EDUCATION CITY STADIUM: The Jewel of the Desert

The stadium’s design combines the Islamic architecture with amazing modernity

THE Education City Stadium is one of the stadiums that will host the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Dubbed as the “Jewel of the Desert”, design of the stadium inspired by the rich history of the Islamic architecture mixed with amazing modernity.

The Education City Stadium symbolizes innovation, sustainability and progress for decades to come, in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. The stadium is located within the Qatar Foundation’s Education City and has a capacity of 40,000 spectators.

Its location in the heart of Education City gives the stadium its uniqueness as it is overlooking the most important main roads, starting from the Southern Khalifa district to the coastal city of Dukhan, and passing through many residential areas that will be attractions for World Cup visitors.

The Education City Stadium draws a chapter in the history of the Islamic architectural art.

On the exterior, triangles create complex diamond-like geometrical patterns that sparkle as the sun moves across the sky.

At night, a digital light show illuminates the façade, giving fans a remarkable surprise performance.

Like diamonds, the stadium’s design represents quality, durability and resilience, and will become something to be treasured both for the memories it holds and its future value to the country and region.

The Education City Stadium will host eight matches during the World Cup 2022, with a capacity reaching 40,000 fans. The number of the seats will be reduced to 20.000 after the end of the tournament after dismantling the seats of the upper stands to donate them to countries lacking sports infrastructure.

The stadium is the first World Cup stadium to receive the fivestar Global Sustainability Assessment System program (GSAS) in sustainability. It is a shining beacon for sustainable and environmentally friendly stadium industry, a model to be guided by in using smart building systems.

The stadium was announced ready on June 15, 2020. It is located 12km from Downtown Doha, in the western area of the south campus of the Education City.

The Education City Stadium will be a model for others to follow thanks to its use of smart building systems, such as lighting and air conditioning units that automatically turn off when not in use in order to reduce energy consumption. The Stadium has environmentally friendly design and construction practices which help reduce the carbon footprint of the stadium, not only during the construction phase, but throughout the usage of the stadium.

The stadium was designed using the best internationally adopted practices, leading to high levels of water and energy efficiency. At least 20% of the materials used in the stadium are from sustainable sources.

In addition, 55% of the total building materials were purchased from local sources, so that it contributes to reducing carbon emissions from the stadium.

In the surrounding areas, drought-tolerant endemic plants were planted, accounting for 75% of the total green spaces.

After the World Cup, the Education City Stadium will attract students and surrounding communities through its three world-class sporting pavilions: one for swimming, one for indoor sports, and a final pavilion for a track and field stadium.

Fans can easily reach Education City Stadium by car or Metro, as it is only 7km from the heart of Doha.

Characterized by the advanced cooling technologies as in all stadiums of the FIFA Qatar 2022, a moderate temperature is maintained throughout the year for players and fans to feel completely comfortable.

The design of the stadium also provides fans with disabilities with excellent accessibility and mobility, while those looking to get the highest comfort can enjoy watching the matches from the hospitality areas and VIP guests.

Upon arrival, fans will notice the beautiful green spaces and state-of-the-art facilities surrounding the stadium including football training grounds, a golf course, and shops, all of which were built with commitment to sustainability and continuity standards.