Khalifa International Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Doha, Qatar. It is a part of the Doha Sports City complex, which includes Aspire Academy, Hamad Aquatic Centre, and Aspire Tower. The venue is the national stadium of Qatar.
The Khalifa International Stadium was built for the 1976 Gulf Cup. Since then, it has been a major football arena for the country. Before its first renovation, it had a 20,000-seat capacity. After 2005’s renovation, seat capacity increased to 40,000.
After going through a second reconstruction, the stadium reopened in May 2017. Following that, the stadium hosted high-profile matches for Arabian Gulf Cup, IAAF World Athletics Championships, and FIFA Club World Cup. It will also host matches for the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
For its third renovation, 68,000 seat capacity was considered but later revised. Instead, capacity was increased to 48,000 seats. The iconic rooftop was rebuilt with new arches. A new cooling mechanism was also implemented for maintaining the optimal thermal condition inside. It also contains 10,000 sqm of retail space and another 10,000 sqm of VIP zones. It was the first stadium converted for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar.
Khalifa International Stadium Informations
| Full Name | Khalifa International Stadium |
| Location | Doha, Qatar |
| Architect | Dar Al-Handasah |
| Capacity | 48,000 |
| Construction Began | 2014 |
| Stadium Opened | May 2017 |
| Structural Engineer | Arup Sport, DHG, Cox Richardson Architects & Planners |
| Contractors | Midmac Contracting, Six Construct |
Facts About the stadium
- The stadium was named after Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani, a former Emir of Qatar.
- It has 6,000 car spaces and 2,300 bus spaces
- The venue employs around 30,000 workers
- In its recent renovation period, a sports museum was installed nearby.
- It received a 4-star rating from GSAS
- It was the first stadium that completed renovation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
2022 FIFA World Cup in the Stadium
| Date | Time | Match |
| 21 November 2022 | 16:00 | England vs Iran |
| 23 November 2022 | 16:00 | Germany vs Japan |
| 25 November 2022 | 19:00 | Netherlands vs Ecuador |
| 27 November 2022 | 19:00 | Croatia vs Canada |
| 29 November 2022 | 18:00 | Ecuador vs Senegal |
| 1 December 2022 | 22:00 | Japan vs Spain |
| 3 December 2022 | 18:00 | Winner Gr.A vs Runners-up Gr.B |
| 17 December 2022 | 18:00 | Third Place play-off |
Khalifa International Stadium is the only stadium selected for 2022 FIFA that will retain its current situation after the event is finished. As the international stadium of Qatar, it is often used for high-profile club matches and friendly international sports events. As the closest stadium to the city that takes less than an hour to reach, it is a very significant venue for Qatar. But the stadium management will keep working on minimizing its carbon footprints. Furthermore, they will work on making the stadium as future-proof while keeping it eco-friendly as possible.
