Gianni Infantino was in attendance as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Final venue hosted its first-ever competitive game
The match between two Qatar Stars League teams was organised as a test event ahead of the venue’s official inauguration later this year
The 80,000-seater stadium will host the first-ever FIFA World Cup™ Final in the Arab world on 18 December 2022
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has attended the first-ever competitive match to be played at Lusail Stadium, the venue at which the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Final will be contested on 18 December. Lusail Stadium – the eighth and final FIFA World Cup™ stadium to host its first game – was completed in late 2021, and on Thursday evening opened its gates to 20,000 fans to watch Al Arabi’s 2-1 victory against Al Rayyan, in a Qatar Stars League fixture. The stadium is situated 15km north of Doha, in Lusail City, and has a capacity of 80,000. The fixture between the two local sides was organised as a first test event, before a full-capacity test event will take place on 9 September.
The full-capacity test event will see Saudi Pro League champions take on the winners of the Egyptian Premier League, which concludes on 29 August, while the official inauguration will take place during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Since 2017 Qatar has inaugurated seven stadiums for the FIFA World Cup – six brand new arenas, while Khalifa International Stadium received a complete renovation. During the tournament, ten FIFA World Cup games will take place at Lusail Stadium – including the Final on 18 December. In addition to the showpiece event, the stunning stadium will also host six group stage games, and one game in each knockout round up to and including the final.
In line with FIFA’s commitment to delivering a green tournament with a lasting legacy, sustainable building practices were implemented throughout the planning and construction of Lusail Stadium. Recycled water was used to irrigate plants around the stadium, while water efficient fixtures and leak detection systems are operational. The construction site conserved 40 per cent more fresh water than conventional stadium developments. The arena’s roof has been designed with sustainability in mind. A state-of-the-art material called PTFE also protects the stadium from warm wind, keeps out dust and allows enough light for the pitch to grow while providing shade to reduce the burden on the stadium’s air conditioning.