The new home of this season’s Qatar Stars League (QSL) champions Al Rayyan is continuing to take on shape, as construction on the Al Rayyan Stadium temporary training facility next to the main stadium site concludes in time for the start of the new season in September 2016. Al Rayyan’s new training facilities are being built by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) in order to allow the club to continue with their operations until the stadium is completed in 2019.
“The training pitches are advancing rapidly and will be ready to be used for the new season, we are looking to hand them over by August 2016,” said Abdulla Al Fehani, SC Al Rayyan Project Manager. “In order to make sure that Al Rayyan has purpose made training facilities even during the construction of the stadium, we consulted the club and have built the facilities according to their requirements. It will have two main components, one administration building and six pitches with one athletic track, as well as changing rooms. The team changing room facilities include a press room, and player’s recovery units including ice bath areas, sauna and Jacuzzi similar to what you have in Premier League clubs.”
While the training pitches are now being finalised with the grass being planted, excavation works have been completed on the nearby Al Rayyan Stadium site in readiness for the Main Contractor coming on board.
“Excavation of about 210,000 cubic metres has been completed on site, which will be reused as part of the main project for our sustainability commitments,” Al Fehani said. “We have dug down six metres for the foundation, the parking areas and the new pitch. With the new Dukhan highway and Doha Metro advancing quickly in the vicinity for transportation links, and the new shopping area also coming along, this will be a completely different community by the time that this stadium development is completed in 2019.”
As one of Qatar’s best supported sides, the Al Rayyan Sports Club is also set to become a hub for the local community when the construction is finalised on site.
“The local community was consulted for the design and legacy of this project. With the facade inspired by local heritage and the shield design, this will be a stadium which is modern and yet related to the environment around it. It will serve in legacy as a hub for the local community, and not become a white elephant. The area surrounding the stadium includes retail, and aquatics centre, walkways and a wedding hall,” concluded Al Fehani.
The upper tiers of the 40,000 seater stadium will be demounted after the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™ in order to retain 20,000 seats in legacy mode. The resulting space will be used by different sports federations.