FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended the Lusail Super Cup on Friday evening, as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ Final stadium hosted a full-scale test event – ahead of the first-ever FIFA World Cup in the Arab world, which kicks off on 20 November 2022. The FIFA President joined other dignitaries, including HH Sheikh Jassim, as Al Hilal, champions of Saudi Arabia, beat Egyptian Premier League champions Zamalek 4-1 on penalties, after the match finished 1-1. A crowd of 77,575 fans at the brand new state-of-the-art stadium meant the attendance was a record for a match held in the World Cup host nation.

The match also marked a final milestone in Qatar’s preparations for the FIFA World Cup™, as it became the eighth and final stadium to open its doors for a full-capacity event. Since 2017, seven other stadiums have been inaugurated ahead of the 29-day tournament, which begins in under ten weeks’ time. It was the second time the FIFA President has attended a match at Lusail Stadium, having been present in August for the first-ever competitive game – a Qatar Stars League match between Al Arabi and Al Rayyan – played out in front of 20,000 fans. Lusail Stadium will host ten FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ games. This includes six group stage games, and one match 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.