qatar men's national football team. Its current fully-roofed, 45,857-seat configuration was opened in 2017, following a previous reconfiguration in 2005 that incorporated the stadium into the Aspire Zone complex and added a roofed grandstand; boosting its capacity from 20,000 to 40,000.

Khalifa has hosted numerous international association football and athletics events throughout its history. Track and field events at the 2006 Asian Games, 2011 Pan Arab Games, and 2019 World Athletics Championships were held at the stadium, and World Athletics has since organised the annual Doha Diamond League event there as part of its Diamond League series. In the future, Khalifa is planned to host track and field events at the 2030 Asian Games. In association football, the stadium hosted matches during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup, the 1995 FIFA World Youth Championship, the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, and three editions of the Arabian Gulf Cup. The final of the Emir of Qatar Cup is also occasionally played at the stadium.

History

Khalifa International Stadium opened in 1976, ahead of the 4th Arabian Gulf Cup, with a mostly symmetrical stadium bowl and a basic roof covering the upper seats of the stadium's western stand. The stadium hosted all 22 games of the tournament, which was won by Kuwait.[1][2][3] Sixteen years later, the stadium once again hosted all 15 games of the 11th Arabian Gulf Cup in 1992, which saw hosts Qatar win the Arabian Gulf Cup the very first time.[4][5]

Interior view towards the northeast during a World Cup football match in November 2022
Fireworks during the 2006 Asian Games opening ceremony.

In preparation for Doha's hosting of the 2006 Asian Games, Khalifa International Stadium was renovated with a complete remodelling of the stadium's western stand, which transformed it into a grandstand with a second tier and a new roof that covered all the seats. Over the eastern side, a large arch with additional light fixtures were added, which was used as a platform; this was used during the games' opening ceremony to launch fireworks from.[6] The stadium's reconfiguration in 2005 was part of the larger Doha Sports City urban renewal project in Al Rayyan, later known as the Aspire Zone complex. Today, it includes the Aspire Academy, Hamad Aquatic Centre, and the Aspire Tower.[7] The ceremonies and track and field events of the 2011 Pan Arab Games were also held at Khalifa a few years later.[8]

After the rights to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup were awarded to Qatar in December 2010, Khalifa International Stadium was reconfigured again to stage matches during the tournament. An initial plan to upgrade the stadium's capacity to at least 68,000 was mulled but later revised.[9] The final design by international architecture firm Dar Al-Handasah, saw the stadium's capacity boosted to 45,857 with the addition of a new tier on the eastern stand, and a new roof covering the entire stadium was built.[10][11] Upon its reopening in 2017, it became the first stadium to receive a four-star rating from the FIFA-endorsed Global Sustainability Assessment System of the Middle East and North Africa,[12] and was the first of the eight venues of the FIFA World Cup to open.[13][14][15] Since its reopening, the stadium hosted the 2019 World Athletics Championships, and three matches of the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup, including its final.[16][17][18]

Speciality

Khalifa International stadium was the first one to get inaugurated during last year's Amir cup finals. It has long been the cornerstone of the country's spoting tradition with its unigue geography and advanced transport systems.[19]

Khalifa International stadium has set a benchmark. However, its most significant feature is its roof which covers over 70 per cent of the stadium. The roof is designed with EFTE and PTFE materials. Although it is not retractable like other stadiums, it can still provide sufficient shade for fans.However, the distinctive feature of the Khalifa Stadium is its two roof arches. These arches are located on the east and west side of the stadium, which is over 120metre high. Furthermore, it is also fitted with cooling units that span around the stadium.

The cooling system can drop the temperature down to 24 degrees during matches. In addition, the latest renovation also saw the installation of LED pitch lights and a digital floodlight. [20]

Renovation

The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) and the Aspire Zone Foundation collaborated to renovate the stadium, which got underway in 2014. It involved building a sports museum (3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum), expanding the east wing of the stadium's stands to accommodate 48,000 spectators, adding hospitality and VIP suites, installing a state-of-the-art roof that covers every stand in the stadium, and installing cooling technology that uses 40% less energy than traditional stadium cooling technology to maintain the field's ideal temperature of 26 degrees all year round.[21]

International matches

Tournament results

4th Arabian Gulf Cup (1976)

11th Arabian Gulf Cup (1992)

1998 Arab Cup

Date Time(QST) Team #1 Result Team #2 Round Attendance
1 October 199821:00 Kuwait4–1 United Arab EmiratesThird place 25,000
1 October 199823:00 Saudi Arabia3–1 QatarFinal 25,000

2011 AFC Asian Cup

Khalifa International Stadium hosted 6 matches during the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, including the final.

Date Time(QST) Team #1 Result Team #2 Round Attendance
7 January 201119:15 Qatar0–2 UzbekistanGroup A 37,143
12 January 201119:15 China0–2 Qatar 30,778
16 January 201119:15 Qatar3–0 Kuwait 28,339
21 January 201119:25 Uzbekistan2–1 JordanQuarter-final 16,073
25 January 201119:25 Uzbekistan0–6 AustraliaSemi-final 24,826
29 January 201118:00 Australia0–1 JapanFinal 37,174

24th Arabian Gulf Cup (2019)

Date Time (AST) Team #1 Result Team #2 Round Attendance
26 November 201919:30 Qatar1–2 IraqGroup A37,890
29 November 201917:30 United Arab Emirates0–2 Iraq17,437
19:30 Yemen0–6 Qatar26,392
2 December 201917:30 Qatar4–2 United Arab EmiratesTBD
20:00 Kuwait2–4 BahrainGroup BTBD

2022 FIFA World Cup

Khalifa International Stadium hosted 8 matches during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, including the third place play-off match.

Date Time(QST) Team #1 Result Team #2 Round Attendance
21 November 202216:00 England6–2 IranGroup B45,344
23 November 202216:00 Germany1–2 JapanGroup E42,608
25 November 202219:00 Netherlands1–1 EcuadorGroup A44,833
27 November 202219:00 Croatia4–1 CanadaGroup F44,374
29 November 202218:00 Ecuador1–2 SenegalGroup A44,569
1 December 202222:00 Japan2–1 SpainGroup E44,851
3 December 202218:00 Netherlands3–1 United StatesRound of 1644,846
17 December 202218:00 Croatia2–1 MoroccoThird place play-off44,137

2023 AFC Asian Cup

On 5 April 2023, Khalifa International Stadium was chosen as one of eight venues for the 2023 Asian Cup after People's Republic of China withdrew.

Date Time(QST) Team #1 Result Team #2 Round Attendance
14 January 202417:30 United Arab Emirates3–1 Hong KongGroup C15,586
16 January 202420:30 Saudi Arabia– OmanGroup F
19 January 202420:30 Hong Kong– IranGroup C
22 January 202418:00 Qatar– ChinaGroup A
25 January 202414:30 Jordan– BahrainGroup E
29 January 202414:30Winner Group D–Third-place Group B/E/FRound of 16

Friendly

Date Time (QST) Team #1 Result Team #2
14 November 200919:15 Brazil1–0 England
17 November 201019:15 Brazil0–1 Argentina
18 November 201018:00 Qatar0–1 Haiti
16 December 201018:00 Qatar2–1 Egypt
22 December 201016:00 Qatar2–0 Estonia
28 December 201019:15 Qatar0–0 Iran
6 February 201321:00 Spain3–1 Uruguay
7 September 201819:00 Qatar1–0 China
11 September 201819:00 Qatar3–0 Palestine
31 December 201820:00 Qatar1–2 Iran

References

  1. ↑ "В Катаре началась продажа билетов на Чемпионат мира по легкой атлетике 2019 года". fingazeta.ru. 28 August 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  2. ↑ "Everything you need to know about Qatar's new Khalifa International Stadium". iloveqatar.net. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2021.
  3. ↑ "The Al-Khalifa International – an icon among Qatar's 2022 World Cup venues". en.as.com. 8 July 2020. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  4. ↑ "Gulf Cup 1992 (in Doha, Qatar)". RSSSF. 20 June 2007. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  5. ↑ "When Qatar left a mark at Arabian Gulf Cup". gulf-times.com. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
  6. ↑ "Khalifa International Stadium". worldstadia.com. 13 October 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  7. ↑ "Qatar celebrates legacy of sports, Olympics with 3-2-1 museum launch". gdnonline.com. 20 April 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  8. ↑ "Gulf Times – Qatar's top-selling English daily newspaper - First Page". Archived from the original on 11 December 2011. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  9. ↑ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums: A guide". timeoutdoha.com. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
  10. ↑ "Khalifa International Stadium". fifa.com. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  11. ↑ "Expansion of East Stand at Khalifa Stadium". dar.com. Archived from the original on 13 June 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  12. ↑ FIFA.com (28 November 2017). "Khalifa International Stadium receives major sustainability award". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 28 November 2017. Retrieved 10 December 2017.
  13. ↑ "Qatar 2022: Football World Cup stadiums at a glance". aljazeera.com. 18 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  14. ↑ "Khalifa International Stadium reinforces Qatar's national vision". en.as.com. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  15. ↑ "Get To Know The 2022 Qatar World Cup Stadiums". archdaily.com. 2 August 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  16. ↑ "Qatar's iconic sports venue - The Khalifa International Stadium". thepeninsulaqatar.com. 25 September 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  17. ↑ "Education City Stadium to host FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2019™ final". FIFA. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  18. ↑ "Tracks worlds stadium in Qatar to host Club World Cup games". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 4 October 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  19. ↑ "Eight futuristic and sustainable stadiums set to make 2022 World Cup in Qatar more exciting!". ILoveQatar.net. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  20. ↑ "Khalifa International Stadium - World Cup Qatar 2022". footballgroundguide.com. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
  21. ↑ https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competitioninfo/e65d90ea-ab6a-4675-95ee-d12bfa20e8f5.pdf
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Khalifa International Stadium.
Events and tenants
Preceded by Asian Games
Opening and closing ceremonies
2006		 Succeeded by
Preceded by
Busan Asiad Main Stadium
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 Asian Games
Athletics tournament
Main venue
2006		 Succeeded by
Preceded by AFC Asian Cup
Final venue
2011		 Succeeded by
Preceded by World Athletics Championships
2019		 Succeeded by
Preceded by Asian Games
Opening and closing ceremonies
2030		 Succeeded by
Preceded by
Paloma Mizuho Stadium
Nagoya
 Asian Games
Athletics tournament
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2030		 Succeeded by
King Fahd International Stadium
Riyadh
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